leeann@huxley.huxley.bitstream.com (Leeann Sack) (11/16/90)
Index Number: 11711 A very close friend of mine has suffered a stroke, and is having trouble communicating. She has lost a great deal of motor skill, but has control of her eyes and left hand. She is able to communicate using an alphabet board, but she tires very quickly. I'd like to put together an electronic version of this, with a joy stick. Does anyone know of existing products that display an alphabet and allows you to pick letters using a joy stick? I'd like something that runs on the PC. Thanks, Leeann Sack leeann@bitstream.com
wtm@bunker.uucp (Bill McGarry) (11/16/90)
Index Number: 11712 Leeann Sack (leeann@huxley.huxley.bitstream.com) writes: > A very close friend of mine has suffered a stroke, and is having > trouble communicating. She has lost a great deal of motor skill, but > has control of her eyes and left hand. She is able to communicate > using an alphabet board, but she tires very quickly. I'd like to > put together an electronic version of this, with a joy stick. Does > anyone know of existing products that display an alphabet and allows > you to pick letters using a joy stick? I'd like something that runs > on the PC. I have demos of two program from MSI here on my BBS, HANDIKEY and HANDIKEY deluxe. I started going through the IBM references but I ended up with nearly a 100K of information concerning joy sticks and other products that she could use. I think that your best course of action would be to call the IBM National Support Center for Persons with Disabilities. Their address is: IBM National Support Center for Persons with Disabilities P. O. Box 2150 Atlanta, GA 30055 (800) 426-2133 (404) 238-4806 They should be able to give you specific recommendations but be sure to get a copy of their Resource Guide for Persons with Mobility Impairments. Good luck and please keep us informed of your search and your friend's final choice. Bill McGarry (203) 337-1518 UUCP: {oliveb, philabs, decvax, yale}!bunker!wtm INTERNET: l-hcap@vm1.nodak.edu BITNET: l-hcap@ndsuvm1.bitnet fidonet: The Handicap News BBS (141/420) 1-203-337-1607 (300/1200/2400 baud, 24 hours) Compuserve: 73170,1064
Bill.Higgins@p17.f9.n249.z1.fidonet.org (Bill Higgins) (11/29/90)
Index Number: 12044
Hi Leeann,
Allow me to quote the letter you mailed on 17-Nov-90
LS> A very close friend of mine has suffered a stroke, and is having
LS> trouble communicating. She has lost a great deal of motor skill, but
LS> has control of her eyes and left hand. She is able to communicate
LS> using an alphabet board, but she tires very quickly. I'd like to put
LS> together an electronic version of this, with a joy stick. Does anyone
LS> know of existing products that display an alphabet and allows you to
LS> pick letters using a joy stick? I'd like something that runs on the
LS> PC.
Have you thought of using a mouse? It's the same idea of point and click
but could eventually enable her to run GUI based software to run her
home with as little help as possible.
TTFN!!!! (Imagine a computer mouse steering your wheelchair toward the trap.)
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!249!9.17!Bill.Higgins
Internet: Bill.Higgins@p17.f9.n249.z1.fidonet.orgEric.Bohlman@p1.f778.n115.z1.fidonet.org (Eric Bohlman) (11/30/90)
Index Number: 12049
LS> From: leeann@huxley.huxley.bitstream.com (Leeann Sack)
LS>
LS> using an alphabet board, but she tires very quickly. I'd like to
LS> put together an electronic version of this, with a joy stick. Does
LS> anyone know of existing products that display an alphabet and allows
LS> you to pick letters using a joy stick? I'd like something that runs
LS> on the PC.
Microsystems Software puts out some text composition programs that can use a
joystick or trackball for letter selection. Some of them have options for
routing text to a voice synthesizer as well as serving as keyboard
replacements. Contact:
Microsystems Software
600 Worcester Rd.
Framingham, MA 01701
508-626-8511
They have a BBS at 508-875-8009; you can download demo versions (60 minutes at
a time) of their software.
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!115!778.1!Eric.Bohlman
Internet: Eric.Bohlman@p1.f778.n115.z1.fidonet.org