This area is for information and experience surrounding computer access: Look at the index for the topics in this list.

Desciption of comptuer access

There are a range of support devices to aid someone’s arm movements to help them use a computer. The most common of these is probably the common computer arm support (ErgoArm).

I have also recently played with the M.A.G Orthosis from Porteor (apparently supplied in the UK by Rehability, but the phone number is out of date). This is very impressive in it’s freedom of movement. — Simon Judge 2006/10/27

There are a range of ExistingGazeSystems and an EU project looking at Gaze interaction within the context of AT (COGAIN ).

There are also a number or GazeResearchProjects with some fascinating results -for example EyePliances - equipment that is ‘Gaze enabled’ and knows when you are looking at it. Check out this article on Roel Vertegaal’s work on this.

• There is also a page to discuss EyeGazeInPractice

Lots of work goes on in the HCI field on computer access, some of this will make it’s way into mainstream technology and should also make it’s way into Assistive Technology.

• Multi-touch sensing - an alternative way of interacting with computers and displays - using two points of contact rather than one. Watch this excellent video by Jeff Han on the topic (from New York University’s Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences).

Computer games are a) fun b) motivating c) educational (well, can be)...

• MotivationalGames
• SwitchAccessibleGames
• How to play joystick games with a HeadMouse - Using a headmouse to play games
• BCAB listing of games suitable for people with visual impairments.

Useful resources to aid computer access.

— Simon Judge 2006/11/15

Macros can be useful for customising computer access for people - instead of relying on how the computer works, you can make it do whatever you want. In addition they are useful as general fixes for things like communication aid software interaction etc.

• Introduction to Macros and using the free editors
• A list of handy macros for AT

Launchy is a potentially useful program for people just wanting to use the keyboard. It lets you start programs without using the mouse. There are other commercial equivalents that seem to have a bit more power, and the powerful (?) free Mac originial.

Haseena Muhammad, Clinical Engineer, ACT

Using SAW Designer(Developed by ACE Centre, a simple set of grids was put together (at ACT) to allow a user to access e-books through switch scanning.

The grids are designed to allow the user to scroll up and down a page and has a settings option to allow the user to open pdf files.

The grid sets can be downloaded from the link below. SAW needs to be installed on the PC to run these grids. ‘Menu’ is the grid set that allows the user to scroll up and down a page ‘e-books’ is the grid set that allows the user to navigate through the window for opening a file

• e-books.sss
• menu.sss

• VistaCompatibleAT

• Allowing on screen keyboard users to logon to a network - Solving the problems of logging onto a PC with an on-screen keyboard.
• Tablet PCs - Edit this when you add a page