United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Hello All You Experts,

John is off to college (yikes) in 2 months & we're starting from scratch. We need your advice on ways technology can help keep his head above academic water.

1. Laptop: how heavy is too heavy?
2. One handed keyboards - too many choices!
3. Voice Recognition Software: Is Dragon Nat Speaking Preferred good enough or do we need to spring for the Professional, which is much more expensive?

Any luck getting gov't agencies to help pay for any of this? We live in Georgia if that makes a difference...

Help!! Many thanks,

Ellen

Ellen,
Check with the college, they should have an office for students with special needs. They should be able to help with suggestions, note taking, ect. Also have you tried your states Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. We got Dustin quilified. They help with college tuition, books, ect., and may help with special needs he has. Tell John good luck!! We are at the same spot with Dustin, he is planning to head back to college this fall. Last year he attended for only 2 months before his accident and we had to withdraw him.
Sue

Both Amy and Miereke are going to college maybe they will have suggestions for us also.
Sue

Ellen, Ryan McClune uses a one handed keyboard... it just has 5 keys I think... he sis however say that it took him some time to learn how to use it... almost a year to master it I think... maybe try emailing him... he is a computer geek so to speak... sorry Ryan, I love you... as far as what is too heavy for a lap top... I Have NO IDEA! I have a nice bag for my lap top... it still does tend to get a bit heavy... i would honestly look for the lightest possible! Is he going to CC or University? After my accident I was soffered by my CC, some one to go to class with my and write my notes and tests... NO THANKS! I was not interested in looking any different!! It was TOUGH, I will not lie but I wanted to do it on my own! My typing got quite good with one hand, my friends laughed that I was faster with one than they were with two! haha Now I Ma slower two handed typer these days... I Hope some of this helps!!! Hope all is well and that John is EXCITED!!!

Courtney

Hi Ellen!
I bet ohn will enjoy going off to college. It can be tricky at first be he will get the hang of it.

For typing I use a regular keyboard because that was what was available to me when I was in elementary school as well as high school. I type using only my left hand and have gotten quite fast at it but it does take time to learn the spacing of the keys. Switching keyboards really screws me up.

As for a lap top, I didnt buy one for college because I did not like the key boards on them, the keys are much closer together it seems and I am used to a desk top key board. I did end up getting a really old lap top for my birthday in February and I am getting used to the keys and maybe in a few years I will consider buying a nice lap top. I do notice that with the lap top I still have a lot more typos as compared to the regular keyboard that I am used to. I think it all depends on what you are used to.

What does ohn currently use at home? If it works I would get the same set up for college.

I am sure if you chek with the college they can help accommodate John too. Had I wanted some one I could have had some one to take notes for me and last year the only class I had trouble keeping up with notes was my chemistry lecture and really that was my fault because the teacher posted the notes online before class but I just never printed them. I though if I wrote it I would remember it. Turns out thats not really the case. What he would ask on the tests was not what was on his notes (power point slides) but the extra stuff he was explaining that I missed because I was taking down what was on the slide.

I am a bit subborn and don't want to be viewed any different from every one else so I really did not ask for accommodations other than a different chair in my dorm room because mine hurt my back.

Also check with the college and see if they have the voice recognition program, John might be able to use the colleges system instead of you buying your own, unless this is something John will want to use forever then it might be worth it to have your own system.

I guess the biggest thing is to ask for help when you need it, I didnt and it really applied some serious stress at time which in turn made my back hurt (I learned a very valuable lesson, dont stress out over the little stuff, stress is a maor trigger for pain!)

I hope some of that helps. Feel free to email me if you have any questions about what I wrote or ny others you think I can help you with.

Big Hugs,
Amy 19 ROBPI from MN

Also GOOD LUCK JOHN!!!

Hi,
Can't help with one-handed keyboard as I have use of both my hands, but as far as laptops go.. I have a MAC 14 inch screen ibook G4 and to carry it and books around is IMPOSSIBLE for me. It's either the mac or the books. Or the MAC and a LIGHT book! I am in nursing school so my books weigh a ton and most of the time I don't bring them to class, just class notes and paper.
So YES, there is such a thing as too heavy (and it's small!). I also walk with a cane and a leg brace and my only hand free is my LOBPI one, which doesn't help as I can't carry a ton in it.
I carry my laptop/books around in my backpack. I suggest going to stores and actually asking to see if you can carry it/hold it to see the weight differences.
At my college there is the service for students with disabilities and they are great. I don't use them much but they do offer many things including ideas of what software can help, note taking, scholarships... I would find out what they do offer and you can choose yes or no to use the services available.
Marieke (LOBPI)


Message was edited by: marieke

Everyone, thank you so much for your quick response and excellent ideas. I may be writing some of you directly with specific questions - hope that's OK.

I can understand the time it can take to get fast on some of these one handed keyboards. When John was injured at 15, I contacted the local gov't to ask about services provided for the one armed. Incredibly, I was told that they offered classes on one handed typing but only for kids 18 & older. i.e. they insisted that high schoolers didn't have a need to be fast/efficient on the keyboard! I sputtered a bit & finally just hung up in disbelief. Our wonderful government in action...

Thanks again for all your help!

Ellen

Hi Ellen,
This is something I've been needing to deal with for over three years now. I have "Via Voice" software for my Mac that's voice recognition software that I never used because I've switch back to PC. I understand that "Dragon NaturallySpeaking" software ( http://www.accessingenuity.com/Product% ... dragon.htm ) is the one to purchase for a PC. I personally don't really want to talk (and hear myself talk) to get my thoughts down, I prefer the relative silence of a keyboard. Problem is, that typing w/one hand is nowhere near as smooth, fast, and error free as typing w/two is. My occupational therapist mentioned that there is software that converts a keyboard to functional use for one hand (by flipping one half of the keyboard while holding the space bar down). I'm trying to find out where I can purchase just this software. A company sells the "half-qwerty" keyboard that does the same thing, but I'm not sure about just the software - http://half-qwerty.com/index.php . (Check out their free downloadable software that can switch your keyboard, incredibly easily - takes just a couple of clicks. Halfway down on right side of page)

I'll post if I find anything new out about this. I've emailed the company and posted a request on a spinal cord injury site as well. This has been on my mind for a long while.

Give my best to John, hope he's looking forward to school. Be well.

Christopher

I meant to post this link as well. Just info one the pacticality of that half-qwerty software.

http://edgarmatias.com/papers/chi94/index.html

Hi Chris,

The below url shows several different one-handed keyboard options. I can see pros & cons for each, not the least of which is the price tag (gasp). That's where I'm hoping the good ol' govt will come in...

http://www.sforh.com/keyboards/onehand.html

At least your idea doesn't seem to have a cost associated w/it.

I'm not sure what John thinks about any of this anyway - I'm still at the "independent mom research" stage. Thought I'd get some input from all you experts & turn it over to him.

Take care & give our best to your family,

Ellen