Case Study: Eric

Eric attends fifth grade in his neighborhood school. He enjoys playing computer games with his friends and his favorite subject is Social Studies. Eric uses a powered wheelchair to get around and controls it with a chin switch mounted on a horizontal bar. For computer activities he has several options.

Mouse Control - In using the Internet and playing computer games where he needs mouse commands for navigation and game control, he wears the Head Mouse dot on his forehead to move the cursor and a second chin switch to "click".

In the Control Panel/Mouse Options, he keeps the mouse tails feature on to locate and follow the pointer more easier.

Switch/Click Use - When Eric moves the pointer to where he wants on the screen, he clicks by pushing out his chin to activate the switch to "click".

For writing activities, Eric now uses speech recognition software (Dragon Naturally Speaking) that includes speech macros for efficiency. He sometimes switches off to his "older" writing system - the Head Mouse with the WIVIK onscreen keyboard. This can make editing more direct. The font of the word processor is enlarged, as are the screen windows and the menu bars. He can be fully independent on either of these combined systems. He now has better choices!

There are several options and combinations of options for students with significant and/or multiple disabilities to participate independently in computer activities. Consider combining these systems with low-tech strategies or for students with visual impairments.