Student Profiles

Students Who Have Fatigue or Weakness Issues

Jose is a 13-year-old student. Despite the fact that he has had several surgeries, Jose's spastic cerebral palsy has left his arms rigid and with limited range of motion. Jose can move his arms side-to-side about 12" but only about 6" down from their normal position near his shoulders. Grasping is very difficult for Jose, but he is able to point with his finger into a 1.5" square area with accuracy. Jose has tried using a trackball but was unable to manipulate the device . Of average intelligence, this highly motivated young man desires to participate as fully as possible, but finds it difficult to independently use traditional art materials. Jose also likes to write, and prefers to have a device that will also enable him to easily type.

Software
Jose would like to have an experience as close to using traditional art materials as possible. Natural art media software would help fulfill this desire. Age-appropriate software in this category would include Painter Classic, Dabbler, and perhaps "Make a Masterpiece". A likely choice would be Dabbler, since it can accessed through his Discover:Board (unlike Make a Masterpiece) and is used by Jose's peers at school.

Computer Access Method
Jose is trying an alternate keyboard – the Discover:Board. Activation areas can be designed to fit the needed 1.5" size for accuracy. The Discover:Board can emulate both a traditional keyboard and a mouse, enabling Jose to use word processing programs as well as mouse-driven programs in art class. The Discover:Board will be placed on his slanted wheelchair tray, accommodating for his lack of downward motion. He can reach the full dimensions of the Discover:Board's layout and is pleased that a key's function remains activated even though he can't continually hold it down.

Charles is a 17-year-old student with Muscular Dystrophy. His condition has progressed to the point that he can only use his thumb. Charles fatigues easily and is quite weak overall. An extremely limited range of motion prevents him from using the standard trackball that he had been using for a few years. Yet, within that small range, Charles is still very accurate. Charles is above average in intelligence and has a deep love of art. Still wanting to pursue a profession as a graphic artist, Charles has decided that he could design logos and web pages, if given the appropriate accommodations.

Computer Access Method
The main challenge to access the computer for Charles is his extremely limited range of movement– namely, the radius of his thumb. Trackballs have proved to be a preferred method of access, but Charles now needs a sensitive trackball that can be manipulated with his thumb. There is a trackball called Thumbelina that is extremely small– about 1" in size. The ball is about the size of a pencil tip eraser. By pressing buttons on the trackball, Charles can perform click or drag functions required by his favorite art programs.

Software
The addition of an on-screen keyboard would help give Charles more complete access to the art/web creation programs that he wants to use. On-screen keyboard software such as Ke:nx OnScreen, Screen Doors (Macintosh only) or WiViK (Windows only) place a customizable floating window of a keyboard on the computer screen. Charles can simply move the trackball over the desired letter "key" and select the key with a mouse click. Alternately he could further reduce physical movement by using the dwell feature of the on-screen software, which will allow him to select a key by keeping the mouse pointer over one key for a period of time.

Cynthia is a 5-year-old student with moderately severe athetoid cerebral palsy affecting all four limbs. Although she is unable to talk, Cynthia expresses through her eyes and actions that she is eager to participate in art. Cynthia has extremely jerky and uncontrollable movements. She has poor motor control and is unable to point accurately. Cynthia is of slightly below average intelligence but enjoys age-appropriate art activities. When she uses a paintbrush or her hands, marks are made in sweeping, jerky horizontal movements.

Computer Access Method
Cynthia does not have the motor skills to accurately press buttons on an alternate keyboard nor is she able to precisely manipulate even the most sophisticated of trackballs or joysticks. It has been found that Cynthia can turn her head to the right on command. In order to perform mouse or keyboard functions, it has been determined that Cynthia will best access the computer through the use of a switch device and scanning input. To perform switch activation, the Ultimate switch has been chosen, since it will withstand severe blows that sometimes occur as Cynthia moves her head to hit the switch. The Ultimate switch will be mounted to her wheelchair with a flexible gooseneck arm so that the switch is in the best position to be activated. To perform the scanning input when attached to the computer, the switch will be connected to hardware such as the Ke:nx box or the Discover Switch.

Software
Children that are Cynthia's age love to create using the software Kid Pix. Significant changes to the image can be made with just a few selections, most notably the mixer. Using a switch with scanning input can be very time-consuming, so the capability to make changes in few selections will help enable Cynthia to create more quickly. She can use Kid Pix scanning setups already included with Ke:nx or the Discover Switch, or one can be custom made. Cynthia might also like using the early childhood art appreciation software Art Express, which will immediately work with a switch without any special setups.

Annie is an 8-year-old girl with a mild cognitive disability and an undeveloped handgrip. While she is able to hold onto a tool, Annie's grip soon weakens and the tool is dropped. Using adapted art supplies such as the cone-shaped crayons or inserting tools into a grip device has shown to be helpful. However, Annie seems to be most comfortable just creating with her fingers.

Computer Access Method
Annie needs a device that will enable her to use her fingers to "paint" on the computer. Her mild cognitive disability also bears consideration, eliminating devices that require high levels of abstraction or complexity. Two of the most direct approaches include the TouchWindow and graphics tablet. By using a TouchWindow, abstraction is virtually eliminated and Annie can paint with her finger directly on the screen. Alternately, the included stylus could be used, adapted by building up the size or inserting it into a grip device which is then strapped onto Annie's hand. Should her arm fatigue from holding it up to the screen, the TouchWindow can be removed from its velcro attachment to the screen and placed on Annie's lap where she can continue painting. Such use of the TouchWindow would mimic the KidDraw graphics tablet, which might be even more appropriate as Annie's grip begins to develop.

Software
Both Kid Pix and ClarisWorks for Kids would be developmentally appropriate for Annie. Both include verbal feedback, with ClarisWorks for Kids even speaking all menu selections, especially helpful since Annie doesn't read well. ClarisWorks for Kids provides larger color selection areas, making it easier for Annie to accurately pick the desired color when using her finger or stylus via the TouchWindow. For art appreciation, Annie could be introduced to Voyager's "With Open Eyes" or "The Louvre For Kids," two intuitive graphical programs with large accessible buttons.

Tanisha is a mature 12-year-old student with quadriplegic paralysis. She has regained a little movement in her right hand since the car accident four years ago, but the hand is very weak and fatigues easily. Head control remains good. To move her wheelchair, Tanisha uses a sip'n' puff switch. Although Tanisha realizes that assistive technology equipment must be added in order to independently operate the computer, she would like it to be as small or discreet as possible.

Computer Access Method
Tanisha needs to maximize her good head control. She had tried a trackball but was unable to work for more than a few minutes before her hand fatigued. Electronic pointing devices such as the HeadMouse and Head Master would utilize her strong, stable neck and head muscles. Because the HeadMouse is more discreet (a 1/4" reflective dot placed on the forehead), it would be the preferred device. With the HeadMouse, Tanisha could completely control mouse movements on the screen. Selections or mouse clicks could be made using either her sip'n' puff switch or through dwell software.

Software
Tanisha is of normal intelligence and very much wants to use software that her peers are using. A more mature individual, Tanisha could be given the choice of painting software such as Dabbler or Painter Classic. Dwell software such as Dwell Pick or Magic Cursor would help Tanisha accomplish mouse clicks. When using dwell software, Tanisha would simply hold the mouse pointer over a target on the screen for a period of time until the system generates a click. Or, she could choose to use her sip'n puff switch, a device she is already skilled in using.