Allan
Six year-old Allan needs assistance with self-care skills and requires physical therapy and other resources to gain flexibility. While in a wheelchair most of the time, Allan uses a stander for an hour each day, which allows his muscles to stretch.
While Allan is a smart and motivated learner, he used to have difficulty operating a computer. Due to his physical limitations, his teacher had to guide his hand over the mouse. This was frustrating to him as he has a strong desire to be as independent as possible. To address this problem, an assistive technology specialist developed a special joystick for Allan. For stability, the device is
mounted on a board that can sit on the tray of his stander or wheelchair.
Before Allan began to use the joystick, he was only able to participate in computer activities as a spectator. Now, he can operate a computer independently of his teacher and can choose any website he would like to visit. His favorite characters, which include Barney, help him learn math and reading skills. Gaining such independence has also encouraged him to more actively participate with other students in his class.
Allan’s teacher believes that the independence he has gained from using the joystick will lead to more opportunities in the future. She has hope that he will use the computer skills he is learning to gain employment when he gets older.
