Computer Access Joystick
Allan explores the Barney website while Norm Rubin, Woods Assistive Technology Specialist, evaluates his progress.
Computers can pose some challenges unique to children with cognitive and/or physical disabilities. For example, they may have difficulty understanding the relationship between their finger movements on a mouse to what happens on the screen. Also, they sometimes lack the eye-hand coordination and fine motor ability to operate a mouse.
One six year-old boy at Woods was unable to operate a computer without assistance from his teacher. A special computer access joystick, was purchased for him from a company called Penny and Giles.
To accommodate his individual needs, the students performance was evaluated by an assistive technology specialist. It was determined that the joystick needed a special knob to ease use, as well as a plate to secure the joystick to prevent it from shifting on the lap-tray attached to the boys wheelchair. A knob was selected that was easier for him to grasp, and a mounting base was designed and fabricated that would properly position the joystick on his lap-tray as well as prevent it from shifting or tilting when the control lever was pushed.
The student is currently using the modified joystick and is now able to independently engage in many computer-based activities.
