ICT PROSPECTS FOR THE PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED CHILD - A PARENTAL VIEW AVM FEMI GBADEBO (Rtd) OFR PRINCIPAL CONSULTANT GEEBARD CONCEPTS NIG. LTD.

DISABILITY Disability is an umbrella term, covering : Impairments. Activity limitations. Participation restrictions.

FURTHER DEFINITION Impairment: a deviation from normal, such as not being able to make a muscle move or not being able to control an unwanted movement. Disability: a restriction in the ability to perform a normal activity of daily living which someone of the same age is able to perform.

FURTHER DEFINITION (CONT.) Handicap: a child or adult who, because of the disability, is unable to achieve the normal role in society commensurate with his age and socio-cultural milieu. "Cerebral Palsy: A Guide for Care" at the University of Delaware”

when identifying a person with an impairment, the person's name or pronoun should come first, and descriptions of the: impairment/disability should be used so that the impairment is identified, but is not modifying the person.

a person's adaptive equipment should be described functionally as something that assists a person, not as something that limits a person “The American Psychological Association style guide”

ESTIMATES WORLDWIDE Out of an estimated world population of 6.5 billion people, nearly 100 million people were estimated to be moderately or severely disabled. “World Health Organization 2004”

TYPES OF DISABILITY Physical disability Sensory disability a. Visual impairment b. Hearing impairment c. Olfactory and gustatory impairment d. Disorders of taste e. Somatosensory impairment f. Balance disorder

TYPES OF DISABILITY (CONT.) Intellectual disability Developmental disability Non-visible disabilities or Invisible disability

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY Assistive Technology is a generic term for devices and modifications that help overcome or remove a disability.

EXAMPLES OF ASSISTED TECHNOLOGY Wheel chair. Standing frame. Text telephones. Accessible keyboard. Large print. Braille. Speech recognition software.

INPUT DEVICES FOR PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED COMPUTER USERS

ALTERNATIVE KEYBOARDS

Keyboards for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Connective Tissue Disorder and Arthritis No Finger Pressure

Sealed Keyboard

One inch extra large keys for limited sighted persons.

Large Key for sight impaired, or Toe operation

Light Beam controlled Keyboard key layout

Light beam Keyboard Being used with Notebook Computer

CONTROL DEVICES

Sip-and-Puff Controls

Precision Joystick Mouse with Switch Clicking

No-Grip Mouse and Accessible Clicking Kit

Head Tracking Mouse with Switch Clicking

Wireless Bluetooth Head Mouse

Brain & Facial Gesture Computer Control Interface

Fingertip or Chin Button Mouse

New non-contact TV control

OTHER DEVICES FOR PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED COMPUTER USERS Screen readers or optical character recognition applications Speech control interface Magnification software The ‘Tongue Drive System’

Pointing Devices Sticks and Wands Touch Screens Voice Recognition Software Speech to Text Software

CONCLUSION

“along with independence comes the capability for even severely disabled people to earn a living”