A North Dakota veteran’s residential health care representative contacted me to help her with an elderly client, lets call him Steve, with low vision and tremors who wanted to use a computer to send emails and access the internet. These age related impairments were making it difficult for him to successfully use a standard keyboard and monitor. Through IPAT, the residential health care representative learned about different assistive technology (AT) options, and chose to try an alternative keyboard with 1-inch keys and reduced keyset, paired with the computer’s built-in accessibility features of sticky keys, filter keys, and on-screen magnification for Steve. We were both excited to see the outcome!
The solution was a good fit! Yay! However, with a limited fixed income and no funding source available to purchase the AT, Steve still could not make using the computer 
a reality. Fortunately, IPAT’s re-use program, AT4ALL, had several keyboards available that had the potential to meet Steve’s needs. This was brought to the attention of the residential health care representative who then searched AT4ALL’s online listings. She located a keyboard with the features needed; larger keys, simplified alphabetic keyboard, and built-in mouse. The used alternative keyboard listed on AT4ALL was affordable, and the other needed accommodations were enabled via the built-in computer accessibility options at no cost. Due to IPAT’s re-use program and staff expertise, Steve is now spending his time emailing and surfing the internet because he was able to get the AT he needed.
If you or a loved one would like to gain computer access, but are limited by your current computer equipment, contact IPAT and we’ll help you find the AT to fit your needs.
Want to buy, sell, trade, or donate used AT? Check out IPAT’s re-use program, AT4ALL!