Type….type….delete…delete…type…DELETE…type. This is what composing a simple email was like for Erik before he found out about computer adaptations that could help him. He had been using a computer for years, however, lately due to aging, arthritis and the fact he has cerebral palsy, accessing the computer became more of an exercise in futility.
Erik and his sisters, who live hundreds of miles away, contacted IPAT to see if there was a better way for him to access the computer, so they could communicate via email, Skype, etc..
After a conversation and equipment demonstration, Erik rented a Dvorak keyboard, keyguard, and a computer with speech recognition software. This rental helped him determine that he would benefit from this equipment, which led to another issue. . .funding.
Thanks to the IPAT Pedaling for Possibilities Program (P4P) and the many people who have donated/raised dollars, Erik was able to obtain all of his needed equipment.
Erik has been using this donated equipment for several months now, and recently stated, “The Dvorak left-handed Keyboard, with the raised Plastic Key Guard, has been a blessing. Every time I type on it, I become more proficient. Now I write twenty- page documents without concern. ” He is also learning Dragon Naturally Speaking, speech recognition software, which will eventually speed up text input even more for him.
If you would like to be a part of the 5th Annual IPAT P4P Stationary Bike Event by joining a team, becoming a sponsor, or by donating, please contact us at 1-800-895-4728 or ipatinfo@ndipat.org. You can find more information about P4P here.