Dyspraxia and mouse problems

[elsiegee40]

I have a colleague here who is left-handed and dyspraxic and finds using a mouse incredibly difficult... even with the left hand

 

This person is probably top of my nice list and I'd really like to try and do something to help with computer use... does anyone have any suggestions that may help please?

[OutToLunch]

Tweak their profile and slow the mouse right down for when they're using other workstations, possibly treat them to a trackball for their own machine? I'll have to go grab one of our occupational therapists and ask them for any other suggestions...

[Pottsey]

Browse Inclusive Technology - Computer Access - Products there are a lot of alternative ways to access the computer.

 

One of my colleagues swears by this Evoluent VerticalMouse, Vertical Mouse, ergonomic mouse, ergonomic computer mouse, computer mouse, optical mouse, carpal tunnel syndrome, repetitive stress disorder, RSI Might not be suitable though.

Edited November 26, 2008 by Pottsey

[contink]

I'd go with a trackerball too... Certainly OTL got most of the stuff I would have suggested too.

[Lee_K_81]

Tracker ball, tablet pc? Touchscreen monitor? Failing that look at the mouse settings in the control panel. Try slowing the pointer speed down and turning off the precision settings. Or a microphone and speech recognition.

[elsiegee40]

Tweak their profile and slow the mouse right down for when they're using other workstations, possibly treat them to a trackball for their own machine? I'll have to go grab one of our occupational therapists and ask them for any other suggestions...

Thank you an Occupational Therapist's view would be useful

 

Browse Inclusive Technology - Computer Access - Products there are a lot of alternative ways to access the computer.

 

One of my colleagues swears by this

Evoluent VerticalMouse, Vertical Mouse, ergonomic mouse, ergonomic computer mouse, computer mouse, optical mouse, carpal tunnel syndrome, repetitive stress disorder, RSI Might not be suitable though.

I will follow these links - a trackball mouse may well be the answer

 

Tracker ball, tablet pc? Touchscreen monitor? Failing that look at the mouse settings in the control panel. Try slowing the pointer speed down and turning off the precision settings. .

Is it possible to do this for the user only? Or does this have to be on a per machine basis?

[clareq]

My son is left handed and dyspraxic, and swears by his graphics tablet. Mind you, he had got quite adept at keyboard commands too. He finds it easier if he can keep his hands on the keyboard and not move back and forth.

[danIT]

My brother is dyspraxic, left handed and autistic and I can safely say trackerball is a no no, better success with keyboard commands and slowing down a regular mouse yielded better results.

 

Also he got on quite well with one of those joystick controllers, usually used with people who have arthritis, and can also second a graphics tablet on the recommendation of a colleague who has a daughter with dyspraxia but is not left handed.

 

Alot of the time its down to personal preference.

[elsiegee40]

We have a graphics tablet at home. I think I will take it into school for my colleague to try out

[MrEprise]

Also he got on quite well with one of those joystick controllers, usually used with people who have arthritis...

 

Are you by any chance talking about one of these;

 

3M United States - My Workspace - Ergonomic Mouse

 

Our Adult & Community Learning Dept. bought one of these a few years ago for one of the PCs in their computer suite - each time I go down there to fix a problem, I always have a go with it. It's certainly a lot more comfortable to use than a standard mouse but with anything like this which isn't the norm, is quite awkward to get the hang of.

[elsiegee40]

An update:

 

I installed my small graphics tablet from home - ([ame=http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wacom-Bamboo-One-Graphics-Tablet/dp/B000VZZCSO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1228220169&sr=8-1]Wacom Bamboo One Graphics Tablet[/ame])

and it seems to be doing the trick. The user is over the moon.

 

The HT is sufficiently impressed to want to buy one for this person to use in school... it's small enough to be portable, so I'll install the drivers on all the PCs that this person is likely to use, so she can just take it with her