I have Cerebral Palsy and use my toes to operate a computer: This page discusses my communication problems
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COMMUNICATION
Above: Having a chat using the Samsung Q1
I don't spend much time in caves. But if I were to visit one and find a lamp containing a wish-granting genie I would request the ability to speak clearly ahead of being able to walk.
Being unable to communicate is a far greater hindrance than having to use a wheelchair. Not being able to interact with those around me can be very isolating. Things could be worse. I am very grateful to have the gifts of sight and hearing (...and, arguably, a fair degree of intelligence too!!!).
At schools the problem wasn't too great. The class sizes were small (no more than 10 pupils) and it always seemed to be the case that whenever I changed schools one or two of my new classmates could understand me straight away. I suppose they had come across people with similar speech impediments previously.
When I went to a mainstream college I expected things to continue in the same vein. As there would be up to 30 of us in the lectures I thought, by the laws of probability, that at least one person would be able to understand me. That was not the case and sometimes the students became anguished and alarmed when I attempted to communicate.
I imagine they thought I would be getting frustrated with them. But actually, because I find recordings of my own voice unintelligible when they are played back, I have lots of patience when people struggle to make sense of my utterances. Infact, I am impressed when my words are understood!!
Over the years I have learnt to speak more slowly and clearly (with my mum the words pour out of my mouth and are clearly understood by her - but no one else!). Thus my ability to convey my thoughts and wishes to strangers has improved.
In the office, because I am with the same people all day, my close colleagues have got reasonably good at catching my drift. However I rely quite heavily on Sensory Software's "Windbag" product which sends the words on my screen through the speakers of my computer. It is great to be able to "chat" in this way but I can only do so when I'm at my desk.
When they were released, I thought handheld PDA devices were going to be "the answer" to my portable communication requirements. However they only had enough computing power to accept a limited number of input devices, all of which were too small for me to operate.
With the never ending advances in technology the future is looking good for people with communication problems. Recently Ultra Mobile PC's have been launched. An example of one of these is the Samsung Q1 which I use. It has 90% of the capabilities of a desktop computer but is the size of a slim paperback book.
When I go to meetings at work I can use this device with my toe-operated keyboards in conjunction with the Windbag software. Sensory also supply a product called The Grid which enables people who cannot use a keyboard to communicate. This is something I use outside of work in conjunction with a trackball.
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