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Back in 1964 when I started school at Marathon special school in Melbourne Australia there wasn't anything like computers or any ACC devices all there was some typewriters that you had to fight with to get your school work done. I couldn't use head piece Because I didn't have the head control to use it. Over many years my OT or speechie would say I want you to try a head piece again and I would think to myself it wont work but I will give it a go. But it never worked.
In 1977 I attended a day center run by Scope and the handy man developed splint that went over my left foot and I gilded the spring to the letter I wanted. This was a Long slow process, but that meant I could communicate independently and I was thrilled with myself.
In 1981 I was doing a correspondents course through Box Hill Tafe and my teacher's was best friend was married to an electronics lecturer at Swinburne University and wanted to develop some technology that would help somebody with a disability improve their quality of live. The Swinburne communicate was born it was a box of lights by ten by ten and hooked a full sized printer which took up nearly half the room, it was huge. It I was so excited, I was expecting it would so easy but I so wrong I couldn't get a word typed until I remembered those sessions with the head piece and being told look at the letter you want and move the head piece to it I could never do it using a head piece but it did work when I am using scanning. I am the only person that teach myself to it nobody else could ever teach me.
I have left That big old printer behind me now I use a panasonic Tough book computer on my tray Of Wheelchair and it is terrific now Because I can do do so much like I can talk to people , send emails to people, and write anything I like, and access the web. And technology will only get better.
Using An ACC device requires you to have good technical support around you otherwise it very difficult Because of break downs. I use James Dean at Technical Solutions he is terrific Because he is really dedicated to people who use Acc devices. I really respect him.
The End
By Shane Kelly