I spend my days surrounded by computers. I have a tower that sits beside my desk that runs Windows XP and a MacBook on the desk. Sometimes I have my Windows 7 laptop beside the MacBook. There are 17 other computers in my room. Other people bring their computers to me so I can "look at" them. But, I have never had to deal with Adaptive Technology.
Adaptive Technology is the world of software and devices that allow handicapped people to use technology. The software comes with various uses. It can read the contents of the screen to someone who has lost her sight or listen to, and obey, the voice of a person who is not able to type. There is also scanning software that is used in conjunction with an input device: The software "scans" the alphabet, and the user bumps a switch or gives a gesture that triggers an input to select the proper letter.
On the hardware side, there are keyboards with extra-large keys. They are great for people who lack fine motor skills. "Switches" are commonly used be people who need an input device that can be operated with a large motion, such as the movement of an arm or a bump with a knee. A "switch" can also be a device that detects a slight motion (the blink of an eye) to send a signal to a computer.
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