There are many new and different keyboards, software for keyboards, and ergonomic workstations designed for the MOBILITY IMPAIRED employee.

I recently tested a new product designed for the employee with hand, finger, wrist or arm disabilities. It is a method of typing that reduces finger motion for sufferers of carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, palsy, and hand disabilities. It is software that changes the location of 12 letters on the keys of your keyboard. It modifies your existing keyboard so that the six most commonly used letters (E,I,O,T,N,R) are on the home row.

I was able to learn the new keyboard in just a few hours. Retraining is quick and easy because the other 44 keys are left in place. It is easy to install and toggles on and off to the standard keyboard.

Another new product on the market is the Digitus Mouse. With the Digitus Mouse, your index finger or your thumb can be the primary clicking button. You can select the setting most comfortable for you with a switch on the underside of the mouse. The ergonomic design allows you to "rest" your other fingers on the mouse.

I installed this new mouse on my computer and I really like it. If you use the mouse a lot, being able to switch the primary clicking button from your index finger to your thumb and vice versa, reduces the stress on your fingers and hand.

For the HEARING IMPAIRED , I saw a demonstration on a new device called HATIS (Hearing Aid Telephone Interconnect System). HATIS works on inductive coupling and enables people with up to 97% hearing loss the freedom to use the same telephones that are used by everyone else, even cellular phones. It works directly with the person's prescribed hearing aid. HATIS works directly with any hearing aid that has a T-switch (Telephone Switch), behind and in-the-ear types, thus the hearing aid can amplify up to 144dB. There is no liability or risk as the system does not amplify -- the individual's hearing aid does. The hearing aid actually becomes the receiver.

For the VISUALLY IMPAIRED , there are new hands free, voice dialing products that automatically dial the telephone at your command.

There is also speech synthesizer software that allows you to talk to your PC. The large vocabulary dictation systems allows you to enter text and data into word processing, spreadsheet, database, and other programs by speaking instead of typing. Simply talk into a microphone, and your words appear on the computer screen.

Jinethel Baynes
IRM Disability Coordinator
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
BaynesJ@mail.fws.gov
(703) 358-1729