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Description
A video podcast showing how people use assistive technology to communicate, express their creativity, play games and make so much more out of life. These videos show that there is no reason why people with physical, vision, speech or language impairments cannot use the same creative and educational software as every other Mac OS X user. There are a few episodes per year, each starring a different person. Copyright AssistiveWare, all rights reserved.
Episode 1: A pivotal role in the household
Marie-France, has lost her voice and can only move a jaw muscle, but still plays a pivotal role in the household thanks to assistive technology.
 Marie-France has lost her voice and can only move a jaw muscle because of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Motor Neurone Disease (MND) or Lou Gherigs Disease. In this 4 minute video she shows how, with a single switch and AssistiveWare's Proloquo, KeyStrokes and SwitchXS software, she accesses her Apple PowerBook computer and communicates with others. She explains how she continues to perform a pivotal role in the household by doing the shopping, managing the bank accounts and even designing her own web site. Marie-France lives in Paris, France.
Episode 2: Everything I can't do in the real world I can do with my Mac
Joe Barnick was born with spinal muscular atrophy and cannot use a keyboard or mouse, yet thanks to assistive technology he can use his computer to do all those things he cannot do in real life.
 Joe Barnick was born with spinal muscular atrophy. In this 3.5 minute video he shows how, with an adapted trackball and AssistiveWare's KeyStrokes on-screen keyboard, he is able to do all those things with his computer that he cannot do in the real world. He explains how he uses his computer to design and edit the AssistiveWare Newsletter with Adobe InDesign, write college papers in Word, chat with family and friends with iChat, and buys exotic ingredients and Japanese anime figures on the internet. Joe Barnick lives in Charlton, NY, United States of America.
Episode 3: It has made the world of difference
Anne Robertson became blind as a small child. She is now a professional French to English translator using the latest Mac OS X screen reader in combination with naturally sounding French and English text-to-speech voices.
 Anne Robertson became blind as a small child. She is now a professional French to English translator. In this short video, she shows how she uses VoiceOver, the latest Mac OS X screen reader from Apple, in combination with naturally sounding French and British English text-to-speech voices of Acapela Group's Infovox iVox to do her work. She explains how, thanks to AssistiveWare's VisioVoice, which includes a French translation of VoiceOver, she has been able to speed up her translation work as she can now listen to text in one language while she is typing in another language. Anne Robertson lives in Orry la Ville, France.
Episode 4: One Thumb to Rule Them All
Mike Phillips is a gamer and freelance technology writer born with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Using his thumb and a proximity switch to access his computer he is a prolific journalist and has contributed chapters to several books.
 Mike Phillips is a gamer and freelance technology writer born with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). In this 3.5 minute video, he explores the frontiers of accessibility, playing games such as World of Warcraft and Unreal Tournament 2004 with just his thumb, a proximity switch, Origin Instrument's Swifty™ switch interface and AssistiveWare's SwitchXS® software. Mike not only uses his Mac to play games, he also writes game reviews for Inside Mac Games, presents at conferences, wrote chapters for several books, works on a novel and is active as a photographer and digital artist. Mike Phillips lives in Tampa, FL, United States of America.
Episode 5: Me and my computer
Elina was born with athetoid cerebral palsy. She is now 10 years old and her computer means life to her. Thanks to her computer she can write independently, correspond through email with her friends and express herself in school papers.
 Elina was born with athetoid cerebral palsy. About a year ago, when she was 9 years old, she got a computer and in this 4 minute video she demonstrates how it has revolutionized her life. The computer has given her independence as she can now draw and write by herself. She accesses her Apple iBook with an adapted joystick and uses AssistiveWare's KeyStrokes on-screen keyboard with word prediction for writing. She is also experimenting with Proloquo and the Infovox iVox voices for speech feedback while she types. At home and at school her computer means life to her! Elina lives in California, United States of America.
Episode 6: We can because we think we can
Leigh-Anne Tompkins was born with cerebral palsy. This did not stop her from making her dreams come true. She graduated magna cum laude in Fine Arts and now has her own company: Graphics Afoot Studio Design. She does web and print design work for local, national and international companies.
 Leigh-Anne Tompkins was born with cerebral palsy due to a lack of oxygen at birth. Inspired by a documentary of a young woman who painted with her feet, Leigh-Anne started drawing when she was 9 years old. Supported by her parents, teachers, college professors and other students she graduated magna cum laude in Fine Arts. She now has her own company: Graphics Afoot Studio Design. She draws with her right foot using a trackball on the floor. A head stylus, Sticky Keys and AssistiveWare's KeyStrokes provide her full keyboard access and word prediction. Using Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash, QuarkXpress and other print and web design software running on an Apple PowerMac G5 Quad she does design work for local, national and international companies. To communicate she uses AssistiveWare's Proloquo software. Talent and technology have allowed her to make her dreams come true. Read more about Leigh-Anne's story in AssistiveWare Newsletter #2. Leigh-Anne lives in Jacksonville, Florida, United States of America.
Episode 7: Communication is the central thing
Walter Pfrommer was diagnosed with ALS in 1999 and lost his mobility and speech. He uses an Apple PowerBook with augmentative communication software, an on-screen keyboard and a head pointer to communicate.
 Walter Pfrommer was a pediatric surgeon when he was diagnosed with ALS in 1999. Despite losing his mobility and speech he continued to work: first as a project manager on a hospital IT project, later as consultant to another person who took over his role as project manager. Using his Apple laptop with AssistiveWare's Proloquo augmentative communication software, AssistiveWare's KeyStrokes on-screen keyboard and an Origin Instruments HeadMouse Extreme, he communicated with co-workers, family, friends and other people through email, chat and an Acapela Group synthesized speech voice. Walter wanted to make the best of life. In the video, shot in November 2005 he takes us along to his work, to a museum and to cinema. After his condition worsened he died in February 2006.
Episode 8: Head-designed
Giesbert Nijhuis is paralyzed from the neck down due to a spinal cord injury caused by a car accident. He now designs t-shirts, CD covers, film posters and much more using a head pointer and an on-screen keyboard.
 Giesbert Nijhuis was a talented photographer and graphic designer when he had a spinal cord injury due to a car accident in December 1995. Left paralyzed from the neck down he took up his old professions again replacing his pencil with a computer. Now he does all his artwork with his head, using a HeadMouse Extreme from Origin Instruments to control his cursor. To write and control Photoshop and all those other applications that rely on keyboard shortcuts and modifier-key click combinations he uses AssistiveWare's KeyStrokes on-screen keyboard. He has a beautiful, head-designed web site chronicling his "first" and "second" life and designs t-shirts, CD covers, film posters, application icons and much more using his head and his Apple Power Mac G5 Quad.
Users in Control: A Fresh Perspective on Accessibility (Audio & PDF)
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