[senit] Switches with no auditory feedback that can't be thrown

From: Imogen Wedgewood <Imogen at cenmac.com>

Thanks Paul,
Proximity switches might be one solution, but the pupils need to have something to press/touch to indicate to them that they have caused an effect- it'll be too abstract otherwise... given me more food for thought though, cheers.

Imogen

Imogen Wedgewood
Assistive Technology Specialist
CENMAC
020 88541019

imogen at cenmac.com
www.cenmac.com
www.checkthemap.org 

-----Original Message-----
From: senit-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk [mailto:senit-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk] On Behalf Of Paul Nisbet
Sent: 11 July 2008 10:04
To: davidfettes3 at yahoo.co.uk; senit at lists.becta.org.uk
Subject: Re: [senit] Switches with no auditory feedback that can't be thrown

1. Non-contact proximity switches mounted underneath the tray? 

E.g. the ERI range from Inclusive?
Very expensive though - £185 for the adjustable proximity switch which "can
be mounted behind a panel of wood, plastic, vinyl, foam and many more
materials while maintaining its sensitive functionality."
(http://www.inclusive.co.uk/catalogue/acatalog/eri_adjustable_proximity.html
and 
http://www.amdi.net/sensors.htm. 

(I think the ERI switches are standard Omron capacitive proximity switches
that you can buy from electronic suppliers e.g. RS for about £50 but you'd
have to faff around with power supplies and cables because they need a 12v
supply.)

2. How about screwing the switches to another tray/flat board, then clamping
the switch tray to the wheelchair tray using quick release G clamps from
B&Q? 

_______________________________________________
Paul D. Nisbet
Senior Research Fellow
Communication, Access, Literacy and Learning (CALL) Scotland
Moray House School of Education
University of Edinburgh
Paterson's Land, Holyrood Road
Edinburgh EH8 8AQ
Tel. 0131 651 6236     Fax 0131 651 6234
email Paul.Nisbet at ed.ac.uk

CALL Centre:    http://callcentrescotland.org.uk 
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-- 
The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in
Scotland, with registration number SC005336.

-----Original Message-----
From: senit-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
[mailto:senit-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk] On Behalf Of david fettes
Sent: 10 July 2008 22:25
To: senit at lists.becta.org.uk
Subject: Re: [senit] Switches with no auditory feedback that can't be thrown

universal arm? probably best if no tray
http://www.inclusive.co.uk/catalogue/acatalog/universal_switch_mountings.htm
l
I can't remember ,can you use a big mac as a computer switch? so can always
bea message if switch is always there?
David

--- On Thu, 10/7/08, Imogen Wedgewood <Imogen at cenmac.com> wrote:

> From: Imogen Wedgewood <Imogen at cenmac.com>
> Subject: [senit] Switches with no auditory feedback that can't be thrown
> To: senit at lists.becta.org.uk
> Date: Thursday, 10 July, 2008, 12:53 PM
> Hello everyone
> 
>  
> 
> I've recently seen a few pupils who mouth/throw/push
> switches that can
> be levered off their Velcro mounts with perseverance. Staff
> have screwed
> switches into trays as a solution but then can't remove
> them easily so
> the switch stays there all day regardless of whether or not
> it is
> connected to anything.  This obviously hampers
> understanding of c&e etc.
> 
>  
> 
> Aside from PalPads has anyone recently used anything that
> can be mounted
> flat in front of a child (e.g.on their wheelchair tray)
> that is also
> removable by staff when the switch is not in use; very
> robust; pref with
> no auditory feedback.
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks
> 
>  
> 
> Imogen
> 
>  
> 
> Imogen Wedgewood
> 
> Assistive Technology Specialist
> 
> CENMAC
> 
> 020 88541019
> 
>  
> 
> imogen at cenmac.com
> 
> www.cenmac.com
> 
> www.checkthemap.org

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