The highs and lows of living with technology: Vicki's day to day experience of taking control.
Kim Appleton, Anh Tu, Karen van de Hoef,
Occupational Therapists, ILC Technology - Queensland,
Vicki Humphries - Technology User.
Voice Activated Software has opened up many opportunities for computer users who have difficulties accessing their computer by conventional means.
Environmental control units such as the Gewa Prog have also allowed individuals with difficulties accessing standard controls a greater level of freedom and independence within their homes.
Vicki sustained a high level spinal cord injury 22 years ago. She is a proficient user of Dragon Naturally Speaking (Preferred Edition, version 6) and the Gewa Prog III.
Prior to her learning about, and mastering this technology, her ability to access the computer and control her environment was limited.
Vicki has had the opportunity to experience first hand the positives and negatives of using and living with this technology.
Her knowledge and expertise will form the basis for this paper.