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FA & I: Celebrating 25 years together
 
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Last updated: October 2018

Using a computer
My set up

I'm so pleased to finally found a computer setup I can use - text dictated through my microphone, the mouse curser controlled with my joystick with right hand and separate buttons to press with my left.

My microphone is a Logitech one - it was about £15 but I had to be careful to buy ones which were Mac-compatible. I asked my PA to tape them at the side as I was fed up with readjusting them every time I put them on my head. I use this to dictate to my computer - see the Dragon NaturallySpeaking page.

I've known about joystick mouse controllers for years but couldn't get into my head how you'd control a mouse with one. I finally tried one at Naidex this year and knew immediately that one would be the answer to all my problems. Using the mouse made using a computer so frustrating for me - I really do love it. I got mine and the separate buttons from https://www.inclusive.co.uk (look under "switches"). I wasn't really sure what I needed so I phoned them for their advice. They said to actually place the order online as then I could get VAT exemption.

 

This website has been around sinse 1998, and although it's changed a lot over the years it's always been about me and my disability. Over the years I have used many different hosts and website design packages. For the past ten years or so I have used 1&1 as my host and I have always been very happy with it. I have always wanted to learn how to build a website from scratch using Adobe Dreamweaver, so about three years ago I got in touch with Polar Solutions and arranged for a trainer to come out to my home to teach me at my own pace. So I now design this website using Adobe Dreamweaver and the skills I learned on that course. I designed the buttons using Cool Text.