Solutions:
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Aide/Assistant/Attendant
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Alternative Input Devices
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Alternative Keyboards
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Alternative Mice
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Alternative Mice - Limiting Tremors
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Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Device
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Auto-dialers
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Book Holders
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Breath and Mouth Controlled Alternative Computer Input Devices
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Compact Material Handling
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Door Knob Grips and Handles
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Eating Aids
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Ergonomic and Pneumatic Tools
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Ergonomic Equipment
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Expanded Keyboards
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Extra Grip Gloves
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Forearm Support
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Grip Aids
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Hands Free Resuscitation Devices
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Hands-free Telephones
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Job Restructuring
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Keyguards
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Money Handling Products
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On-Screen Keyboards
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One-Handed Keyboards
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Outgoing Voice Amplification - Telephone
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Padded Edging
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Page Turners
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Periodic Rest Breaks
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Personal On-Site Paging Devices
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Protective Eyewear
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Scribe/Notetaker
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Speech Recognition Software
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Switches
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Tongue Touch Keyboards/Mice
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Tool Balancers
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Typing / Keyboarding Aids
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Vacuum Lifts
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Vacuum Pickup Tools
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Voice Amplification
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Voice Recognition Memory Devices
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Word Prediction/Completion and Macro Software
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Writing Aids
Aide/Assistant/Attendant
A person who performs certain job-related tasks for a person with a disability to help overcome limitations resulting from the disability. Examples include a page turner for a person who has no hands, or a travel attendant to act as a sighted guide to assist a blind employee on work-related travel.
WPAS may include personal care-related assistance such as helping an employee to access the restroom, eat or drink at work, or travel for business purposes.
Alternative Input Devices
Alternative input devices are hardware or software solutions that allow users with a variety of impairments to access a computer in a different way. Alternative input devices allow the user to access a computer in whatever way works best for them such as using his/her feet, head, eye, mouth, breath, thumb, or a single finger. Some devices are activated by motion while others can be controlled with nerve or muscle signals, optical tracking, even brain activity and mind energy.
Vendors and Products
Alternative Keyboards
Alternative keyboards can be used by individuals with various impairments but are especially beneficial to individuals who experience pain and fatigue due to repetitive keyboard use. Because alternative keyboards come in many sizes and shapes, individuals with different body sizes and hand shapes, who are limited in fine motor manipulation, may benefit from using them. Alternative keyboards, sometimes called ergonomic keyboards or adjustable keyboards, may be fixed split keyboards, adjustable split, or contoured. Many increase typing comfort, and several can be positioned to accommodate individual preferences, including negative and positive tilt adjustments.
Vendors and Products
Alternative Mice
An alternative mouse is a variation of the "traditional" mouse. Alternative mice usually are designed to help accommodate individuals with various fine motor limitations, spasticity, or other gripping limitation. For example, an individual who cannot grip a traditional mouse due to arthritis, carpal tunnel, or a hand injury may be able to move a cursor effectively with a glidepoint, trackball, joystick, or other device.
Vendors and Products
Alternative Mice - Limiting Tremors
These alternative mice options were designed to reduce the effects of tremors and spasticity.
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Device
Communication aids provide communication access to people who have speech, hearing, or cognitive impairments. By typing words and sentences or touching pictures and symbols, an individual who has no speech or limited ability to speak can communicate through text, synthesized speech, or a prerecorded voice. Communication devices can be used to communicate in situations involving personal communication, groups, or the telephone.
Vendors and Products
Auto-dialers
Allows users to store phone numbers to pre-dial and program separate from their actual phone.
Vendors and Products
Book Holders
Book holders or book stands can be useful for individuals who need to hold a book open or view the pages of a text but find it difficult to do so because of hand, arm, shoulder, neck, or other limitations that effect the upper extremities. Book holders can be placed on a desk or surface and many can be elevated or positioned for easier viewing.
Vendors and Products
Breath and Mouth Controlled Alternative Computer Input Devices
A sip and puff mouth controlled mouse alternative for quadriplegic individuals and others who have lost the mobility to operate a traditional computer mouse.
Vendors and Products
Compact Material Handling
Compact material handling devices are small and portable enough to work in office or tight storeroom environments. These lifting and carrying devices have platforms that are variable heights. Activation of the horizontal lifting surface is typically powered by batteries, hydraulic foot pumps, or hand cranks. Ball transfer tables may be added to the horizontal-lifting surface. This reduces the push and pull force needed to move materials to and from the lifting device. Products from this category help individuals with lifting or carrying restrictions resulting from back, neck, shoulder, heart, and various repetitive strain injuries.
Vendors and Products
Door Knob Grips and Handles
Aids to assist individuals with opening doors are available. Door knobs can be difficult to grip or turn for those with fine motor or upper extremity limitations. Door knob grips and handle extenders can be low-cost alternatives to installing an automatic door opener.
Vendors and Products
Eating Aids
Adaptive utensils and dinnerware may be useful for an individual with fine motor impairments, essential tremors, or other limitations that impact dexterity.
Vendors and Products
Ergonomic and Pneumatic Tools
Individuals with neck, back, shoulder, and upper extremity limitations may benefit from using ergonomic hand and power tools. Ergonomic hand tool designs allow users to maintain neutral postures while minimizing wrist deviations. Users also have an easier time keeping shoulders relaxed by using lightweight tools. Mechanical stressors such as misaligned finger grooves, sharp edges, and single finger triggers should be avoided. Vibration from the tool should be minimized, and heavier tools can be suspended from tool balancers when possible. Spring loaded returns on tools such as scissors and pliers are also a part of good ergonomic design.
Vendors and Products
Ergonomic Equipment
Ergonomic office equipment includes copyholders, monitor risers, keyboard trays, keyboard rests, and foot rests. Other equipment characterized as ergonomic are ergonomic or electric staplers, staple removers, scissors, and hole punches. Individuals with handling, fingering, and grasping restrictions resulting from cumulative trauma disorders can benefit from this equipment. Products in this area alleviate the repetitive motion common to many hand-intensive jobs.
Expanded Keyboards
Expanded keyboards are typically flat and smooth. They are designed specifically to have larger keys. Most have a clear Mylar cover and many are waterproof.
Extra Grip Gloves
Gloves with special material coated on the palm to increase gripping strength on most surfaces.
Forearm Support
Many individuals who work at desks or other types of surfaces may work more effectively with upper body support, particularly support of their forearms. Forearm support can be provided from a properly adjusted chair’s armrests. Forearm supports are also products that typically attach to a work surface and are adjustable. Essentially, they are armrests that attach to a work surface. There are several different types that adjust to a variety of heights and positions. Forearm support can alleviate pressure on a worker's neck, back, arms, and wrists.
Vendors and Products
Grip Aids
Attachments for handles used with walkers, canes and other supporting bars to prevent slippage and increase eay gripping.
Vendors and Products
- EazyHold Green Two Pack 4 1/2"
- EazyHold Lavender Two Pack 5 1/4"
- EazyHold Pink Two Pack 4"
- EazyHold Two Pack Sippy Cup Bottle Holder 7 1/2"
- EazyHold Yellow Two Pack 4"
- Infant to Child 5 pack
- Therapist/Teacher 7 Pack
- Two Pack - Aqua - 6 1/2"
- Two Pack - Orange - 5"
- Two Pack- Blue - 5 1/4"
- Youth to Adult 5 pack
Hands Free Resuscitation Devices
Hands-free Telephones
"Hand-free" telephones are very useful but usually are not completely hands-free. Generally, the user must be able to push at least one button to initiate calls. In addition, many are designed for residential use and are not compatible with office telephone systems.
Job Restructuring
Job restructuring is a form of reasonable accommodation which enables many qualified individuals with disabilities to perform jobs effectively. Job restructuring as a reasonable accommodation may involve reallocating or redistributing the marginal functions of a job. However, an employer is not required to reallocate essential functions of a job as a reasonable accommodation. Essential functions, by definition, are those that a qualified individual must perform, with or without an accommodation.
An employer may exchange marginal functions of a job that cannot be performed by a person with a disability for marginal job functions performed by one or more other employees.
Although an employer is not required to reallocate essential job functions, it may be a reasonable accommodation to modify the essential functions of a job by changing when or how they are done.
Keyguards
Keyguards are molded plastic overlays with holes that isolate each key. Keyguards provide keying control and accuracy for individuals who use pointing sticks or other typing aids.
Vendors and Products
Money Handling Products
Money handling can be a tedious task when an individual has problems grasping and manipulating fingers. Coin and currency counters and sorters and bill and coin changers are often effective accommodations to help count, wrap, or bag coins and bills.
Vendors and Products
On-Screen Keyboards
An on-screen keyboard, sometimes called a keyboard emulator, is a software program that displays a virtual keyboard on a computer screen. Users with can then "type" data using an alternative input device. The two most recent versions of Windows come with an on-screen keyboard option, which has basic capabilities. Directions vary with the type of operating system (OS). For information on how to activate your on-screen keyboard, visit the OS homepage.
Vendors and Products
One-Handed Keyboards
One handed keyboards assist individuals who must enter data into a computer but have no or limited use of one hand. Keyboards can be configured to be used by either the left or the right hand. Due to the placement of the keys, individuals that may benefit from using a one handed keyboard may need some time to learn how to type in a different way.
Vendors and Products
Outgoing Voice Amplification - Telephone
Products that amplify outgoing speech while using the telephone. Products may include telephones having adjustable outgoing voice amplification, or personal, portable voice amplifiers that work with a telephone.
Vendors and Products
Padded Edging
Soft, protective padding used to cover posts, signs, walls and other surfaces to protect from injury.
Page Turners
Page turners turn the pages of a book with different mechanisms, such as sip-n-puff activation. These devices help individuals with quadriplegia, ALS, cumulative trauma disorders, or other conditions impairing grasping abilities
Periodic Rest Breaks
Periodic rest breaks can allow an individual to move about, stretch, adjust their seating position, or modify how a task is completed. Breaks can be short in duration, depending on the individual’s needs. Time used for breaks can be taken from already provided break time, lunch, or made up so there is not an impact on productivity.
Personal On-Site Paging Devices
A personal on-site paging device transmits a signal from the base transmitter to a receiver (the pager) through vibration and/or a numerical code display. These are local paging systems that work within a specified area.
Vendors and Products
Protective Eyewear
Protective eyewear includes safety glasses and/or goggles.
Vendors and Products
- Anti-Fog Chemical Splash/Impact Resistant Goggles, Clear Lens Color
- Anti-Fog Dust Goggle, Clear Lens Color
- Anti-Fog, Scratch-Resistant Chemical Splash/Impact Resistant Goggles, Clear Lens Color
- Infrared Welding Flip-Up Lens, Shade 3
- OTG Uncoated Laser Safety Glasses with Light Magenta Lenses
- Rplmt Lens, Scratch-Resistant, Gold Mirror
- Wraparound Anti-Fog, Scratch-Resistant Laser Safety Glasses with Clear Lenses
Scribe/Notetaker
A scribe or notetaker writes or types information that is communicated to him by another person. A scribe does not interpret information or perform essential job functions.
Speech Recognition Software
Individuals with physical, cognitive, sensory, and learning impairments may have difficulty accessing computers. Traditionally, a computer user accesses a computer with a standard point and click mouse and a QWERTY keyboard (named for the top left-hand side of the rows). The computer takes the information that is inputted and processes it. Individuals with physical, sensory, or developmental limitations may not be able to use these standard input devices effectively and may benefit from using speech recognition. Standard computer input devices are keyboards made for typists who use two hands and ten fingers; speech recognition software is made for computer users with a variety of limitations, including individuals with no hand or finger movement.
Vendors and Products
Switches
A switch is plugged into the computer just as any other computer input devices. Switches give full access to the standard keyboard and mouse or on-screen keyboard with one click. Graphics, symbols, and alphanumeric characters may also be used by certain software to allow the user to scan functions and activate computer processes with a click of the switch.
Vendors and Products
Tongue Touch Keyboards/Mice
A tongue mouse, in combination with an on screen keyboard can allow an individual with limitied limb movement and dexterity to operate a computer.
Tool Balancers
Tool balancers are devices engineered to offset tool weights. Springs or other tensioning devices are attached to tools, which counters the weight of the tools. Tool balancers are often used with in-line tools. Individuals with neck, back, shoulder, and cumulative trauma disorders to the upper extremities may benefit from tool balancers.
Typing / Keyboarding Aids
Typing and keyboarding can be difficult for individuals with fine motor limitations or limited dexterity in their hands. Products are available that assist individuals with using a keyboard and depressing the keys.
Vacuum Lifts
Equipment designed to use vacuum suction cup lifting to hold and relocate heavy weights while preventing potential damage to the material.
Vendors and Products
Vacuum Pickup Tools
Equipment designed to perform the lifting, holding, and relocating of small weights while preventing potential damage to the material.
Vendors and Products
Voice Amplification
A voice amplifier might be used as an accommodation for an individual who has difficulty speaking loudly enough to be heard in noisy environments or who has a medical need to speak softly due to voice limitations. Amplifiers can be personal, portable, hand-held or body worn systems, or large area sound field or public address systems.
Vendors and Products
Voice Recognition Memory Devices
Recorders to take verbal notes or reminders of varying sizes.
Word Prediction/Completion and Macro Software
Word prediction software displays a list of words that typically follow the word just entered. Word completion software displays sample words after someone starts typing part of a word. Macro software allows users to complete several steps of a task in a few programmed keystrokes. Many software programs contain all of these options.
Writing Aids
Writing aids are products designed to help individuals with limited hand strengths perform writing tasks. Writing aids can transfer the fine motor pinch grip, usually used to write, to gross motor arm movements. A low tech solution is to push a pencil though a Styrofoam ball and use gross motor movements to write. Individuals with cumulative trauma disorders to the upper extremities or individuals with other impairments such as arthritis or quadriplegia benefit from these aids.