This year’s Study Day on the use of eye-pointing and eye-gaze as methods to augment communication proved to be very interesting.
Mick Donegan opened the day with a description of some of the eye gaze systems currently available, emphasising that there was no ‘best’ option and that it was important for a potential user to have an opportunity to try different systems. He stressed the need for assessment activities to be ‘failure proof’ and fun. He described his surprise at the number of people who only talked about the pain of using other forms of assistive technology after finding eye gaze to be a relaxing and stress-free method for computer access.
Janet Scott described her experiences of eye gaze with SCTCI. Initially sceptical, she had become a convert and now regards eye gaze as just ‘an expensive form of mouse’. It does not suit everybody, but it shows how technology has finally caught up with the needs of some clients for whom no successful equipment has been available in the past.
After this, there were various demonstrations by suppliers: DynaVox, Inclusive Technology, Liberator, Smartbox AT, TechCess and Tobii.
In the afternoon Clare Latham described the Look to Talk project, which introduced low tech eye pointing as a communication strategy for children with speech and language difficulties to use at home within the family.
The day concluded with a panel discussion covering such topics as funding and support issues; transitions from using low tech eye gaze, or switch access, to using eye gaze technology; mounting issues.
“I loved hearing all the interesting stories. I always find these days motivational and go away with my head buzzing with ideas!” (Comment by a teacher attending the Study Day).
The Eyes have IT!
