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Chase_Corin

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Joined
Nov 24, 2010
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135
Reason
Loved one DX
Diagnosis
11/2010
Country
CA
State
On
City
Perth, Ontario
Dad went to the access center today to get help choosing a communication device. He tried them all day and finally decided on the iPad.

Does anyone have any experiance with them? I wasn't able to attend the meeting so I didn't have an ability to ask questions about it.

Has anyone found a communication device that works better? What do you recomend?
 
Love my iPad , constant use since june. Now becoming hard as arms go. Just ordered. Mouth stylus to try. Good luck!
 
Bob used his IPad to communicate along with letter boards and writing on his thigh! We used Speak It and ProLoquo2. Great software. The next step would have been the eye gaze device that was loaned to us but we didn't ever use it.
 
I use Speak it and Proloquo2 also. I just got an ipad from my local loan closet and I love it. I have an old Dynavox, but the voices are terrible on it. People can't understand what it says half of the time, so the ipad is great.

However if I would have had to spend money on it, I might have opted for a Windows based tablet because they can later be used with equipment that can be used with the head or eye software.
 
I am totally non verbal, other than mumbling. I was lucky enough to be loaned ipad touch and ipod with ALL the various TTS software on it to trial for 2 weeks each. I have full use of my hands and I am a touch typist and I was very frustrated by the speed of the i pod/pad with any of the TTS software. I purchased a HP 13" Folio, bought NextUp TTS software for $100 and use a free predictive software called Letmetype. It all depends on the level of the PALS typing and hand ability as to what they will be satisfied with.
 
Update on my iPad mouth stylus. Works, very slow, uncomfortable so short bouts only. Drool factor big, tip doesn't work when wet, so DH wraps wad of tissues ńd tapes, renews as needed.'
Àt least I have limited use, now that my hands are essentially useless.
Also working on getting headmouse to work w my PC. What have folks liked for pc based text-to-speech?
 
Update on my iPad mouth stylus. Works, very slow, uncomfortable so short bouts only. Drool factor big, tip doesn't work when wet, so DH wraps wad of tissues ńd tapes, renews as needed.'
Àt least I have limited use, now that my hands are essentially useless.

That seems to be the common experience among folks who use the iPad for a communication device.

Also working on getting headmouse to work w my PC. What have folks liked for pc based text-to-speech?

The most popular choice for PC's seems to be Nextup Talker. JoelC used it on his netbook and I think BarryG did too. Nextup Talker costs about $100, but it comes with one female and one male commercial quality voice (Windows SAPI 4 and 5 compatible, for all the geeks out there).

There's also a free application called Etriloquist that some people have used with the Windows SAPI voices. Not as full-featured as Nextup Talker and you have to obtain the voices you want to use from vendors like Nextup or settle for the various free SAPI voices out there -- not very good quality, except for Microsoft Kate, which comes installed on Windows Vista and Windows 7.

There are some other alternatives out there, but they probably would appeal only to the geeks.
 
My very clever husb got around discomfort and drool factors by mounting stylus to baseball cap using a chopstick for added length and binder clips to attach. Picks up needed current from my head. I will try to attach pics. This is workable!
(pics from iPad , learning curve , will try separate post)
Apparently not enough of an iPad geek to load pics. Anyone done that from iPad ? Pics are on this...oh well..
 
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I've a Dynavox here on loan, and it's a ton weight indeed.
 
i find the ipad works very well for with the $ 1.99 I speak software on it/










I
 
The Dynavox vmax I have takles about 4 to 4 and a half minutes from power on before ready for use, windows xp is its platform, how fast is the ipad from power on to being able to the program that you use for speech, as I may go for one?
 
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