Feeling/Sensing

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 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.

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.

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.

Anti-vibration gloves dampen vibrations at a wide range of frequencies. Individuals affected by hand vibration use anti-vibration gloves with materials that lessens the effects of vibration from power tools, hammers, and other pneumatic devices.

Tool wraps dampen vibrations at a wide range of frequencies. Tool wraps are ideal for hand and pneumatic tools. Individuals with limitations affected by hand vibration can wrap tools with material that lessens the effects of vibration from power tools, hammers, and other pneumatic devices.

Articulating keyboard trays allow an individual to position the keyboard at variable heights and angles. Some trays go from sitting to standing positions and are equipped with enough space to handle a mouse; other systems offer a separate mouse tray.

Filing cabinets that have rotating drawers for more organization potential.

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.

Equipment designed to relieve strain and stress from creating cookie and cake molds and loading them onto a pan.

Tools that remove burrs from metal or plastic pipe edges remaining from drilling, grinding, or milling projects.

Electronic organizers are electronic devices, such as PDA's, that allow an individual to download important information such as names, phone numbers, email address and dates. They might have alarms/cues that will remind the individual of datelines, meetings, and so on.

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.

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.

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.

Attachments for handles used with walkers, canes and other supporting bars to prevent slippage and increase eay gripping.

Scissors designed with ease of use and ergonomic design.

Handheld computers and personal devices that don't have a specific function.

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.

Attachments for light switches that make them easier to use for individuals with physical impairments.

Medical aprons made with pregnant women in mind to reduce the normal high weight from their body.

Miniature keyboards are smaller than a standard size keyboard but still contain all the keys and functioning needed to input information. They can be used by individuals with limited dexterity or one-handed typists. Miniature keyboards can be wired, wireless or Bluetooth, and flexible.

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.

One-handed software uses an ALTERNATE keyboard layout called the Dvorak system, (a keyboard layout that differs from "traditional keyboards") but reconfigures the keys for optimal one-handed use.

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.

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 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.

Small devices used to suck up fluids and contain them.

Assistants or companies that can help an individual with organization or developing organizational skills.

Protective eyewear includes safety glasses and/or goggles.

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.

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.

Commercial bar code readers that can read out products scanned in a synthetic voice to assist low-vision users.

Devices that can scan dollar bills and relate their value to vision impaired individuals so they can keep their money in order.

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.

Products and services offered that can alter vans to make them accessible for individuals with physical disabilities.

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.