Department of Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
Res Dev Disabil. 2013 Jan;34(1):397-403. doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2012.08.024. Epub 2012 Sep 23.
This study extended the research on a special text messaging system, which allows persons with multiple disabilities to (a) write and send messages to distant partners and (b) have messages from those partners read out to them. The study involved two women with multiple disabilities (including blindness or minimal residual vision). The system comprised a net-book computer, a mobile communication modem, and an input microswitch, and relied on special keyboards (not used before) to allow the women to write their messages. One of the keyboards included (a) two rows of 10 and 11 keys, respectively, reporting the 21 basic letters of the Italian alphabet arranged in alphabetical order and marked with Braille labels and (b) a space bar and an enlarged back/erase key. The other keyboard had Braille cues on the initial, central, and final keys of the letter rows. Moreover, most function keys were covered (cut out from the usable space). Both women learned to use the messaging system with the special keyboards successfully (i.e., to write their messages, to send them out, and to listen to incoming messages). These findings are analyzed in relation to preliminary data with the system and the need to adapt the writing technology to the participants' characteristics.
本研究扩展了对一种特殊短信系统的研究，该系统允许多重残疾人士 (a) 写信并向远方的伙伴发送消息，以及 (b) 让伙伴们将消息读给他们听。该研究涉及两名多重残疾女性（包括失明或最小残余视力）。该系统包括一台上网本电脑、一个移动通信调制解调器和一个输入微型开关，并依赖于特殊键盘（以前未使用过），使女性能够编写消息。其中一个键盘包括 (a) 两排各 10 个和 11 个按键，分别报告按字母顺序排列的意大利语 21 个基本字母，并带有盲文标签和 (b) 一个空格和一个放大的后退/删除键。另一个键盘在字母行的初始、中央和最后一个键上有盲文提示。此外，大多数功能键都被覆盖（从可用空间中切除）。两名女性都成功地学会了使用特殊键盘的短信系统（即编写、发送和收听传入的消息）。这些发现与系统的初步数据以及需要根据参与者的特点来调整书写技术有关。
