The AT Messenger?bringing technology to you Delaware Assistive Technology Initiative (DATI), Volume 14, No. 2, Spring 2006 Special Issue Emphasizes Expanded Services and Supports Beth Mineo Mollica, Ph.D. DATI Director We are using this issue of The AT Messenger as a way of updating our readers on a whole host of expanded services and supports being offered by DATI. As you know, the Delaware Assistive Technology Initiative is our state program authorized under the federal Assistive Technology Act. The mission of the DATI is to enable people with disabilities to learn, work, play, and participate in community life more safely and independently with the help of assistive technology (AT). We accomplish this mission by providing information-and-referral both in person and via telephone, email, and our acclaimed website. At our Assistive Technology Resource Centers in each county, we offer equipment demonstrations and short-term equipment loans to help consumers become aware of technology options and their suitability for individual needs. We offer a variety of resources to help individuals acquire needed devices and services, including an on-staff Funding and Policy Specialist, an online Guide to Funding Resources for AT in Delaware, numerous fact sheets and other publications, and an AT Exchange program. We also expect our new AT loan programs to be operational very shortly. In addition, we work closely with state agencies and organizations to raise AT awareness, increase AT-related capacity, and improve education, employment, accessible telecommunications, and community living through access to AT and accessible products and environments. One of the most exciting new developments is the significant expansion of the DATI equipment inventory, thanks to a number of collaborations supported by local agencies and organizations. You can read about several of these initiatives in this issue, and you can find a comprehensive listing of all new equipment, organized by category, in this issue. All of this equipment is also included in our online inventory. This wonderful feature of our website, which can be accessed at www.dati.org in the Equipment Demo/Loan section, allows you to search the inventory by product name or equipment category. Equipment listings include a brief description of the device, manufacturer contact information, and the ability to reserve the equipment for demonstration and/or short-term loan from any of the DATI Assistive Technology Resource Centers. Eventually, the inventory module of the website will also include pictures of all of the products in the DATI centers, but it is taking us a while to gather and upload all of those pictures! And an update on the operation of our AT Resource Centers... For many years, these centers were operated under subcontracts from DATI to other community organizations. In Fall 2005, the operation of the AT Centers was integrated with other DATI activities to streamline services and eliminate customer confusion about who we are and what we do. The same friendly, highly-qualified staff who have been meeting your AT needs for many years remain in the Centers; the only difference is that they are now University of Delaware employees! In fact, DATI?s AT team--Eden Melmed, Marvin Williams, Dan Fendler, and I--will be teaching a course this summer on Universal Design for Learning as a part of the University of Delaware?s Summer Institute in Educational and Assistive Technology. It has been our privilege to have served as Delaware?s State AT Program for the past 15 years. As always, the DATI stands ready to help people connect with the AT they need to live safely and independently. Please contact us if you have a need for technology, consultation, training, or another AT-related service?if we do not have the service or support that meets your needs, we will help you find one. Community Programs Increase Access to AT Tobin Foundation DATI?s partnership with the Tobin Foundation has yielded some wonderful outcomes for Delawareans with visual limitations. It has enabled DATI to add some terrific products to its inventory for demonstration and loan purposes. Among these are a variety of popular board games, adapted to make them accessible to those who are blind or visually impaired, and a fabulous portable magnification system that allows you to carry the power of a CCTV in your purse or (large) pocket. Tobin Foundation support has also enabled us to launch a brand new program to place relatively low-cost vision technology directly into the hands of those who need it. Beginning April 15, visitors to the ATRCs will be able to acquire certain types of equipment?such as magnifiers, writing aids, timetelling tools, and sunshields?free of cost. Here is how the program works: Individuals seeking tools to help them overcome visual challenges can visit an ATRC to learn about the array of products that might meet their needs. They will have the opportunity to try a variety of devices, and then borrow some to make sure that they are effective in home, employment, school, or other community settings. If the product they eventually select is available through the new program, we will arrange for them to receive that item for their personal use. Individuals may receive up to $100 worth of equipment each calendar year. That can be a single item or several items, but the total cost cannot exceed $100. Hearing Loss Association of Delaware The Hearing Loss Association of Delaware (formerly Self-Help for Hard of Hearing People) is partnering with DATI to expand the hearing-related equipment available for demonstration and short-term loan at the Assistive Technology Resource Centers. With funding from the Crystal Trust, the Hearing Loss Association is expanding some of its community services, and realized that a partnership with DATI on the equipment component would both extend its reach and provide critical day-to-day management and tracking of the equipment it wished to make available to the community. This partnership enabled us to purchase $10,000 in new products, including a variety of alerting and alarm systems, telecommunications products, and personal and large area amplification systems. Visit the DATI website to peruse the equipment inventory, or stop by to have a look! In support of the Tobin Foundation?s activities to assist Delawareans with visual limitations, the organization will hold the 20th Annual ?Tobin Open? Golf Tournament on Monday, May 15 at the Newark Country Club. Proceeds from the fundraiser benefit Tobin programs to provide guide dogs and computers to those in need. The ?Tobin Open? includes a round of golf on Newark?s 6,200 yard course, a golfers? reception at 5 p.m., and a buffet dinner at 6 p.m. An auction, awards ceremony, and prize distribution will be held during dinner. Cost for golf and all activities is $190. For non-golfers attending only the dinner and awards ceremony, cost is $50. For registration and information, contact the Tobin Foundation at (302) 655-5046. The AT Bargain Basement Marvin Williams, AT Specialist Kent County ATRC Hello true believers, and welcome to this installment of the AT Bargain Basement. This is the place where I, your humble AT Specialist, strive to find all of the assistive technology I can bring to you for under $100. If you happen to find any bargains, make sure you send them along to me, and I?ll enshrine them in the Bargain Basement! Now, let?s get to the bargains! The first bargain comes to us from Linda Heller from the Hearing Loss Association of Delaware, and Linda?s bargain is cellular jewelry. These fancy bracelets actually light up and flash when your cell phone rings. I have seen watches that do this at Wal-Mart, but I haven?t seen anything as attractive as these bracelets. These are great for cell phone users who are hearing impaired and are unable to be alerted by the vibration of the phone (if it?s in a purse or coat pocket). Do note that currently the jewelry only works with GSM cell phones, so make sure that is the type of phone you have. The jewelry sells for $19.99 and is available through Potomac Technology. Their phone/TTY number is (800) 433-2838 and their web address is www.potomactech.com. My next bargain was brought to my attention by DATI?s own Sussex County AT Specialist, Dan Fendler. Dan suggested a nice low-priced MP3 player which would have a lot of educational uses given the recent boom in podcasting. Podcasting is the new 21st Century way of providing information and a more specialized education to students. I like podcasts as a means of listening to Meet the Press and other shows while I crank out The Basement. Basically, a podcast is an audio recording of material that one can listen to on an Apple iPod or other MP3 player. Well, Dan hipped me to some nice low cost MP3 players, one of which I bring to you today. The IROCK-930 is a great little MP3 player that also has a secure digital card reader (those tiny memory cards that go into your digital camera). This makes the player?s memory expandable to 2 GB of storage with the proper secure digital card. The nice thing though, is that this MP3 player is not expensive, selling for $25.99 on www.amazon.com. Now don?t be confused if you do a search on the IROCK-930 and it shows you the EZMP3 player 128 Mb. They are the same model. So if Podcasts or MP3 casts are your thing, you may want to give this bargain a try. Do note that not all MP3 players are compatible with Apple?s iTunes format, the default format for podcasts. While this one is not, it is still a good bargain for listening to MP3s of classes and the like. The next bargain is a real deal. It?s the GE Reveal light bulb. Yes, a light bulb. The GE Reveal is a full-spectrum bulb, which provides better, ?cleaner? light than regular incandescent or fluorescent bulbs. The Reveal bulbs have an element called neodymium in the glass. It gives the bulbs a distinctive blue color and acts to filter out the parts of light that may be taxing on the eyes. Normally, you would expect to pay top dollar for such lighting, but by replacing existing bulbs with GE Reveals, you can get the benefit for as little as $2.50 for a four pack. Yes, you read correctly: $2.50. What?s more, you can get them at Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and Lowe?s, so they are easily available. While there is still some debate over the health benefits of full spectrum lighting, I have found that using the lights does make a difference in how text appears on the page and computer screen. While the ATRCs don?t have the GE Reveal bulbs for you to try, we do have other full spectrum lamps you can try free of charge, as usual. My next bargain is some really nice software called EasyOffice. This software isn?t a pirated version of Microsoft Office. It?s software that is compatible with Office programs like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. It can also be used to create PDF documents instead of spending more than $400 on Adobe Acrobat. While it doesn?t offer all of the capabilities of Acrobat, it can still make a pretty useful PDF. It also has EasySpeaker, a text-to-speech program, bundled with it. EasySpeaker will read most every type of file EasyWord can open even if it?s not opened in EasyWord. It can also read web pages. EasySpeller is an interactive dictionary and thesaurus that EasyOffice gives you. It also comes with EasyVoice for speech recognition to rival IBM?s Via Voice. While it?s no Dragon Naturally Speaking, it is extremely good given its low price tag. EasyOffice has all of these programs and too many more to name here, all for $59. Now, this money goes towards the development costs and the cost of giving you everything on CD. While $59 may still seem like a lot of money, you should check out the website, http://easyofficepremium.com/, to see why it is indeed a steal at $59. And that will bring to a close this installment of the AT Bargain Basement. As usual, please send along any bargains you may find so that I can credit you and share them with everyone else here. So until next time remember, just because it?s a bargain, doesn?t mean it?s cheap! How to Identify and Prevent Medicare Fraud Laura J. Waterland, Senior Staff Attorney Disabilities Law Program A recent AT Messenger article on Medicare?s new criteria for wheelchairs and scooters (Summer 2005) highlighted an ongoing problem?Medicare fraud. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has cracked down hard in the last few years on durable medical equipment providers after numerous cases of fraud were discovered. Payments for power wheelchairs had risen 450 percent from 1999 to 2003, while the Medicare population had risen only one percent. Investigations revealed rampant fraud in the sale of durable medical equipment, especially power wheelchairs. In 50 investigations, federal authorities discovered $167 million in fraudulent power wheelchair claims alone. Medicare fraud is a huge problem that ultimately costs us all, as wage earners, as taxpayers, and as consumers of medical services. Medicare spending in 2004 was $295 billion?roughly 12 percent of the total federal budget. And this was before the Medicare Prescription Plan! The federal government estimates that about 10 percent of expenditures are wasted on fraud and abuse. One way to help keep Medicare solvent is to reduce fraud. With the arrival of Medicare?s Part D prescription drug program, there is more concern than ever that unscrupulous individuals will cook up ways to swindle Medicare recipients who are trying to navigate Part D?s complex waters. Below I will go over some tips to help Medicare recipients identify potentially fraudulent activities and to avoid being ?scammed.? Billing Fraud Medicare fraud comes in numerous guises. The first is in billing. A typical scam is billing for services or procedures that have not been performed. Another is billing for an item that is different than the one you received. For example, a doctor prescribes and a supplier delivers a manual wheelchair, but the billing statement lists a power chair. Double-billing is another common scheme. Here are some real examples from 2005: * In South Carolina, a licensed physical therapist was sentenced to 18 months in prison and ordered to pay $400,000 in restitution for health care fraud. The therapist billed Medicare and a private insurer for three to five hours of therapy when only a one-hour treatment was rendered. * In Virginia, a psychologist was ordered to pay $11,000 in fines and restitution for health care fraud. The psychologist submitted fraudulent claims to Medicare for neuropsychological evaluations and testing on nursing home patients. Many of the claims submitted were for dates of service when the psychologist was out of town. * In Texas, the owner of a durable medical equipment company was ordered to pay $546,000 in restitution for billing Medicare for power wheelchairs that were either not provided or were not medically necessary. * In California, the owner of a laboratory company was sentenced to 10 months incarceration and ordered to pay $180,000 in restitution for health care fraud. The man billed Medicare for diagnostic tests, including echocardiograms and ultrasounds, which were not ordered by a physician and were never interpreted by a physician. Marketing Fraud Another primary fraud method is sales and marketing. The power wheelchair fraud cases provide good examples of this type of scam. Medicare recipients were targeted with misleading advertising, aggressive door-to-door salesmen, and salesmen who even trolled shopping malls. In many cases, the scam artists submitted claims for chairs that were never supplied. In other cases, chairs were supplied for people who did not need or use them. In one Florida case, after a visit from a salesman, an elderly couple received two power wheelchairs, a hospital bed, and a pressure mattress, and they didn?t need any of it. A New Jersey company has gotten into a lot of hot water for its marketing tactics. Electric Mobility (famous for its Rascal scooters) has been the subject of state scrutiny. Electric Mobility engages in aggressive telemarketing and other hard-sell tactics. In an agreement with the State of New Jersey, Electric Mobility agreed, among other things, to refrain from misrepresenting that Medicare would pay for a scooter if, in fact, the claim would likely fail. Aggressive telemarketing has been a particular worry with Medicare Part D. Part D regulations allow ?cold? marketing calls to Medicare beneficiaries. And while most calls have been on the ?up and up,? there have been scams. CMS sent an alert out in early March 2006 regarding a scam called ?The $299 Ring.? A telemarketer attempts to solicit financial information over the phone for a fictitious prescription plan. The telemarketer in the scam tells the victim that there is a one time fee of $299 to sign up for the plan. Other pressure tactics are employed, such as telling the victim that time for enrollment is running out. How to Spot and Prevent Fraud For billing fraud: 1. Review your Medicare Summary Notices each time and ask about any information you don?t understand. Ask yourself whether you received the product or service that was billed. Did your doctor order the service? Look out for duplicate charges for the same service, charges for services that were never performed or equipment that was never ordered, and inappropriate or unnecessary charges for higher cost or new equipment when provided lower cost or used equipment. 2. Do not give your Medicare number or card to anyone except your doctor or other Medicare health professionals or legal representatives. Treat it like it is a credit card number. 3. Don?t accept free equipment or services in exchange for giving your Medicare card. Nothing is ever free. Don?t accept money to perpetuate or facilitate a fraud. You could very well end up going to jail. 4. Don?t allow anyone except appropriate medical professionals or your representative to review your medical records. For abusive marketing practices, be suspicious of any provider or salesperson who: 1. Indicates that the service is free, offers to waive your co-payments, or provides you with a free consultation. 2. Indicates that Medicare wants you to have a service, claims to know how to get Medicare to pay for it, or wants you to go to their doctor. 3. Indicates that they represent Medicare. 4. Uses pressure or scare tactics, such as telling you that you will lose your benefits or ability to get a service, or that Medicare is ending soon. 5. Uses telemarketing or door-to-door sales? this is not a reputable sales strategy for medical supplies or services. You can stop telemarketers from calling you at all by registering your phone number with the Federal ?Do Not Call? Registry at (888) 382-1222. For Medicare Part D, CMS has allowed restricted telemarketing by prescription programs. However, plans can only call during certain hours and you cannot be enrolled over the phone or asked to pay for a plan over the phone. You can call them back to enroll. They are required to respect your request that they not call again. Also, while you can enroll on the internet, you cannot be asked to pay over the internet. The plan must send you a bill. No one can come to your door uninvited or ask you for personal information during marketing activities. If you suspect fraud, you can report it a number of ways. CMS suggests that you should first try to resolve the matter with your health care provider and the Medicare Carrier or Fiscal Intermediary. In Delaware, this is Trailblazer at (888) 205-6833 for Part B claims and Empire Medicare Services at (800) 633-4227 for Part A claims. If that doesn?t work, CMS operates a fraud hotline at (800) 447-8477 and TTY (877) 486-2048, or fraud can be reported via email at htips@dhhs.gov. Delaware?s Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Disabilities operates a toll-free number to report Medicare Fraud, (800) 223-9074, or (302) 453-3838 to report in Spanish. You can report fraud to the Delaware Insurance Commissioner?s Office at (800) 282-8611. Many of these activities also violate state consumer protection laws. Delaware Attorney General?s Fraud and Consumer Protection Division can be contacted at (302) 577-8600. If you report fraud to Medicare and your report leads to the recovery of at least $100, and the claim is not already being investigated, you could be eligible for a cash award of up to $1,000. You can do your part to protect yourself and to improve the fiscal integrity of the Medicare program by protecting your private information and being alert and aware of the potential for fraud. Remember?there is truth to the old saying that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is! New Inventory Items in DATI?s ATRCs Since DATI's Assistive Technology Resource Centers (ATRCs) opened in 1992, they have made over 8,200 no-cost AT loans to people in Delaware. One of the ATRCs? biggest challenges is keeping the inventory of equipment up-to-date. Thanks to funds from a number of collaborations supported by local agencies and organizations, new equipment has just been added to the ATRCs. AT devices (divided by category) now available for demo/loan include: Architectural Access/Home Design Portable Ramp ? EZ Access Big Lamp Switch ? Ableware Remote Control w/Key Chain Transmitter ? General Electric Wireless RC System ? AmerTac Indoor Light Control ? AmerTac Communication 7-Level Blue Communication Builder ? Enabling Devices Access It ? DynaVox DV4 and accessories ? DynaVox MT4 and accessories ? DynaVox Springboard II w/Spanish and accessories ? Prentke Romich Randomizer ? Adaptivation Voice Cue ? Attainment Company LinkPLUS with Word Prediction ? Assistive Technology, Inc. StepPad ? Attainment Company One Talker ? Attainment Company ChatPC II ? Saltillo Listen-to-Me ? Saltillo Personal Talker ? Saltillo BIG Step-by-Step Communicator ? AbleNet LITTLE Step-by-Step Communicator ? AbleNet SuperTalker ? AbleNet iTalk2 ? AbleNet Talking Photo Album ? AbleNet AAC Idea Book & Talking Picture Book ? Augmentative Communication, Inc. Optimist II ? Zygo LightWRITER and accessories ? Zygo Tech/Scan ? Advanced Multimedia Devices, Inc. Tech/Talk ? Advanced Multimedia Devices, Inc. Side Swiping Communicator ? Enabling Devices Visually Impaired Communicator ? Enabling Devices 8 Message Communicator Multiplex ? Enabling Devices Mini-Com ? Enabling Devices Multi-Com ? Enabling Devices HipTalk Plus ? Enabling Devices Boardmaker Plus ? Mayer-Johnson MiniMo ? DynaVox DynaWrite ? DynaVox Vantage Plus WordPower ? Prentke Romich Home/Office Intercom ? Westinghouse Steady Write Pen ? Maddak Sanford Comfort Ph.D. Grip Pen ? PaperMate Computer Software/Hardware Write: OutLoud to Go Voice Bundle ? Don Johnston Inspiration Outliner SmartApplet ? Inspiration Software iPAQ PDA ? HP iPod ? Apple The Writer ? Advanced Keyboard Technologies Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard ? Stowaway HeadMouse Extreme ? Origin Instruments SofType ? Origin Instruments Tracker Pro ? Madentec Numeric Keypad ? Belkin Cordless Desktop Computer Combo ? Logitech Touch Screen Monitor ? Planar One-Handed Bluetooth Frogpad ? Kaizen Frogpad Large Print Wireless Keyboard ? VisiKey VerticalMouse ? Evoluent USB Mini Keyboard ? Tash USB King Keyboard ? Tash Switch Click USB ? Tash Mini Click USB ? Tash QuickCam Camera Mouse Software ? Tash Arm Supports Extension Height Pole ? ErgoRest Arm Support w/Mouse ? True Arm Gel Wrist Rest ? 3M Controls Switches ? Tash Mountings ? Tash Clamps ? Tash Tube Connections ? Tash Switch Kits ? Tash Oversized Universal Remote Control ? TK Partner Home Automation Kit ? Plug ?n Power 5-in-1 Switch Modifier ? Enabling Devices X-Keys USB Switch Interface ? PI Engineering Educational Management ClickIt ? IntelliTools Meville to Weville: Early Literacy & Communication ? AbleNet Bookworm and accessories ? AbleNet That?s Life! Literature Series ? AbleNet Health, Safety, and Daily Living Support Long Scrub Sponge ? Sammons Preston Rolyan Bath Mitt w/Soap Pocket ? Skil-Care Autodrop Eyedrop Dispenser ? Owen Mumford DressEZ Long Handle Shoehorn and Dressing Stick ? ArcMate Shoehorn ? Sammons Preston Rolyan Spyrolaces Dysphasia Cup ? Bruce Medical Hi-Lo Scoop Plate ? Parsons A.D.L. 2 Handle Clear Cup w/2 Lids ? Providence Spillproof Container T-Shaped Rocker Knife ? Sammons Preston Rolyan Kings Lightweight Foam Utensil Handle ? Ability One Homecraft Plastic Handle Bent Utensils ? Sammons Preston Rolyan Flexible Utensils ? Richardson Products Lighted Magnifying Toenail Clipper ? Prime Way Companies Home Travel Pillbox Timer ? LifeWise Talking Thermometer ? Independent Living Aids Ezy Dose Meditime Planner ? Apothecary Products Ezy Dose Magnifying Pill Cutter ? Apothecary Products Medication Weekly Manager ? Timex Medication Daily Manager ? Timex Carpal Tunnel Wrist Supports ? Bruce Medical Grocery Grip ? Elder Corner The Grip-All ? Ableware Doorknob Grips ? Great Grips D-Grip add on Handle ? Motus T-Grip add on Handle - Motus EZ Pour Holder for Containers ? Independent Living Aids EZ Flo Auto Faucet Control ? International Environment Grip-It Multipurpose Tool ? Grip-It Products Jug Tipper ? Ability One Homecraft Universal Holder ? Sammons Preston Rolyan Weighted Universal Holder ? Kinsman Enterprises Hole-in-One Key Holder ? Maddak Non-Slip Grip Mat ? Con-Tact 26? Reacher ? Sammons Preston Rolyan Angled Measuring Cup ? World Kitchen One-Handed Cordless Can Opener ? Black & Decker 4-Way Multipurpose Can Bottle Opener ? Evriholder Product Jar Vise ? SCI Cuisine International Folding Pot Stabilizer ? Parsons A.D.L EZ Flip Spatula Big Number Measuring Cups ? Bradshaw International Big Number Measuring Spoons ? Bradshaw International JarPop ? Spring Mill Home Products The Magic Opener ? Inpro Products Group Book Butler ? Spartan International Pill Case Clock ? Casio Recreation and Leisure Battery Powered Card Shuffler ? Maddak Card and Pencil Holder ? Ableware Super Jumbo Number Playing Cards ? Hoyle Scrabble Tile Set ? Mattel Cut-N-Hold Floral Scissors ? Fiskar Garden Scissors ? Tommyco Easi-Grip Fork ? Peta Softouch Trowel ? Fiskar Sure Grip Trowel Wiser Hand Tool ? Holland Greenline Garden Kneeler w/Rails ? Step2 Garden Bandit ? Landmark Innovations Quintet ? Unique Perspectives LTD Digital Video Camera ? AbleNet Blind and Low Vision Multipurpose Check Writing Guide ? Keitzer Signature Guide ? LS&S Group Check Writing Guide ? LS&S Group Big Print Check Register ? Big Type Co. Optelec Compact ? Optelec HappyEyes Desk Lamp ? Verilux Fresnal Stand Magnifier ? Tech Optics International Corp. Quicklook ? Ash Technologies Ecolux Illuminated Pocket Magnifier ? Schweitzer Bifocal Magnifier ? Independent Living Aids Triple Folding Pocket Magnifier ? Bausch & Lomb Bar Magnifier ? Ultra-Optix Hands-Free Clamp on Magnifier ? LS&S Group Magnifier Attachment ? Verilux Extra Large Dome Magnifier Stand Magnifier ? Reizen Stand Loupe Magnfier ? Carson Optical Hands Free Magnifier ? Carson Optical Cell Phone Magnifier ? Power Lenz Yellow Tracker Bar Magnifier Retractable Pocket Magnifier ? Ultra-Optix Gooseneck Magnifier ? Reizen Natural Daylight Floor Lamp ? Verilux Big Shot Screen Magnifier ? Ai Squared ZoomText Ver. 9.0 ? Ai Squared FindIT Key Finder ? Ambitious Ideas Products Tactile Braille Ruler ? Maxi Aids XXL Calculator ? Kikkerland Design Talking Calculator ? Reizen Desktop Base Magnifier Large Printer Ruler ? HearMore Gigantic Laminated Bingo Card ? Independent Living Aids Raised Dot Dominoes ? Reizen Low Vision Connect Four ? Milton Bradley Large Print Scrabble ? Mattel Braille Uno ? Mattel Braille Low Vision Monopoly ? Royal National Institute for the Blind Talking Watch Talking Atomic Alarm Clock Low Vision Watch ? LS&S Group Talking Digital Tire Gage ? GH Meiser Talking Tape Measure ? Caretec Voice Activated Tactile Phone Dialer ? Reizen Deaf and Hard of Hearing Hearing Helper System 350E ? Williams Sound Conference Microphone ? Williams Sound Deluxe Folding Headphones ? Williams Sound Deluxe Behind the Head Headphones ? Williams Sound PockeTalker Pro Amplifier ? Williams Sound Door Chime Flashes Lamp ? Dimango Door Knocker ? COMPU TTY Alert Master 6000 ? Ameriphone Amplified Phone w/Caller ID ? ClearSounds Conference Phone ? RCA Amplified Phone ? Clarity Vibrating Baby Monitor ? Fisher Price TV Ears Headset ? TV Ears Boostaroo ? Upbeat Audio Infrared TV Listener ? Unisar Microphone Windscreen ? Williams Sound Electronic Stethoscope ? Andromed SoundWizard II ? ClearSounds Telelink Phone Coupler ? Williams Sound Omni Plug Mount Microphone ? Williams Sound MicroLoop II ? Oval Window Portable Induction Loop ? Oval Window LR-600 Wireless Speaker/Receiver ? Listen Technologies Wake & Shake Jumbo Alarm Clock/Phone Signaler ? ClearSounds Carbon Monoxide Alarm ? Kidde Strobe Light Remote Visual Signaling Device ? Kidde Personal Tactile Signaler ? Alertmaster Emergency Response Phone ? ClearSounds Dialogue VCO Phone ? Ameriphone PowerTouch Business Phone ? AASTRA TeleTalker 040 ? Williams Sound XL-30 Amplified Telephone ? Ameriphone Beamer TV Videophone ? Vialta Beamer Video Station ? Vialta Freedom Match II ? Hatis Epic II ? Hatis Director I ? Hatis Cellular Phone Amplifier ? Plantronics Watchminder 2 ? Watchminder VibraLite 3 ? Global Assistive Devices Pathfinder Watch ? Casio Workplace/Office Remote Handset Lifter ? GN Netcom Bluetooth Headset ? GN Netcom Mobility/Seating/Positioning Up Easy Lift Cushion ? Uplift Technologies Desk Job Proves to be Painful for Some Dan Fendler, AT Specialist Sussex County ATRC Do you have arthritis? Has working with your computer become frustrating or painful? If you answered yes to either one or both questions, you should be aware that there may be tools or techniques available that can help. First, Look at Your Work Area Is your space ergonomically designed? Ergonomics, also known as human design, is intended to maximize productivity by minimizing operator fatigue and discomfort. For anyone with arthritis, minimizing discomfort is crucial. Many of us with computers on our desks, either at work or at home, put the monitor and keyboard wherever there is room, with little thought given to our comfort. Placing a monitor and keyboard on an inadequate space can cause a lot of discomfort, even for someone without arthritis. If you sit in front of a computer for an hour or more a day, you may want to rethink its placement. The monitor should be placed so that you can sit comfortably in front of it, at eye level. The keyboard should sit where there is enough exposed desk top to provide some arm support. One of the most common mistakes people make is setting their monitor too high. The monitor should be at eye level so that you don?t need to strain your neck to see it. The older CRT monitors (big, clunky, and TV-like) take up a lot of space, and have limited adjustability. If using your computer causes you discomfort, you may want to consider replacing the old monitor with a flat panel monitor. Flat panel monitors take up considerably less space on a desk and have a much greater range of height adjustment. They have also gotten much more affordable. Another comfort area to consider is your office furniture. Make sure that the chair you use fits you. You should be able to sit with your feet flat on the floor and your body weight should be supported by the entire length of the back of your legs, not just the ?sitz bone.? Your desk should also be at a comfortable height. There are many different ergonomically designed chairs and adjustable height desk options available. Use of one of these chairs and/or desks may help reduce discomfort. Keyboards and Mice There are many different keyboard and mouse options available as well. The keyboard that came with my last desktop computer carried this warning on the back: ?Warning! Use of a keyboard or mouse may be linked to serious injuries or disorders!? The warning is relative to repetitive stress injuries (carpal tunnel syndrome and other musculoskeletal disorders). But use of a keyboard and mouse can cause even more discomfort in people with arthritis. Consider using an ergonomically designed keyboard and mouse??devices that are designed to accommodate your hands, instead of your hands accommodating the devices. There are many different options available. If your arms need some additional support, consider using arm supports. There are a number of different options available that may help you feel more comfortable. If using a keyboard causes you pain, you may want to consider voice recognition software, like Dragon Naturally Speaking. This software program can be ?trained? to understand your voice and convert it into text on your computer. The training only takes about 15 minutes or so, and the recognition rate (how well it recognizes your voice) can be quite high if the pitch of your voice doesn?t fluctuate too much. If you have any questions related to the equipment discussed above, please call your local resource center. To Contact DATI?s Central Site office or the ATRC closest to you, call 1-800-870-DATI Press #1 for English or #2 for Spanish, then press #3 for the Central Site office #4 for the New Castle County ATRC #5 for the Kent County ATRC #6 for the Sussex County ATRC TDD callers: Do not press #1 or #2 and your call will be answered on a TDD line at the Central Site office. DATI Resource Centers Throughout the State? 1-800-870-DATI dati@asel.udel.edu New Castle County ATRC Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children 203 Administration & Research Bldg. 1600 Rockland Rd. Wilmington, DE 19899 (302) 651-6790; (302) 651-6794 (TDD); (302) 651-6793 (fax) Kent County ATRC Easter Seals Kent County Center 100 Enterprise Place, Suite 1 Dover, DE 19904-8200 (302) 739-6885; (302) 739-6886 (TDD) Sussex County ATRC Cheer Community Center 20520 Sand Hill Rd. Georgetown, DE 19947 (302) 856-7946; (302) 856-6714 (voice or TDD) The AT Messenger is published quarterly by the Delaware Assistive Technology Initiative (DATI). Dissemination of this newsletter to other people, association newsletters, and electronic mailing lists is encouraged. Information contained in this publication may be reprinted without permission, although attribution to the author and DATI is required. Delaware Assistive Technology Initiative Center for Applied Science & Engineering University of Delaware/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children P.O. Box 269, 1600 Rockland Road Wilmington, DE 19899-0269 Phone: (800) 870-DATI or (302) 651-6790 TDD: (302) 651-6794; FAX: (302) 651-6793 E-mail: dati@asel.udel.edu; www.dati.org DATI is funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) of the U.S. Department of Education, Grant #H224A050008 to the University of Delaware. This publication does not necessarily reflect the position or policy of RSA/ED, and no official endorsement of the materials should be inferred. The University of Delaware is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, age, national origin, marital status or disability in conformity with applicable laws.