Bill: the best job in the world

Something as simple as changing the screen colour on your computer can change the way you see the world and your work. Bill Fine of AbilityNet introduces 'get-round technology'.

For nearly thirty years (with an international IT company with three letters in its name), computers bored and frightened me. I watched them proliferate and acquire a life of their own. I saw them become what people did, instead of just a way. I saw good people who once resolved issues by conversation now sending electronic notes down 20 feet of corridor, copied to five others. I could see computers clearly as producers of money but hardly ever as enhancers of life.

AbilityNet changed that. AbilityNet is a charity, the charity I work for. Our skills - and our enthusiasm - are in 'get-round technology', a set of hardware, software and ideas that enable people with illnesses, injuries, disabilities or other health problems to express themselves more freely and more fully, through a personal computer. Let me tell you a bit about my job by telling you about one week.

Monday

An assessment visit to a woman whose Mum took thalidomide. A sparky, determined 40 year-old. Three fingers in a small hand attached to her right shoulder: no legs. She succeeded in mainstream school, handwriting with the three fingers.

She also uses her chin and mouth to manipulate two fat knitting needles with rubbers on the ends: this gives her access to a phone, TV remote, and a PC. She's learning to use her computer - struggling with a standard keyboard and mouse.

A compact, laptop-style keyboard on her wheelchair tray, a trackball instead of a mouse, and use of the Accessibility Features built into Windows (these features are also on the Apple Mac - right), plus a few tips on saving keystrokes, revolutionise her view and delight her. Voice recognition? No. she already uses her voice a lot - as a singer and music teacher! She thanks me.

Tuesday

A colleague and I run a workshop for the IT team of a big Government Department. They are launching a huge project to upgrade their IT platform and have realised they really must ensure that it can be used by users, and customers, with non-standard needs. This is pro-active! Are we winning? They thank us.

Wednesday

A PA working for a Director of a large company has had arm pain for a year or so. Another assessment visit. She needs good, skilled therapeutic advice, but AbilityNet can help too. She's a skilled typist. Minor changes to her use of her pointing device and the height of her chair improve things. A radical alternative keyboard relaxes her arms and shoulders and offers hope. Crucially, she is ready to adapt. She thanks me.

Thursday

A mature student with hyperactive twin boys of seven and a younger daughter - and dyslexia - has won a university place to study radiography. But writing is a real trial for her. She comes to our office for assessment.

Changing the background colour in Windows from white to yellow makes her shout with pleasure. Changing colours, for goodness sake! Everything else we look at helps too - changing line spacing with a single key combination, auto-correction used not just to correct spelling but also to type commonly used phrases, simple text to speech, to hear text as well as read it. And later, when her grasp of Windows is firmly established, voice recognition, right, will play a part. We try it, and prove it's so. She thanks me.

Friday

In the office, with colleagues I like and admire, writing reports for the people I've assessed, taking some calls and drinking coffee.

It's the best job in the world. A privilege not a job. And I'm sure the difference between this and my old XXX job is clear enough. Here's a clue: it's not about money!

• Can AbilityNet help you? Most adaptations are free or very cheap.
• There's more on people using alternative technologies and on how the law can help too elsewhere in MEN@WORK.
• AbilityNet. PO Box 94, Warwick, CV34 5WS.

   

  www.abilitynet.co.uk

   

  enquiries@abilitynet.co.uk