Working with ALS
Tools and software used to work with my computer. These tools and software allowed me to keep working during the early days of the disease. The latest set of tools are still being used to work on my computer now.
This video was created during a support group meeting with the Kentucky chapter of the ALS Association. I demonstrate the tools I was using at the time to stay working.
Working on a computer has been central to Steve’s career ever since Sheila introduced him to Microsoft Access over 30 years ago. When ALS started to impact his ability to type and use a mouse, he pursued many tools and software that would extend his ability to work. He continues to use some of these tools to write posts, create this website, play games, etc. Many of the techniques can be useful for individuals who are able bodied or have other disabilities.
While Steve was still able to use his fingers with the RollerMouse, his fingers started to curl. This made it difficult to use the mouse. We purchased finger splints to keep his index finger straight. This worked well, but extended use can be painful. Sheila would have to massage his fingers to relieve the stiffness and pain.
Function keypads are a way to reduce the key presses required to perform commands like copy and paste. These keypads are often used by streamers, gamers, and video editors. I tried two different solutions and landed on the Legato Stream Deck.
From my review: “I really enjoy a Stream Deck because some of it is just fun. Part of the fun of this is finding icons that you can use that include gifs on the screen. I’m completely planning to continue to extend what I’m doing with my Stream Deck.”
If you’re experiencing issues manipulating a mouse in the traditional fashion or anything that requires you to potentially either switch hands to give yourself a break or just because it’s hard sometimes to use a mouse and move it, this is a great solution for you. The mouse is stationery and has a nice wrist pad for you to work on. The ability to switch hands allowed Steve to get the break he needed on either hand at any given time. Later, Steve used this mouse with a single finger. With this mouse Steve was more productive than he ever thought he was going to be when this started. As you can see, Steve is a real fan. To say that this changed the way that he worked and allowed him to work longer is an understatement. The RollerMouse is one of the best investments we made.
Steve started using TD Control when he first got his PCEye device in the early stages of his diagnosis. He used TD Control to learn how to use eye gaze.
He uses TD Control the most when using his eye gaze. This tool enables him to navigate his Windows device. He uses it for his mouse controls and for typing. As he became more proficient, he now uses the switcher to switch and open programs. He also uses the built-in copy and paste more now.
Be aware that you cannot purchase this software. It is included with PCEye and I-Series devices from Tobii Dynavox. It also only works on Windows 10/11.
Early on in my diagnosis, I lost the use of my hands making typing more difficult then impossible. Over a couple of years, I tried many different voice to text options to compensate for the lack of functionality. I summarized my experience in the following table.
I wrote multiple blogs about my experience with these technologies.
Typing with Your Tongue – Voice to Text Technologies
Typing with Your Tongue Part 2: Voice Access
Demonstrating How I Use Voice Access
You can see that I highly recommend Voice Access. My experience with the application and the Microsoft product team was very good. The application enabled me to continue working at my company in spite of the ALS progression.
Voice Access is free in all editions of Windows 11.
You can find my training videos in the Video Library.
Steve used different desks and chairs to support him in his office as the disease progressed. He also used some footstools along the way. We will discuss what he used and changes we made along the way.
Steve used two desks in his office. The first desk was built on a frame that uses an electric motor to raise and lower. We got the frame from Amazon and topped it with a precut board from Lowe’s. This worked well until Steve moved to his power chair. The power chair did not fit well under the desk, and it was so deep that it pushed Steve too far away from the monitors and microphone. This desk was ideal for as long as he could stand or transfer to his office chair.
We transitioned to a smaller table style desk Steve had used previously. This desk has manually adjustable legs. While he still did not fit under the desk, he was much closer to everything. The goal was to minimize the adjustments that Sheila needed to make when we got to the office in the morning. Desktop space did not matter because Steve could not work with anything on the desk anyway. The other benefit was more space in the office to move around in the power chair.
Currently, Steve no longer uses a desk. He has completely moved to an eye gaze device. He misses the large monitors and the rest of his setup. However, he appreciates still being able to use a computer.