ABSTRACT
Technology can only be enabling when it is viewed as part of the development of a whole range of communication skills. It is particularly useful with early learning software but needs carefully positioning so that the user does not become fatigued. A number of specialised portable communication aids are available. These are robust dedicated machines with a lot of backup, as the people would expect from the companies that develop such potentially enabling devices. Many portable communication aids such as Orac, Light and Touch Talker can be used to control programs computers in the place of the standard keyboard. This requires the use of a serial link to the computer and the use of ACCESS Dos or Windows ACCESS to redirect control to the serial link. Notebooks and laptops can also be used in the same way to control another computer.
