RE AAC - try 'Mobile Talker' - i've used this to good effect with an ambulent user, you can get amplifiers to go on the back of a pda too... You can download a free demo and it works on most pocket devices:
 
Mobile Talker: <http://www.bostock.com/IconspeakTalkingDesktop.htm>
Amp:<http://www.smartboxat.com/backbox.html>
 
You could also plug in a bluetooth keyboard to allow non-stylus text input.
 
Dynavox have their equivalent too - the iChat / Palmtop3.
 
Cheers.
 
Simon
 

From: xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Joy Meachum
Sent: Monday, November 05, 2007 8:54 PM
To: xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Assistive Technology] Simple AAC and voice dialers

Hi everyone,
 
I have two questions for the group:
 
1) We are looking for a simple AAC device to purchase with some grant money we received. I'm thinking something similar to the Lightwriter, but considerably less expensive. It needs to have scanning access, word prediction, be portable (A/C connection only for charging), preferably lightweight, not picture-based. What suggestions do you have?
 
2) Does anyone know of a truly hands-free voice activated phone dialer? The vocally phone dialer requires the user to "pick up" a handset or press the talk button on a cordless phone. Same thing with a bluetooth handset/voice dialing for cell phones - anything truly hands-free that does not require the press of a button to activate it?
 
Thanks for any suggestions!
 
Joy Meachum
Patient Services Coordinator
The ALS Association,
St. Louis Regional Chapter
xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx

Windows Live Hotmail and Microsoft Office Outlook – together at last. Get it now!
**********************************************************************
This message  may  contain  confidential  and  privileged information.
If you are not  the intended  recipient please  accept our  apologies.
Please do not disclose, copy or distribute  information in this e-mail
or take any  action in reliance on its  contents: to do so is strictly
prohibited and may be unlawful. Please inform us that this message has
gone  astray  before  deleting it.  Thank  you for  your co-operation.
 
NHSmail is used daily by over 100,000 staff in the NHS. Over a million
messages  are sent every day by the system.  To find  out why more and
more NHS personnel are  switching to  this NHS  Connecting  for Health
system please visit www.connectingforhealth.nhs.uk/nhsmail
**********************************************************************