Thank you, this is great.  I will keep it for my records too!

Alisa Brownlee, ATP
Clinical Manager, Assistive Technology Services
ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) Association National Office
 and Greater Philadelphia Chapter
Direct Phone: 215-631-1877

________________________________

From: xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx on behalf of Edward Hitchcock
Sent: Thu 9/1/2011 5:09 PM
To: xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [no phi] RE: Facebook Response Request

Very short version...

Almost any mid level phone(smart or not) has decent voice recognition for dialing.  Combined with a Bluetooth earpiece with a built up button and we have a lot of people who can activate earpiece by pushing their head into a headrest (assuming they cannot use their hands to activate it.)  There are switch activated and handsfree versions if that does not work.

Android smartphones have touch screens with ability to put direct dial shortcuts directly on main screen.  With addition of a "No Lock" app, one can avoid having to "slide to unlock" it.

Also with android with addition of extra apps, one can put larger icons on the desktop for shortcuts to direct dial contacts.  There are also a lot of options for speech to text.  This can be incorporated into SMS, and android has a "send text to john smith" voice command capability that will automatically set that up and reduce (though not eliminate) need for interaction with touch screen.

Iphone also has options for speech to text (dragon dictation app) but required a decent amount of copying and pasting into a text message.

I can expound more on almost all of that but...  Does that help?

Ed Hitchcock OT/L

Technology Center

Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago

From: xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Alisa Brownlee
Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2011 1:56 PM
To: National ALS Association AT Listserv
Subject: FW: Facebook Response Request

This email below got me thinking.  Anyone have good experience with cell phones for PALS?  I know more about the smart phones then flip phones and am looking for any suggestions.

Thanks,

Alisa

Alisa Brownlee, ATP

Clinical Manager, Assistive Technology Services

ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) Association National Office

 and Greater Philadelphia Chapter

Direct Phone: 215-631-1877

________________________________

From: Stephanie Dufner
Sent: Thu 9/1/2011 2:15 PM
To: Alisa Brownlee
Subject: Facebook Response Request

QUESTION FOR ANYONE WITH ALS OR ANYONE THAT WOULD KNOW :
Needing to try and graduate my Dad off his old flip phone into something easier for him to open and operate having ALS ... can anyone reccommend a cell phone that they have found easier to use than others ? He is currently with Sprint. Any help would be appreciated !! THANKS !!

The ALS Association

1275 K Street, Suite 1050

Washington, D.C. 20005

Phone: 202.407.8592

Fax: 202.289.6801

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