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Techniques, ideas, problems and questions
1. How to use switches with any software

There is a limited amount of software that responds directly to switches. A method of allowing switch access to software that is only driven via mouse switches is necessary to allow switch access to the whole range of computer software (animated and talking books, the world wide web etc.)
To allow switches to access mouse driven software:
1. Hardware NWsemerc mouser (Acorn or PC)
Don Johnson switch interface(PC)
Joystick Mouse interface by Stuart Tyrell (Acorn)
CENMAC switch mouse and switch roller ball (PC)
RJCooper switch roller ball and mouse joystick (PC)
Quest Enabling Devices (QED) switch mouse (PS2 and serial mouse (PC)

Connecting switches


Using a mini-headphone splitter (1.50 ukpounds from Maplin) you can plug two switches into a single socket, both switches are active, switch turntaking and sharing can be easier with each individual having a switch.
You can continue daisy chaining switches and splitters endlessly (my record so far is 11 the basis of the interaction was that no one (of 11 pupils) was allowed to press their switch.....fun.
You can also get a Two into One Adaptor (1.10) which does the same (but I tend to prefer leads to adaptors since they put less stain on the sockets and seem to work better).
You can do similar things with 1/4 inch jackplugs.
Most things work with the smaller jackplug size (3.5mm) and I've been slowly working through all our switches and replacing the 1/4 inch with 3.5mm jackplugs. However there are times when a 1/4 inch is necessary (old mousers/BBC interface, Master controller boxes and light room equipment)
You can get 3.5mm to 1/4 inch plug adaptors but I have found that short patch leads are more reliable.
You can buy a coloured Patch lead set from Maplin (5.90) which is a short lead terminated by 1/4 inch plugs.
If you cut these in half and solder a 3.5mm socket on one end you have twelve very atractive 3.5mm to 1/4 inch short patch leads (which can also be used additionally as a personal adornment).
You can get a Mouse/Keybord splitter which allows an extra mouse, roller ball or joystick to be connected to the computer (approx 10 ukpounds from Misco). This is not guaranteed to work on some PCs but does on any Acorn

2. Software

Windows switch from the Advisory Centre in Hatfield allows a switch to emulate a mouse button on the P.C. very simply.
Similarly Clicker2 (from Crick Computing) can emulate a mouse switch on the Acorn platform.
Hotspots from the Ace centre (currently only on Acorn)
Clickit from Intellikeys (PC)
Clikit not only allows switch access to highlighted scanning hotspots but it will enable direct access from the keyboard to hotspots.

This opens up all multimedia mouse controlled software on the PC to direct switch access.

The method that we use for using talking book software (Oxford reading tree, Naughty stories etc.) on the Acorn platform is via switches into a NWsemerc mouser. Staff control the mouse pointer whilst the pupils use their switches to control the mouse clicks. This does mean that the sessions aims become less independent reading and more a small group interaction, turntaking, word matching and recognition. For most of our pupils (who have severe/profound learning difficulties) these are credible aims.
The difficulty comes when you want a pupil to use talking book software independently with software that is only mouse arrow and click driven. There is software that will move a mouse arrow by means of the keyboard (controlling the direction of the arrow moving) but this is far too difficult for our pupils (and I suspect for most children of any ability). Windows switch does allow you to move the mouse pointer to set co-ordinates and perform a mouse click which is incredibly useful and exciting (I shall be writing specific drivers for different software in school). It does however require the software window and control icons to be in the same position and in the same screen mode (so the screen co-ordinates stay the same).
Clickit from Intellikeys allows any keyboard input to be linked to a hotspot ans can change hotspots with different screens
If the developers of the talking book software simply wrote in keyboard control of the various functions, for example CTRL R for read, CTRL A for action, CTRL N for next page (but it could be any keyboard contol keys). Then simple switch control of the talking book software would be extreemly simple on all platforms using Windows switch or Switch Clicker. Windows, in particular, is pepered with keyboard access to all functions so this is not out of the ordinary or difficult at the coding stage.
The software houses that make the talking and animated software have not done so but it is never too late....