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Jim S.... Many thanks for the useful suggestions, Jim! I've utilized all the Win 95 "accessibility options" (such as they are) and also have DragonDictate as I stated in my original message. I've seen a number of other programs such as those ya suggested in the many mail-order catalogs I have, and am in awe of the vast number of 'em that are available for the handicapped 'puter user. Of all available to me, I felt a voice-to-text program such as DragonDictate would be the most useful for me, but have found myself fighting using it. If I was REALLY honest with myself, I'd admit that I just want to suddenly KNOW how to use it, rather than have to take the time to LEARN it.... Education by mental osmosis? <smile> I find that my mind positively SCREEEEEAMS when confronted with virtually ANYTHING related to learning a computer program from a technical manual. I mentally 'zone out" when confronted by an Microsoft manual, and immediately buy one of the "Dummies" series (blush). The problem is that as an employee of MSN, we're working with alpha-beta test programs that don't even HAVE formal manuals yet, and I have no natural instinct as to how to use a new program. This means I'm also confronted with a new set of mouse/keyboard commands rather frequently, and some of those I've become used to using are no longer in use <sigh> I don't have a chance to LEARN a program before it's either modified or GONE and this drives me simply wacko 'cause it places me back into square one again. I cannot express to you how frustrating and mentally draining this is! So this isn't TOTALLY a "mouse problem," rather it's a mouse-aggravating-a-shoulder-problem, PLUS mental discomfort when using the mouse and trying to learn new programs and program updates all the time. The latter cause me to always be tense when using the mouse, and the tenseness aggravates the shoulder a lot. As I reread this I don't know if nay of it is making sense or not, but I actually feel MENTALLY disabled as well as physically disabled to a certain extent. Barb Mallut [log in to unmask] riginal Message----- From: Parkinson's Information Exchange On Behalf Of James F. Slattery Sent: Monday, April 21, 1997 7:07 PM To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN Subject: Re: "Frozen shoulder" > From: Barbara Mallut <[log in to unmask]> > Subject: FW: "Frozen shoulder" > Date: Tuesday, 22 April 1997 8:22 > I suffered my first bout of "frozen shoulder" after a terribly painful flare.... > Unfortunately, I seem to aggravate this condition regularly by using the > mouse, which I tend to use much more than DragonDictate (voice-to-text > program) 'cause I don't want to lose my typing skills (such as they are). Hi Barb, I find the mouse a pain to use. <pun> :-) But more intellectually, not so much physically. I don't like going from keypad to mouse to keypad to mouse... etc., etc. Have you tried the "accessibility options" for Windows? They are built-in to Windows95, but are also available free from Microsoft for Windows 3.1 and Windows for Workgroups. I don't know what is available similarly for Macintosh or OS/2. I use FilterKeys, which slows the keyboard repeat-rate (important for any physically impaired person who can't release keys quickly enough) and, more importantly, makes a "click" when each key is pressed, as I can't feel when the key has "connected", and, short of hammering the keyboard, miss letters in words. I use MouseKeys, which transfers control of the mouse pointer and buttons to the keys of the numeric pad. I do a lot of drawing and other graphics work, and find that this gives me greater fine control (something most PWP's lack) than using the mouse. Also, there is no need to change from one set of movements to another. I have set these up for other people with physical disabilities. Also of great benefit to those with *very* limited movement is StickeyKeys. This enables users to execute two- and three-key commands, such as SHIFT+ALT+F with one finger, or, in the case of, say, quadriplegics, with a head- or mouth-stick. The computer stores each key press in turn, and executes the combined presses when the last key has been pressed. If both able-bodied and disabled people are using the same keyboard, the setups can be made to default to either off or on; they can also be activated/deactivated by "shortcut" keys at any time. Other functions are SoundSentry for visual indicators to replace system sounds, ShowSounds, which shows captions for sounds and speech that application programs make, HighContrast, which is just what the name suggests plus larger print, and SerialKey, which allows alternatives to keyboard input, such as touch-tablets and speech-to-digital devices I also use a Cirque touch-pad, similar to those included in some laptop computers. This is a serial device, connected by wire to the computer in the manner as a mouse, but with a small touch screen about 2 ins x 1.5 ins (5 mm x 3.75 mm). The mouse pointer is moved by sliding your finger over the screen. "Single-clicking" is accomplished by one sharp tap on the screen, double-clicking by two taps. The sensitivity and speed can be adjusted. It also has the two buttons, for those who can't handle the screen-tapping. I can move the pointer diagonally across the screen with a one inch (2.5 mm) movement of my finger. It can be used left-handed or right-handed, and the button functions can be switched. Lastly, I find out the keyboard alternatives to every application menu and function (such as ALT+F to open the file menu), and use these in preference to a mouse, or even the touch-pad. I would advise anyone wanting to try this approach to obtain a printed card of the functions and keystrokes. Hope that helps you, and anyone else on the list who may have hand movement and fine control problems. Jim (57/12)