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From: pg on 21 Apr 2008 23:54
Hi, all !

I am setting up a computer lab for the disabled. We are looking for
equipments that might aid the disabled (mainly those who are not that
good in movement), and one of the things we are planning to get them
is trackball.

There are many types of trackballs available, unfortunately most are
made for the able-body people. I am looking for something that can be
used by the disabled with ease.

Our objective is that the trackball must be big enough, and easy
enough to be used.

One of the things we have found is the BIGTRACK trackball made by
infogrip ( www.infogrip.com/product_view.asp?RecordNumber=98 )

I want to know if there are other types of trackball similar or better
than the BIGTRACK that I list above?

If you have any experience on which type of trackball that will be
easy for the disabled, please share with us.

Thank you all in advance !!


Sincerely,
Lee
From: GlowingBlueMist on 22 Apr 2008 08:40
"pg" <penang(a)catholic.org> wrote in message
news:5322afe8-2411-431c-972a-8eeecbdcc5df(a)q24g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
> Hi, all !
>
> I am setting up a computer lab for the disabled. We are looking for
> equipments that might aid the disabled (mainly those who are not that
> good in movement), and one of the things we are planning to get them
> is trackball.
>
> There are many types of trackballs available, unfortunately most are
> made for the able-body people. I am looking for something that can be
> used by the disabled with ease.
>
> Our objective is that the trackball must be big enough, and easy
> enough to be used.
>
> One of the things we have found is the BIGTRACK trackball made by
> infogrip ( www.infogrip.com/product_view.asp?RecordNumber=98 )
>
> I want to know if there are other types of trackball similar or better
> than the BIGTRACK that I list above?
>
> If you have any experience on which type of trackball that will be
> easy for the disabled, please share with us.
>
> Thank you all in advance !!
>
I purchased one of the BIGtrack trackballs for a 70 year old relative who
has limited dexterity in his hands due to an industrial accident.

He tends to loose his temper while playing computer card games and gets a
little ruff with things, not that anyone could ever get him to quit playing
the games. He never used a computer until he was 65 and has become quite
addicted to the games available to him.

Prior to purchasing the BIGtrack trackball he had either worn out or broken
three other trackballs. The Kensington trackball lasted the longest before
suffering a fatal break in one of the roller guide supports. He was always
complaining that even when the other trackballs worked he had a hard time
keeping the pointer where he wanted it.

It has been 6 months with the BIGtrack unit and he has not complained once
about controlling the pointer. He has commented that he liked the larger
sized trackball that the unit provided. It has withstood his somewhat
physical temper tantrums with no breakdowns, so far.

There is one thing about the BIGtrack trackball that takes a little getting
used to. The mouse buttons are on the top of the trackball, away from the
person rolling the ball. I thought the button placement to be a little odd
at first but it does help in reducing most accidental button triggering by a
random hand or arm movement.

For those who have even more severe limitations I suggest getting the
BIGtrack unit that supports external buttons. That way you can place the
buttons anywhere convenient for the user independent of the trackball. Be
they foot activated or strapped to the arm of a wheel chair.


From: Casey on 22 Apr 2008 12:23
I used Kensington's Trackball for years, no problems until I wore it out
basically. They were one of few when I started in computers and have
excellent products. I now use one made by Logitech ... it is smaller
however. I also recommend a wireless keyboard ... one finger typing is
better done on the lap in my opinion ... and mine is Logitech as well.

"pg" <penang(a)catholic.org> wrote in message
news:5322afe8-2411-431c-972a-8eeecbdcc5df(a)q24g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
> Hi, all !
>
> I am setting up a computer lab for the disabled. We are looking for
> equipments that might aid the disabled (mainly those who are not that
> good in movement), and one of the things we are planning to get them
> is trackball.
>
> There are many types of trackballs available, unfortunately most are
> made for the able-body people. I am looking for something that can be
> used by the disabled with ease.
>
> Our objective is that the trackball must be big enough, and easy
> enough to be used.
>
> One of the things we have found is the BIGTRACK trackball made by
> infogrip ( www.infogrip.com/product_view.asp?RecordNumber=98 )
>
> I want to know if there are other types of trackball similar or better
> than the BIGTRACK that I list above?
>
> If you have any experience on which type of trackball that will be
> easy for the disabled, please share with us.
>
> Thank you all in advance !!
>
>
> Sincerely,
> Lee


From: Lila Godel on 22 Apr 2008 18:14
pg wrote:
> Hi, all !
>
> I am setting up a computer lab for the disabled. We are looking for
> equipments that might aid the disabled (mainly those who are not that
> good in movement), and one of the things we are planning to get them
> is trackball.

Check out the links for Kid-TRAC, PC-TRAC, Max-TRAC, Max-TRAC - Beige
and Max-TRAC - Black at http://lila.godel.com/html/hardware.htm.

With any model you get

1. two equally sized left and right buttons for ease
of use by left handed people and right handed people
2. a middle mouse button which works as toggle button
to turn scroll lock on and off
(With this feature text can be blocked by just
rolling the ball.)
3. a curved base that may confirm to your hand better
than the base of other devices
4. a large ball for easy control
From: pg on 23 Apr 2008 08:20
On Apr 22, 4:23 am, "M.I.5¾" <no....(a)no.where.NO_SPAM.co.uk> wrote:
> "pg" <pen...(a)catholic.org> wrote in message
>
> news:5322afe8-2411-431c-972a-8eeecbdcc5df(a)q24g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
>
>
>
> > Hi, all !
>
> > I am setting up a computer lab for the disabled. We are looking for
> > equipments that might aid the disabled (mainly those who are not that
> > good in movement), and one of the things we are planning to get them
> > is trackball.
>
> > There are many types of trackballs available, unfortunately most are
> > made for the able-body people. I am looking for something that can be
> > used by the disabled with ease.
>
> > Our objective is that the trackball must be big enough, and easy
> > enough to be used.
>
> > One of the things we have found is the BIGTRACK trackball made by
> > infogrip (www.infogrip.com/product_view.asp?RecordNumber=98)
>
> > I want to know if there are other types of trackball similar or better
> > than the BIGTRACK that I list above?
>
> > If you have any experience on which type of trackball that will be
> > easy for the disabled, please share with us.
>
> > Thank you all in advance !!
>
> It is a surprisingly difficult thing for an able bodied person to decide
> what system would suit a disabled person best. The reality is that you just
> don't have the necessary experience or qualifications. I have even seen
> examples of so called 'disability facility consultants' get it totally
> wrong.
>
> The best solution (and probably the most impractical) would be to provide a
> variety of mouse/trackball devices and allow the user to decide which one
> will suit him best. Disabled people are often able to adapt to something
> that although not ideal, comes close.


Many of the disabled have hands that keep shaking uncontrollably. The
limited "experiments" that I've done with them --- with all kinds and
sizes of mice/trackball/tablets --- I found out that the new crops of
"cute" mice, the one they call "ergonomic", are NOT suitable for them
at all.

That is why I searched and searched the Net for something with a
bigger ball, something that is more stable, that they can use.

That 'BIGTRACK" is the one I've found.

I post this question because I need to find out if there are any other
types of trackballs out there.

Thank you for replying.
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