A FRIEND EXPLAINED THIS WELL:
Sticky Keys are a feature of Windows Operating Systems (Win96, Win98, WinXP, Vista and Win7 – don’t know about older versions) for single-finger typing. If, say, you want to copy something, the keyboard way is by pressing Ctrl-c…but if you are a single-finger typist you cannot hold down the ctrl key while you press “c”….enter Sticky Keys – press the “shift” key 5 times and you activate Sticky Keys. Once activated, for example, the Ctrl key will remain or “Stick” on until you press another key. Sticky Keys work for Shift, Ctrl, Alt and the Windows key. once finished, you can disable again by pressing “Shift” 5 times.

For a full list of keyboard shortcuts go to : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/126449 . Obviously, you cannot memorize them all (at least, I can’t !) but it’s good to learn a few.

IT’S A NEUROLOGICAL DISORDER. IT MAY IMPROVE WITH TIME OR WITH MEDICINE.

ALSO, CHECK OUT PBA (PSEUDOBULBAR AFFECT IS A CONDITION CHARACTERIZED BY EPISODES OF UNCONTROLLABLE LAUGHING AND/OR CRYING THAT MAY BE INAPPROPRIATE OR UNRELATED TO THE SITUATION AT HAND. THE CONDITION IS KNOWN BY MANY OTHER TERMS, INCLUDING INVOLUNTARY EMOTIONAL EXPRESSION DISORDER, EMOTIONAL LABILITY, EMOTIONAL INCONTINENCE, EMOTIONAL DISCONTROL, EXCESSIVE EMOTIONALISM, UNCONTROLLABLE LAUGHING AND/OR CRYING, AND PATHOLOGICAL LAUGHING AND/OR CRYING.)

THERE ARE SO MANY SWITCHING SYSTEMS AVAILABLE. EACH ONE DEPENDS ON WHAT AND WHERE THE PERSON HAS MOVEMENT (FINGER, HEAD, MOUTH, TOE). FOR THE BENEFITS OF OTHERS READING THIS POST, I WILL MENTION THE PRIMARY ONES THXS 2 TINA, IN MY STROKE YAHOO GROUP:
• JELLY BEAN SWITCH
• HEAD-STICK
• FOOT SWITCH
• JOYSTICK
• LASER POINTER, EITHER HELD IN HAND OR WORN ON GLASSES
• TRACKBALL
• SENSOR TRACKING, USES A TINY REUSABLE DOT WORN ON THE FOREHEAD OR ON GLASSES.
• TOUCHPAD
• SIP AND PUFF (WHICH MOST LIS/BSS CAN’T USE BECAUSE THEY CAN’T CONTROL EACH BREATH)
• ONE THAT MANY PEOPLE AREN’T AWARE OF IS THE LAR-PAM. IT WAS DESIGNED BY A BSS/LIS MAN NAMED LARRY. HIS WIFE PAM BUILT IT BASED ON HIS DIRECTION.

I TYPE W/1 FINGER & HAVE DOUBLE VISION, SO I, TOO, HAVE ADAPTED. LOL

IN ORDER 2 TYPE:
1. MY KEYBOARD IS “NORMAL”, JUST WIRELESS & SMALLER. MY KEYBOARD IS ON MY LEFT, SIDEWAYS (IT GIVES MY MOUSE MORE ROOM, & IS EASIER 2 SEE, 4 SOME REASON!) (PICTURED)

2. I HAVE A KEYGAURD (PICTURED)–IT HELPS SOOO MUCH! IT’S A NECCESSARY EVIL.

A KEYGAURD IS ESSENTIALLY A PIECE OF PLASTIC SO MY HAND CAN REST WHILE I TYPE & NOT PUSH KEYS. IT HAS HOLES DRILLED FOR THE THE KEYS LIKE THE (LETTERS, NUMBERS, SPACE, SHIFT, ETC.), BUT KEYS I DON’T USE (LIKE F1) STAY COVERED . MAKE SENSE?

SAW IT ON A TALKING MACHINE, & LOVED IT, BUT IT WAS $60. MY HUSBAND IS A WOODWORKER, SO HE SPENT A FEW BUCKS 2 BUY THICK PLASTIC, MARKED WHAT KEYS I WANTED 2 USE, & USED A DRILL PRESS, 2 CUSTOM MAKE 1 FOR MY COMP. IT’S VELCROED ON, SO OTHERS CAN USE MY KEYBOARD W/THE KEYGAURD OFF.

I DO OK W/O IT NOW, BUT I HAVE “WEAK” DAYS, & NIGHTS R HARD, SO I CHOOSE 2 ALWAYS USE IT. ALSO, W/DOUBLE VISION, I HAVE A TENDANCY 2 ACCIDENTALLY PUSH A WRONG KEY. THIS ELIMINATES THAT, BECAUSE ANY KEYS I DON’T WANT 2 PUSH, STAY COVERED W/PLASTIC.

3. DESKS ARE 2 LOW 4 MY CHAIR, SO I HAVE A COMPUTER DESK THAT MY HUSBAND MADE ME. (PICTURED) IT’S BASICALLY LIKE MY WHEELCHAIR TRAY, COVERED WITH A GLUED ON MOUSE PAD, & THINNER (SO IT FITS BETWEEN MY ARMRESTS), & SUSPENDED IN THE AIR…SO I CAN JUST ROLL IN, & PARK…NO WAITING 4 A TRAY 2 BE PUT ON ME!

4. I DROOL, SO I SARAN WRAP MY KEYBOARD.

5. I USE THE ACCESSIBITY OPTION CALLED “STICKY KEYS”—IT BASICALLY HOLDS DOWN SHIFT, CONTROL, OR ALT, WHILE I PUSH ANOTHER KEY OR CLICK MY MOUSE. IT’S A MUST!

6. SINCE I HAVE DOUBLE VISION, I USE A LARGE LCD SCREEN 4 MY MONITER, & PEOPLE ENLARGE THEIR FONT, IF THEY CAN, OR I USE “READ PLEASE”–A FREE PROGRAM INTRODUCED 2 ME BY ANOTHER STROKE SURVIVOR (THE LINK IS ON MY BLOG).

LEE SILVERMAN VOICE TREATMENT (LSVT). NOW I USE BUNGALOW SOFTWARE’S SIGHTS ‘N SOUND 1 & 2 (C THE LINK), IN ORDER TO CONTINUE WHAT I WAS DOING. SEE, THE PROGRAM I WAS DOING (LSCV), CAN BE DIVIDED INTO 5 SECTIONS:

IN SECTION 1, I SAID “AAAH” 12 TIMES.
IN SECTION 2, I SAID “AAAH” 12 TIMES, IN AN ASCENDING SCALE.
IN SECTION 3, I SAID “AAAH” 12 TIMES, IN A DECENDING SCALE.
IN SECTION 4, I SAID 10 FUNCTIONAL PHRASES (THINGS I’D SAY, LIKE “BACK OF SHIRT DOWN”, & THAT LIST IS NOW TYPED UP AS A CUSTOM LIST IN SIGHTS N’ SOUNDS 2)
IN SECTION 5, I SAID 10 WORDS/SHORT PHRASES FROM A LIST (& THAT LIST IS NOW TYPED UP AS A CUSTOM LIST IN BOTH SIGHTS N’ SOUNDS 1 & 2, DEPENDING IF IT’S A WORD OR PHRASE)

MY THERAPIST STILL COMES, BUT SEEMS 2 REALLY LIKE THE SOFTWARE…WE TEND 2 USE IT AT THE END OF A SESSION. LAST TIME, WE USED “SENTENCE SHAPER 2”, & SHE NOTED THAT MY PHRASES ARE CLEARER WHHEN I STRESS THE SECOND WORD, SO I’VE BEEN FOCUSING ON STRESSING THE SECOND WORD WHEN I PRACTICE W/THE PROGRAM, “SENTENCE SHAPER 2″, .”

I ALSO GOT THE PROGRAM “SPEECH SOUNDS ON CUE”, 4 MY OWN CURIOUSITY & REFERENCE, SINCE IT EXPLAINS HOW 2 SAY LETTERS I CAN’T SAY (REALLY, SOME CONSONANTS).

IT FRUSTRATES ME AT TIMES BECUZ I CAN’T B A “NORMAL” MOM. SO, I HAVE A PICTURE 2 SHOW U MY IDEA. IT’S SIMPLER THAN IT SOUNDS. ACTUALLY, MY SISTER MADE A SUGGESTION, & I “IMPROVED” IT! LOL BUT IT STARTED BECUZ MY KIDS DON’T WANT 2 SPELL OUT THEIR DISCIPLINE–WHAT KID WANTS 2 YELL AT THEMSELVES, & SLOWLY SPELL OUT THEIR PUNISHMENT? SO, I MADE THESE CARDS THAT I CAN FLASH AT THEM, SAYING THINGS LIKE “STOP HITTING!” OR “YOU’RE GROUNDED!” I NOWHAVE 2 KEYRINGS OF “STOCK PHRASES” 2 SAY 2 OTHERS WHO CAN’T SIGN, & A 2ND KEYRING 2 DISCIPLINE MY KIDS, SO THEY CAN’T PULL THE “I DON’T UNDERSTAND U” THING!

I ACTUALLY RARELY USE THEM NOW, BECUZ I AM TALKING MORE. STRANGERS WON’T UNDERSTAND ME, BUT MY KIDS DO. I HAVE 3 SPEAKING COMPUTER PROGRAMS THAT I CUSTOMIZED W/THESE PHRSAES, SO I PRACTICE “YELLING AT MY KIDS!” LOL

HERE’S MY INSTRUCTIONS, & THE PHRASES I USE (U CAN ADAPT/CHANGE THEM 2 THINGS U ALWAYS THINK):

PRINT & CUT OUT, ATTACH 2 HALF AN INDEX CARD, PUNCHED IN A CORNER, & ON A KEYRING. I KEEP IN MY WHEELCHAIR POCKET SO WHEN A KID CLAIMS THE “CAN’T UNDERSTAND U” GAME, OR SOME1 WHO CAN’T SIGN COMES BY & I WANT 2 TALK 2 THEM, I CAN JUST WHIP OUT THE CARD AND POINT TO A PHRASE OR A CATEGORY

2 ASSIST MY DOUBLE VISION, EVERY PHRASE IS IN A DIFFERENT COLOR, & SO I COULD LOCATE THINGS QUICKER 4 THE KIDS, I COLOR-CODED THE INDEX CARDS (LIKE IF I NEED A PUNISHMENT, I ONLY LOOK AT THE PINK INDEX CARDS–THIS IS SOOO HELPFUL!) I THEN HAVE THE CARDS IN ORDER (4 EX., I DON’T WANT 2 LOCATE THE CARD 2 STOP HITTING, SO IT IS ON TOP, & I CAN JUST WHIP IT OUT!)

MY COLOR-CODE INDEX CARDS 4 THE KIDS KEYRINGIS AS FOLLOWS:
1. FLOURESCENT YELLLOW–WARNING
2. FLOURESCENT PINK–PUNISHMENT
3. FLOURESCENT GREEN–COMMAND
4. PASTEL BLUE—INSTRUCTION, ENCOURAGEMENT

IN ORDER 2 DISCIPLINE THE KIDS W/O SIGNING, I MADE A KEYRING W/THE FOLLOWING PHRASES:

* NO BABY TALK

*STOP HURTING YOUR
BROTHER OR
SISTER.

* IF U CHOOSE TO IGNORE OR YELL AT ME, U’LL BE GROUNDED

* U ARE GROUNDED

* IF U CHOOSE TO IGNORE OR YELL AT ME, U WILL WEED.

* U NEED TO WEED

* TIME OUT

* DO IT NOW!

* DO IT, OR I’LL TELL DAD!

*STOP WHINING & JUST DO IT!

*GET OFF YOUR BUTT!

* HURRY UP!

*GET READY FOR BED

*PICK UP YOUR ROOM

*PICK UP YOUR TOYS

*SHARE

* YOU ARE DOING GREAT!

* QUIET PLEASE!

IN ORDER 2 HELP ME, “TALK” 2 MK WHILE HE’S ON THE PHONE, OR TALK 2 THOSE WHO CAN’T SIGN, I MADE THIS SECOND KEYRING:

* I NEED TO LEAVE

* I’LL BE BACK

* CAN U MOVE SO I CAN SEE?

* OPEN & HOLD OPEN DOOR

* PUT LEFT FOOT ON FOOTREST

*I NEED A WARM BLANKET

*SUNGLASSES ON

*PULL MY KNEES A LITTLE BIT

*BACK OF SHIRT DOWN

* GET MARK

*BUTT RIGHT

*BUTT LEFT

* I EMAILED YOU