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From: DAH@psuvm.psu.edu (Donald A. Hazle)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Cerebral Palsy, LROP and 3270 Communications
Message-ID: <14647@handicap.news>
Date: 10 Apr 91 05:00:44 GMT
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Reply-To: DAH@psuvm.psu.edu (Donald A. Hazle)
Organization: Penn State University
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Index Number: 14647

At present I employ a person who is a Cerebral Palsy Victim having no
use of her arms or legs and limited verbal commications.  Despite
this handicap, she is using a Swan 286 PC with the help of a
LROP (Long Range Optical Pointer) supplied by Words+ Inc. of Sunnyvale,
Calf.  This hardward/software combination has worked well with software
such as WordPerfect 5.1, Dbase and other PC packages.

     However, I have had considerable problems in adapting any 3270
communications packages using an IBM 3278/79 emulation adapter card
operating over Coax to an IBM controller. I have tried to use IBM
software, PC Focus and Attachmate Extra, all of which have to some extent
refuse to accept keystroke commands from the LROP. I have been advised by
Words+ that any TSR software may cause problems.  Also the LROP works
directly with the keyboard buffer to form commands.

     Therefore Words+ has advised me to attempt commuincation over
an async line operating thru a protocol converter.  I plan to test
this method in the new few days.

Though, I have had considerble experience with voice and scanning
devices for the blind, I would appreciate some help in this area
with the following questions.

1. Has anyone used a LROP to interface over coax using an IBM 3270
   controller and a IBM 3270/79 emulation adapter?

2. Has anyone used a LROP in anyform of async communications and if
   so what software on the PC seemed to work?
Post, call or send reply to DAH at PSUVM

Donald A. Hazle
106 Human Development East
Penn State University
University, Park Pa. 16802
Phone 814-863-2232