Fine+Motor+Difficulties+and+Web+2.0

I was thinking about students and those that may suffer from fine motor difficulties or have fine motor disabilities and how they are able to access the Web and what barriers exist for them when using a computer and the web 2.0. As I am typing I am looking at my hands thinking about how fast we go as a society now, whether it is with texting, typing, or clicking the mouse. Someone with a fine motor challenge cannot go this fast. This would cause these types of students to fall behind in a fast paced computer setting, where there are expectations to get so far each day in an assignment, project or activity on the web. Touchscreen as a replacement for the mouse is named as an example to some of the barrier issues for an individual with fine motor disabilities (Solomon and Schrum). There is also a site called the [|Tar Heel Reader], which provides books for beginning readers, and includes interfaces and switches for disabled individuals. An article I read about the site, describes an interesting and helpful switch interface on the site which allows individuals who cannot use a mouse, to instead tab through the book selections (Felty). The example, such as the touchscreen, that I have mentioned would require that your school buy and/or provide these to students with fine motor difficulties and disabilities. I know I have some students in class that don’t even like using the touch pad that is on all of our laptops, they would much rather have a mouse. The barrier for my students and me, is that we don’t have a lot of mouses. Prior to using the laptops, I always try to round up as many mouse as possible. This example, makes me wonder if touchscreens would become frustrating like the touchpad on a laptop is for my students. If a fine motor disability causes an individual to not have much control over their actions, then would they get frustrated with touching a touchscreen in the wrong place, therefore causing an incorrect screen to appear, or program to run, or touch an incorrect letter? I suppose it may matter what the size of the touchscreen would be. Thinking about the Apple I-phone, I can remember when I first starting using it and deciding that I didn’t like it because I couldn’t text well on it. I don’t have a fine motor disability but at the beginning I have fine motor difficulties using the touchscreen keypad and clicking the right things when on the web.    [|http://lis5313.ci.fsu.edu/wiki/index.php/Web_2.0_for_All:_Including_students_with_Significant_Special_Needs_in_Participatory_culture] [|http://books.google.com/books?id=ZKKQMLir_mMC&pg=PT175&lpg=PT175&dq=fine+motor+disabilities+using+web+2.0&source=bl&ots=OjJ5dMVREU&sig=WCA-kjo31khL5MUP4-VaMP-CJ4k&hl=en&ei=VBD8TJj0G8K78gbkxOiuCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&sqi=2&ved=0CBsQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false]