Alternative Input Device

Any computer input device used in place of a standard keyboard and mouse by people who cannot operate conventional input hardware due to physical, motor, or other disabilities. Alternative input devices include head controls, eye-gaze systems, sip-and-puff switches, single switches with scanning, voice recognition, mouth sticks, touch screens, adapted keyboards, trackballs, and joysticks. The selection and configuration of an alternative input device requires clinical assessment of the user's motor capabilities, endurance, and cognitive skills, and often involves trade-offs between speed, accuracy, and fatigue.