They have lots of different options for varying levels of of desires... Most communication devices aren't suficient for the amount of freedom I need, but these guys have everything it seems! I don't remember their website address, but typing in "words+" should be effective. Of course, the cost of hte device depends on what you want it to do. (mine's going to be very expensive -especially 'cause it's in US funds, but it'll be worth it!!!

My last one was always broken, which really sucked, ANd then the company went out of business before I could get my money back from them on it.

I had a loaner one for a while, but it was laptop sized, and the software didn't have appropriate volume, which meant it was only partially useful. :(

Feel free to email me if you like.

Welcome....and, thank you for describing how you found this forum on "Google", as well as explaining your daughter's situation. Sometimes we wonder how people find us. Because this is the NSDA (Spasmodic Dysphonia) bulletin board, it may not be the best place to find pertinent information but we have a great group so I'm sure folks will try to help as best they can, as I will below.

Questions and some helpful hints:

First: do I understand you that you don't want to get another device just like the one you have? Under normal circumstances, seems like it's a good idea to go back to the manufacturer, if the device worked.

Second: when several of us were in Miami at the Worldwide Dystonia Patient Symposium recently, there was a young woman using one of the talking devices but I didn't get a chance to ask her about it.

Third: in March, 2000, I attended a huge international conference called the "Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference" sponsored by the Center on Disabilities at California State University in Northridge (CSUN). The university that sponsors this conference offers the most experienced contacts and advice, in the field of Assistive Technology, for disabled people. They've been forerunners for many years. They literally have every contact you would need, for assistive devices. CSUN-COD is a fine, selfless organization and that 4-day conference I attended three years ago (with 5,000 other disabled people, many of them blind, deaf and mobility-impaired) literally changed my life.

Their website is "www.csun.edu/cod/." I guarantee you that they will be able to get you to the right place to support Desiree. The CSUN conference takes place every year in mid-March in Los Angeles, CA. If you can make it there, that might help Desiree also. I learned so much three years ago. Write me for additional information and best wishes.