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Another Fantastic Year - In its 29-year history, ZYGO has always strived to design innovative, functional and user-friendly devices. ZYGO utilizes the latest technology in its current and future products.

We understand that no augmentative and alternative communication device can replace the human voice. Instead, we are facilitators who are paving the way toward individual communication, despite the often difficult terrain. We at ZYGO appreciate your business with us. We could not have done it without you.

New Product - Phone-Link connects your communication device directly to almost any phone for clearer and simpler speech output. You can also connect your phone to a recording device or computer allowing you to take phone notes, or to collect critical information such as phone numbers and addresses.

Optimist II with Speaking Dynamically Pro (a dynamic display communication system) versus MACAW: In a boxing ring, is it a match?
It seems that the "dynamic display" trend has taken the Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) field by storm. There are many discussions and situations where the enthusiasm to use dynamic display is not matched with the user's needs. The core philosophy about choosing the simplest technology to achieve the desired outcome will always produce the best outcome for the client and support team. This article compares Optimist II with Speaking Dynamically Pro and MACAW in a language easy to understand.

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Fantastic Special Offers:
	LightWRITER SL87 — We're offering a limited quantity of our field demo SL87 units with one year warranty for only $4,595.00 (US). The regular list price is $6,135.00 (US). That's over 25% in savings!			Parakeet 5 with Carry Case and Wordwise Sticker Pack for $175.00 Simple and easy to use — (Regular Price: $425.00)

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Early in April 2002, I was admitted to the Supreme Court of Victoria. This was the final step on the long road to becoming qualified to practice as a lawyer. Although it was a hard slog with my hours of study and exams, it was changing how I saw myself and my disability, which was the hardest part of all.

I am beginning to feel a sense of personal achievement within myself. This feels rather strange because even though I have achieved a little through the years I still had to battle with all the negativity I had heard about my abilities during my teenage and early adult years. People only saw my DISability and concentrated on "fixing" this. Somehow this translated into my own psyche and I couldn't see beyond this. Even though during my years in sheltered employment I had visions of myself doing more and better with my life, I didn't have the nous* or the courage or the know how to overcome the negativity of people around me and say "I can do this! And I will!"

This nous only happened within me with the help of my soul mate/friend/partner after many discussions and many tears. It was a long slow process but gradually I began to feel confident in my ability. Especially in my ability to communicate in strange situations and where things would go wrong. This confidence was also assisted with my introduction to the Canon Communicator and more importantly the LightWRITER. Most people started to accept my way of communicating and I began to feel and believe in my abilities.

Starting at University was scary at first. I had the whole day to myself without anyone telling me when to work; when to eat and when to go to the toilet. I had to arrange my own transport to and from University, which had it hassles but worked out well. We had pre-arranged different types of assistance at University like assistance to be served in a café with having my food cut up and drinks poured into my cup; note takers; library assistance and use of a computer. Sure, there were still prejudices and hurdles.

One that sticks in my mind is all law students had to do a moot which was a "mock court" which involved giving a verbal presentation and written submission. Of course I was unable to give a verbal presentation ( I only had the Canon Communicator at this stage). So my friends offered to assist me with my verbal presentation if I wrote it all out. This was all cleared by the lecturer, however students from the LAW Student Society objected because "it would give me an unfair advantage!"

I completed all the requirements of my Law Degree in 1995 but I was only admitted to the Bar of the supreme court in 2002. Once again, it has taken me 6 years to believe I can do it and throw off all the negativity. The negativity occurring around that the fact that my image of a barrister is one of a person with perfect articulation. It's taken me a while to feel "comfortable being a barrister" but I can now see the light and may be able to perform some of the duties of a barrister.

Messages from my experience

I remember hearing an actress with a disability speak saying "anything is possible if you let your mind fly." I came away feeling depressed, feeling she didn't understand my disability and it was easy for her. I needed help to fly.

I guess if there is one message I can pass on to people it would be the following. But I don't want to sound blasé about it or sound now like I'm saying it's been a total easy path. It hasn't.

I know it's hard, dammed hard, but if you don't let the spin-offs of your disability get in the way, anything is possible. By spin-offs I mean negative attitudes; prohibitive advice and learned negative self image. My advice to people who have been labeled as "having support needs" is this:

Don't listen to sheltered employment managers saying, "a workshop is all you can expect from life - it's where you belong."

Find someone to encourage you, or encourage yourself to think beyond what you have been programmed to think what you can do.

To parents, I would also say, don't accept what so-called "experts" say your son or daughter can do - especially in today's society where there are more openings for people with disabilities - even though you still may have to fight for them.

Let bad experiences go and get on with living life. Live through bad days and learn from them.

Editor's note:
This article appeared in Link Disability Magazine in Australia in May 2002, we have copied it with their permission. Maree Ireland is a LightWRITER user.

* nous: Reason and knowledge as opposed to sense perception, good sense.

I was called to see a 5 year old young girl, Meghan, who had been diagnosed with autism. She had been receiving speech therapy services to assist in developing her speech skills. However, when I was called in, Meghan had no understandable words, and was just only speaking vowel-like utterances for items she wanted.

As the ZYGO representative, I was walking into a hotbed environment because the school "didn't believe in augmenting communication with symbols" and worked exclusively with speech and on rare occasion sign language. They felt that symbols would decrease the use of verbal speech. However, the speech pathologist who had been working with this young girl, strongly felt that a "trial period" of using a voice output device might help encourage more verbalizations from Meghan. So ... I was called in.

I provided an inservice to a rather closed-minded faculty, but was greatly supported by the speech pathologist. Upon her insistence (or rather threat to quit!), the faculty agreed to give the device a rental trial. We set up a MACAW beginning with a one-picture overlay (using the complete surface of the device) with one picture of something Meghan desires. Beginning with hand over hand, Meghan fairly quickly learned that if she pushed this thing we were asking her to push, she would get what she wanted. The therapist very quickly introduced the need for Meghan, in addition, to pushing the device, to use her voice and "say what the machine said" to get her desired reinforcer.

Within a couple of months, not only was Meghan using the device with 8 pictures sporadically placed on a 32 key grid, but she also was greatly improving her verbal output, having it much more closely resemble the word she was attempting to speak. Where she initially only spoke one or two vowels for every word she said, she was now speaking consonants and even trying some multi-syllable words.

The research supports that use of a vocal output communication device often assists in increasing development of verbal speech (of course depending on the disability and accompanying factors). The child's level of frustration decreases, his/her immediate success increases, and the repetitive modeling of the correct verbalization all assist in promoting development of speech.

With helpful input and vision from the speech pathologist, and use of the MACAW, Meghan is well on her way to being a more verbal, communicative, independent child. Whether the school will change its philosophy on "picture communication" is yet to be seen. However, one can't help but see the benefit to Meghan.

Click to see the MACAW video in RealOne Player Format

Click to see the MACAW video in QuickTime Format

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Medicare 101 - Did you know?

Reasonable Useful Lifetime - Clarification

In a Summer 2001 DMERC Dialogue article, Medicare coverage of replacement durable medical equipment (DME) was discussed. The article stated that replacement of DME may be covered when an item is "worn beyond repair." This statement was only partially correct. Medicare guidelines governing the replacement of DME, orthotics, and certain prosthetics specify that the reasonable, useful lifetime is determined by the Carrier, but in no case, can it be less than five (5) years. Replacement during the first five years of use, during the "reasonable useful lifetime," is covered if the item is lost, irreparably damaged or the patient's medical condition changes such that the current equipment no longer meets the patient's needs. Replacement due to irreparable wear during the period of reasonable useful lifetime is not covered.

This message was sent to one of our field representatives after the loan of a MACAW.

The MACAW you loaned me
"I put a whole lot of Goosens´ type overlays on the MACAW Nicole sent me yesterday, and I tried it out today with one of the cute little boys in the mainstream school baseroom. He LOVED it. He got the idea straight away, and after we'd played bubbles and shape sorter and spinning tops I ran out of time, and said we had to stop. He's an un-assertive dyspraxic autistic spectrum child, but to my surprise he started trying to INSIST that we hadn't played car and blocks or drawing yet. Once he realized I wasn't taking the device with me, he followed me out, smiling and waving. This is a child who generally is lucky to make eye contact.

I hope he's as nice to me next week when I come to take it back to try out with someone else!"

For a Speedier Customer Service: Speaking clearly and slowly when leaving a voice mail of your name, company name and phone number for our customer support will ensure a prompt response, as this will take the guess work out of the picture. Also when checking on a repair status, please have your RA (Repair Authorization) number ready.

Housecleaning for the Polyana II

Polyana II with Persona is a Windows CE device, and as such it's equipped with Pocket Word, Pocket Excel, Pocket Access, Pocket PowerPoint, Pocket Outlook and Internet Explorer. As you make use of your Polyana II (creating documents, saving files, and using the Internet), the storage part of the Internal Memory will begin to fill up. Make a habit (set a date and time) to clean out this very important feature of your machine.

How to keep things tidy:

- Keep your Recycle Bin emptied. Clearing items each time you finish your work on the machine is a great proactive way to keep room available.

- If you use the Internet, you will need to clean out the Temporary Internet files that are left behind. To do this:

• Tap (with finger tip or stylus pen) on the "Start" button on the task bar.
• Select "Settings" from the Start menu.
• Select "Control Panel" from the Settings menu.
• Find and tap on the "Internet Options" icon in the Control Panel window.
• Make certain the "Clear Cache when Exiting" checkbox is checked.
• If you need to clear the cache immediately, tap the "Clear Cache" button. This is good strategy to use if you're having problems with low memory.

With proper housecleaning done on the Polyana, the unit should process quickly and provide you with good service.

For the following dates, a location has not yet been determined. For updates, please visit our calendar page regularly.