BASIC PROGRAMMING SYSTEM FOR THE DISABLED

IN 1986, THE BUREAU OF THE CENSUS REPORTED THAT OF THE ESTIMATED 37 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES WITH SOME PHYSICAL LIMITATION, APPROXIMATELY 21.8 MILLION WERE UNDER THE AGE OF 65. OF THE 13.5 MILLION PEOPLE WITH SEVERE PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS, APPROXIMATELY 6.0 MILLION WERE UNDER THE AGE OF 65. THE PURPOSE OF THIS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IS TO DEMONSTRATE THE POTENTIAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A UNIQUE AND INEXPENSIVE LIGHT PEN SYSTEM FOR BASIC PROGRAMMING ON IBM PERSONAL COMPUTERS (PC'S). UNIQUE SYSTEM FEATURES WILL INCLUDE A SOFTWARE MODULE THAT ALLOWS THE LIGHT PEN TO SELECT PREDEFINED BASIC STATEMENTS AND KEYWORDS. A KEYBOARD WILL ALSO BE DISPLAYED ON THE SCREEN SO THAT VARIABLES AND FILE NAMES MAY BE INPUT BY USE OF THE LIGHT PEN. THE SYSTEM ALLOWS THE USER TO LOOK AT THE SCREEN WHILE USING THE PC AND DOES NOT REQUIRE FINE MOTOR COORDINATION TO PASS THE LIGHT PEN OVER THE GRIDS ON THE SCREEN.