Axiotron have released a Tablet PC that runs the Mac operating system and a scaled down version of keystrokes comes with it.

The same company who make keystrokes also make a program called Proloquo which is text-to-speech and enables you to use a Mac computer as a communication aid. If you added an HeadMouse extreme to this and mounted it onto an Electric wheelchair you have a portable hands free communciation aid for around 4,000GBP cheaper than a Liberator with integrated headpointing (around 7,500GBP).

Here are todays prices for your to compare:

1,896.35 Axiotron Modbook (includes Keystrokes)
700.00 HeadMouse Extreme
181.90 Proloquo ( 299USD at todays exchange rate)

2,778.25 Total prices in GBP = Great British Pounds

Even bearing in mind the extra cost of a custom built mount for an electric wheelchair this is still significantly cheaper than the leading AAC devices Dynavox and Liberator with head control.

Of course if you dont need head control and could use the pen that came with it ... you could put foam around it or make something to hold it in.. it will be cheaper still as you wouldn't need to purchase an
headmouse.

Apple are rumoured to be bringing out their own tablet mac which will possibly be available from early 2010 but wont have keystrokes on it, so unless you already own a version of keystrokes you will have to pay roughly around 200GBP to have KS on as well as proloquo for speech. It is possible that Apple's own tablet Mac will be cheaper than the Axiotron Modbook.

In the UK you can buy the Axiotron Modbook from the Computer Warehouse. This site has links to dealers in different countries.

http://www.axiotron.com/index.php?...

I have currently left a message on the Axiotron forum asking about their scaled down version of keystrokes - they call it Quickclicks and whether you can access it by just touching the screen rather than having to hold a small graphic pen. I will update this post when I have had a reply.