Aroga Group

150-5055 Joyce Street
Vancouver, British Columbia V5R 6B2
Canada
Telephone: 800-561-6222 or 604-431-7997.
Fax: 604-431-7995.
Web: http://www.aroga.com.
Email: sales@aroga.com.

Products distributed by Aroga Group (listed alphabetically)

1. ALT-CHAT

   ALT-Chat is a dynamic display communicator designed for use by individuals with communication or speech disabilities. This compact PDA-based dedicated communication device provides digitized (recorded) and synthesized (computer generated) speech output through direct selection of symbols or through spelling. For individuals using symbols to communicate, it includes the ability to use photos or choose from over 10,000 included symbols. The appearance and size of buttons and the number of buttons on a page can be customized. A number of pre-stored vocabulary page sets are included. Features for users who spell include word and letter prediction, abbreviation expansion, and grammar buttons. The user can choose between three voice synthesizers. NeoSpeech offers high- quality voice synthesis in American English, Loquendo offers speech synthesis in six different languages, and DECtalk offers the classic voices of alternative and augmentative communication, including a child’s voice. The hardware platform is Prentke Romich Company’s Springboard Lite (see separate entry), a robust device with a color display and switch access ports. DIMENSIONS: 7.3 x 7.3 x 1.8 inches with a 7-inch display. WEIGHT: 2 pounds, 8 ounces. COLOR: Red, light blue, or black.

2. CHATPC-4

   ChatPC-4 is a direct selection communicator designed for use by individuals with communication or speech disabilities or cerebral palsy. The unit has a color touch screen dynamic display that allows hundreds of communication pages to be linked together to meet the user’s communication needs for home, school, work, and other situations. The number of buttons on a page can be customized, along with the size, color, background, symbol, font, label, message, and action of each button. Vocabulary can be added and edited, and photos and other graphics can be imported for use as symbols. The unit comes with 3,000 picture communication symbols (PCS) and Loquendo and NeoSpeech speech synthesizers with male and female voices. Both synthesizers can pronounce words in U.S. English; Loquendo can also pronounce words in UK English, French, Spanish, German, and Italian. The included DesktopChat software has approximately 10,000 PCS symbols and 3,000 Imagine symbols. Software includes PalmChat, a word-based vocabulary program; VocabPC; 16 Primary and 16 Basic starter vocabularies; and Saltillo Sampler. The unit’s hardware is a rugged industrial PocketPC computer with a rubber housing. A screen protector also serves as a stand. Inserts on the back accommodate a wheelchair mounting plate and loops at the bottom of the unit accommodate a carrying strap. There are three models. The Standard model has limited text functions for individuals who primarily use symbols for communication, while the Plus model has word prediction dictionaries and other text-based features for individuals with existing or emerging literacy skills. Both models come loaded with PocketPC applications such as Pocket Word, Pocket Excel, a calendar and a calculator, and can run otherapplications. To meet Medicare and Medicaid guidelines, the Dedicated Plus model does not run PocketPC applications. The Dedicated Plus model comes with a carrying case. OPTIONS: Carrying case for Standard and Plus models; DecTalk speech synthesizer with adult male, adult female, child voices; and stylus for touch screen. POWER: Uses rechargeable lithium-ion battery. DIMENSIONS (HxW): 6.4 x 3.5 inches. The screen is 3.7 inches diagonally. WEIGHT: 19 ounces. COLOR: Blue or black. WARRANTY: One year for Standard or Plus model; three years for Dedicated Plus model.

3. CHATPC-SILK

   ChatPC-Silk is a direct selection communicator designed for use by individuals with communication or speech disabilities. This portable dynamic touchscreen device allows hundreds of communication pages to be linked together to meet an individual’s communication needs for home, school, work and other situations in his/her life. The unit comes preinstalled with PalmChat, a generative, core word vocabulary, as well as other vocabulary files and page sets. Vocabulary can be added, and the size, color, background, symbol, font, label, message and action of each button can be customized. Photos and other graphic symbols can be added. The unit comes with Loquendo, NeoSpeech, and DECtalk speech synthesizers. Loquendo provides speech synthesis in U.S. English, UK English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Canadian French, American Spanish, or Portuguese. NeoSpeech is only available in American English, but has a natural and easy-to-understand voice. DecTalk features a classic synthetic voice. All speech options offer both male and female voices, and DecTalk includes a child voice as well. Three models are available. The Standard model is for individuals who primarily use symbols for communication; it includes keyboard pages for spelling, but does not include other text-based capabilities. The Plus and Dedicated Plus models are intended for individuals with existing or emerging literacy skills; in addition to all of the features of the Standard model, the Plus and Dedicated Plus models include word prediction, abbreviation expansion, and the ability to load, edit, and save text files. All models are based on a PocketPC computer, and Standard and Plus models are capable of running Pocket PC applications; however, in order to meet guideline for Medicare and Medicaid, the Dedicated Plus model can only be used as a communication device and does not run Pocket PC applications. The unit has an amplified speaker and comes with a protective rubber case. The Dedicated Plus model comes with a carrying case. POWER: Uses rechargeable lithium-ion battery. DIMENSIONS: 3.25 x 5.6 x 1.6 inches with protective case; 2.95 x 5.25 x 1.4 inches without case. The unit has a 4-inch screen (diagonal). WEIGHT: 9 ounces (12.5 ounces with protective case). WARRANTY: 1-year warranty on the Standard and Plus models and 3 years (Dedicated Plus model).

4. DANA

   Dana is a word processor designed for use by individuals with learning disabilities. This hand-held device has a full-size keyboard, Palm OS operating system, and a wide screen display in a polycarbonate ABS case. Users can use this device to write a story, organize the week, record an appointment, or read an eBook. The units come with AlphaWord word processor software; two USB ports, two expansion slots, and an IrDA (infrared) port for sharing data and software with other devices; a CD-ROM with Palm Desktop software, applications, and fonts; a stylus for onscreen data entry; Documents to Go Professional software; Palm eBook Reader; standard Palm organization applications; and a Dana Getting Started Guide. POWER: Uses an alternating current (AC) power adapter or rechargeable battery pack (included). COMPATIBILITY: For use with IBM and compatible computers running Windows or Macintosh computers. DIMENSIONS: 1.9 x 9.3 x 12.4 inches. WEIGHT: 2 pounds.

5. INFOSCAN

   The InfoScan is a hand-held scanner designed for use by individuals with learning, neurological, or physical disabilities. Completely portable, this pen-style scanner enables the user to scan and transfer printed text directly into a PC or to scan, store and transfer up to 500 pages of printed data to a PC, laptop, PDA or any Windows application via Infrared or serial port. The InfoScan recognizes 6 to 22 point font sizes, including text that is bold, italicized, underlined, or inverted. This scanner can be set for right- or left-handed use. An Opticard and built-in Character Bar enables text that cannot be directly scanned to be manually input. The InfoScan comes equipped with a CD-ROM with desktop and pen software and documentation, a communications cable, and a protective carrying case. COMPATIBILITY: For use with IBM and compatible computers. Mac compatibility is available only with Virtual PC. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: Windows 95/98/NT/2000/ME/XP , CD-ROM drive for installing Desktop Applications and available communications port if serial connection is desired. POWER: Uses 2 triple-A batteries (included). OPTIONS: USB connection. DIMENSIONS (LxWxH): 6 x 1.5 x 1 inch. WEIGHT: Three ounces.

6. JOT A DOT POCKET BRAILLER

   The Jot a Dot Pocket Brailler is a manual braille writer designed for use by individuals who are blind or have low vision. This small, lightweight brailler has six keys for Braille entry. The keys have high contrast colors for identification by users with low vision. Braille is written from the left hand side of the page to the right, with 20 cells of braille per line. The user can read braille as it is written by turning the unit over. A built-in reading stand keeps the unit stable when resting on hard surfaces. Tactile line and cell indicators show the current location on the page. The line indicator shows which line is being brailled, and the cell indicator shows the position of the embossing head on the line. This brailler uses standard photocopy paper (80 GSM Bond or 20-pound paper) in A5 and A6 paper sizes (one-half and one-quarter letter size paper). The unit is constructed in one piece, so there are no parts that can be lost. A neck strap is included. DIMENSIONS (HxLxW): 5.5 x 11 x 20.5 cm. WEIGHT: 350 grams. COLORS: Blue with green keys.

7. JOUSE2

   Jouse2 is a mouse emulator designed for use by individuals with upper extremity or severe physical disabilities or spinal cord injury. This joystick-operated mouse is controlled by the user's mouth: moving the joystick moves the cursor, with cursor speed being determined by joystick movement speed, and mouse clicks are performed using the built-in sip-and-puff switches. Typing and oter keyboard functions can be performed using an on-screen keyboard program (not included). This plug and play USB mouse emulator requires no external power source and operates independently of the standard PS/2 or serial mouse, enabling standard mouse operation to be retained. The joystick unit clamps to most desks and tables, and the arm is adjustable. The arm swings away if bumped. COMPATIBILITY: For use on IBM and compatible computers and Macintosh computers. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: Windows 98, Second Edition or newer; Windows 2000/ME/XP. Macintosh computers and personal computers running Linux require USB interface support.

8. LEAPS AND BOUNDS - SWITCH ACCESS

   Leaps and Bounds - Switch Access is a switch-adapted pre-reading tutorial program designed for use by children with cerebral palsy or fine motor, neurological, or upper extremity disabilities. Combining the most switch friendly activities from the Leaps and Bounds series (see separate entries), this program provides scanning and step switch accessability as well as mouse and keyboard access. This program uses bright and colorful characters to stimulate the imagination of young learners and encourage the development of early learning skills. It includes activities that develop pre-reading skills, lengthen concentration span, enhance decision-making processes, and improve tracking and left-right orientation. COMPATIBILITY: For use on IBM and compatible or Macintosh computers. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: IBM and compatible computers require Windows 95 or higher operating system; P-133 processor; 32 megabytes (MB) RAM; 800 x 600 screen resolution; 16-bit color. Macintosh computers require Classic OS9, OSX or higher operating system; G3 or higher processor; 128 MB RAM; 16x CD-ROM drive; and 16-bit color display.

9. PLEXTALK POCKET (MODEL PTP1)

   Plextalk Pocket, model PTP1, is a portable digital recorder and electronic talking book player designed for use by individuals who are blind or have low vision or learning disabilities. This pocket-sized unit plays Daisy-format digital talking books, music CDs, MP3 CDs, and audio books on CD. It reads HTML input from SD cards and USB flash memory so the user can input media, including text-to-speech (TTS), without connecting to a PC. The unit has a built-in microphone and speaker for voice recording and play-back, and comes with earbud stereo headphones with differing cord-lengths to aid in identifying left and right channels. POWER: Uses rechargeable battery that is recharged via USB connection to a personal computer (PC). DIMENSIONS (HxLxW): 0.6 x 4.4 x 2.2 inches. WEIGHT: 3.9 ounces. COLOR: Black or white.

10. QUICKTIONARY II

    The Quicktionary II is a hand-held scanner designed for individuals with reading disabilities or low vision. Completely portable, this pen-style scanner enables the user to scan words or a line of text in another language and see and hear them pronounced and translated wherever needed. This pen-style scanner can be set for right- or left-handed use and recognizes more than 300,000 words and phrases. Words, their translations, and definitions are displayed on the scanner in a large font and can be heard automatically or at the touch of a button. The included Opticard enables text that cannot be directly scanned to be manually input. Individual units are available in French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portugese, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Turkish Hebrew, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Japanese, and Korean. Latin and Germanic languages offer bi-directional translation; all other languages are from English to the destination language. The unit stores the last 80 words scanned. POWER: Battery operated (batteries included). WEIGHT: Three ounces.

11. QUICKTIONARY II MULTI

    The Quicktionary II Multi is a hand-held scanner designed for use by individuals with reading disabilities or low vision. Completely portable, this pen-style scanner enables the user to scan words or a line of text in French or Spanish and see and hear them pronounced and translated wherever needed. This scanner can be set for right- or left-handed use and recognizes more than 300,000 words and phrases. Words, their translations, and definitions are displayed on the scanner in a large font and can be heard automatically or at the touch of a button. The included Opticard enables text that cannot be directly scanned to be manually input. The Quicktionary II Multi comes with two bi-directional dictionaries (English-Spanish-English and English-French-English) as well as the American Heritage English-English Dictionary. The unit stores the last 80 words scanned. POWER: Battery operated (batteries included). WEIGHT: Three ounces.

12. READINGPEN2

    The ReadingPen2 is a hand-held scanner designed for individuals with reading disabilities. Completely portable, this pen-style scanner is adjustable for right-or left-handed use and enables the user to scan words or a full line of text and see and hear them pronounced wherever needed. A history of the last 80 words scanned is retained. The unit recognizes six to 22 point text, bold, italics, underlining, inverted text, and text from left-to-right or from right-to-left. Individual units include more than 500,000 definitions from the American Heritage College Dictionary, 4th Edition and Roget's II The New Thesaurus. Definitions of words within definitions are also provided. The included Opticard enables text that cannot be scanned to be input manually. Words can be viewed on the ReadingPen2's 120 x 32 pixel display (400 dpi resolution) and can be heard automatically or at the touch of a button through an external speaker or through the included ear phone. Definitions and syllabic breakdown can also be provided at the touch of a button. The unit also offers idioms, etymology, phonetic representation, parts of speech, alternate spellings, and usage. An on-screen menu enables the user to control the volume, pitch, and speed at which the word is pronounced. The scanner also includes a user manual and a quick reference guide. POWER: Uses 2 AAA batteries (included). DIMENSIONS: 6.4 x 1.5 x 1 inch. WEIGHT: 3 ounces (not including batteries).

13. SPRINGBOARD LITE

    SpringBoard Lite is a direct selection and scanning communicator designed for use by children or adults with communication or speech disabilities. This dedicated communicator for entry-level users has a 4-, 8-, 15-, or 36-location display with direct selection, single- or dual-switch scanning, or joystick access, and includes five integrated versions of pre-stored vocabulary with an emphasis on core words that power most speech. Other features include simplified and advanced toolboxes; a built-in carrying handle; built-in language learning and speech therapy activities; clear keyguards to aid direct selection; a widescreen TFT display; media player; flash memory and Secure Digital card slots; USB and serial ports; pre-loaded male and female recorded voices; enough memory for over 500 minutes of digitized speech; and 3,000 Minspeak icons. A bilingual Spanish/English version is also availailable. OPTIONS: IntelliTools Classroom Suite; Bluetooth adapter for computer access; Bluetooth Wireless Switch for wireless switch access; and 8,500 PCS symbols. POWER: Uses rechargeable battery. DIMENSIONS (HxDxW): 7.3 x 1.8 x 7.3 inches. Display is 7 inches diagonal. WEIGHT: 2.5 pounds. COLOR: Vineyard grape (purple), midnight black, seafoam green, cotton white, or sunset orange. WARRANTY: Two year standard warranty.

14. STANDARD PERKINS BRAILLER (MODEL 22-0001-2)

    The Standard Perkins Brailler, model 22-0001-2, is a manual braille writer designed for use by individuals who are blind or have low vision. This sturdy, portable braille writer can emboss 25 lines with 42 cells each on an 11 by 11.5 inch sheet of braille paper. It can accommodate narrow paper widths and paper lengths up to fourteen inches long with adjustable margin stops, large paperfeed knobs and a paperfeed roller system. This braille writer comes with braille operating instructions in English and printed operating instructions in English, Spanish, French, and German; printed instructions in Italian and Portuguese are available upon request. A dust cover and a large wooden eraser are also included. WARRANTY: One year.

15. SYSTEM ACCESS MOBILE

    System Access Mobile is a voice output screen reader program designed for use by individuals who are blind or have low vision. The program comes with a license for installation on any U3-enabled USB thumb drive (not included). The thumb drive can be carried on a key ring or in a pocket, and plugged into any computer to provide access with the user's settings and preferences. When done, the user removes the thumb drive, leaving no traces of the program on the host computer. The license also covers installation on up to two computers. OPTIONS: Neo Speech voices; System Access Mobile Network (SAMNet).

16. SYSTEM ACCESS STANDALONE

    System Access Standalone, also called SA Standalone or Stand Alone, is a voice output screen reader program designed for use by individuals who are blind or have low vision. This software provides access to all Windows-based applications, including word processing, spreadsheet, calendar, e-mail, and Web browser programs. It has an intuitive interface with extensive help files, and comes with a license for one or two computers. OPTIONS: NeoSpeech VoiceText text-to-speech voices (one male, one female). COMPATIBILITY: For use on IBM and IBM compatible computers.

17. VOISEC SINGLE MESSAGE

    VoiSec is a single-message direct selection communicator designed for use by individuals with cognitive, communication, or speech disabilities. This button-style communicator can be used to record, store, and play one 64-second message. The button can be attached to other objects. It comes with one attachment tray and five double-sided adhesive pads. OPTIONS: Neck Loop with holder; holder attachment; adhesive magnet; pin badge; adhesive badge; Velcro patch; and wrist strap. POWER: Uses two 1.5-volt button-cell batteries, type SR44 (Vinnic 303). Typically, there are 400 plays of a 30-second message per battery set. Extra batteries are available. DIMENSIONS: Button is 1.5 inches in diameter and .75 inches high.

See Aroga Group products that are no longer available.