Two women with multiple disabilities communicate with distant partners via a special text messaging system.

Two women with blindness and other disabilities tested a new texting setup. Each woman got a net-book with a Braille-labeled keyboard. The keys had only the letters and numbers they needed, so the board felt less busy.

A coach showed them how to press the keys to write, send, and read messages. The team watched until each woman could text without help.

Both women learned the full texting chain: write, send, receive, read. They kept the skill across days. The simple Braille labels and small key set made the device usable for people who could not see and had limited fine movement.

Lancioni et al. (2011) used the same net-book and GSM modem with two post-coma adults. That study added an ABAB reversal to prove the tech, not just the teaching, caused the gains. The new paper shows the same core system still works when you swap in a Braille keyboard for users who are blind.

Robertson et al. (2013) extended the idea from text to phone calls. They kept the microswitch and net-book but added dialing software. Both projects reached positive outcomes, showing the platform is flexible.

Lancioni et al. (2011) also tested a microswitch plus keyboard-emulator for writing. One participant wrote faster, one slower. The texting study looks smoother, likely because the Braille keyboard removed visual scanning and cut motor steps.

If you serve adults who are blind and have other disabilities, a stripped-down Braille keyboard on a cheap net-book can give them private, distant contact. You can build the board with stick-on Braille labels and limit keys to essentials. Start with one trusted partner number and expand the list as fluency grows.