Switch Scanning

An alternative input method in which items on a screen are sequentially highlighted and the user activates a switch to select the desired item when it is highlighted. Switch scanning is used by people with significant motor impairments who cannot use direct touch, a mouse, or a keyboard. Switches can be activated by almost any reliable movement — pressing with a hand, foot, or head, sipping and puffing air, or blinking. While switch scanning enables access for people with very limited mobility, it is inherently slower than direct selection, contributing to the speed asymmetry experienced by many AAC users in conversation.