Compass is still being developed and is effectively in beta. Some content and features may be incomplete, change, or not work as expected.

Content is anchored to trusted sources where available, but Compass has not yet been clinically reviewed. It provides general information rather than medical advice.

Feedback helps us identify gaps, errors, usability problems and opportunities to improve Compass over time.

How Compass is developedGive feedback

Speech, swallowing and communication

Switch access

Operating a device with one or two simple buttons, pressed with whatever movement is most reliable.

What it means

The screen moves through options in turn and a press selects the one showing. The switch itself can be anything a person can reliably operate: a button under a hand, a pad by the cheek, a puff of breath.

Why you might hear it

  • It is often the fallback when eye gaze or touch is not reliable.
  • It may be set up as a backup even when another method works.

People who may help

Where Compass goes into this

About this explanation

These are plain explanations of words you may come across, not advice about your own situation. Where a word matters to a decision, the question pages go into it properly, and your own team is the place to take it.