Tactile communication tool

1. A tool for transforming a user input command into an audio output signal, the tool comprising:

a housing;

a user input module having a plurality of buttons, the user input module secured to the housing;

a sound processing unit within the housing, the sound processing unit in electrical communication with the user input module;

a speaker in electrical communication with the sound processing unit; and

an overlay sheet enabled to be inserted into and removed from the housing, the overlay sheet having a plurality of tactually discernable non-Braille characters or tactually discernable non-Braille images embossed thereon,

wherein each character or image is indicative of a user input command,

wherein the plurality of tactually discernable non-Braille characters or tactually discernable non-Braille images is positionable over the plurality of buttons, and

wherein when one of the plurality of buttons is engaged by a user, an audio output signal is communicated from the sound processing unit to the speaker.

2. The tool of claim 1 , wherein the housing defines a plurality of openings that allow access to the plurality of buttons, each of the plurality of tactually discernable non-Braille characters or tactually discernable non-Braille images is positionable within an opening.

3. The tool of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of interchangeable overlay sheets, each sheet being independently positionable within the housing.

4. The tool of claim 3 , further comprising arrow keys enabling a user to switch between an audio output signal for a first overlay sheet and an audio output signal for a second overlay sheet.

5. The tool of claim 1 , further comprising a microphone and a memory drive in communication with the sound processing unit to store audio output signals recorded by a user.

6. The tool of claim 5 , further comprising a user actuatable button enabling a memory-clearing function to erase audio output signals recorded by a user.

7. The tool of claim 1 , wherein the sound processing unit further comprises electronic audio synthesizing capabilities.

8. A user input tool for a computer system, the user input tool comprising:

a housing; and

a plurality of buttons secured to the housing, each button having a tactually discernable non-Braille character or image embossed thereon,

wherein each character or image is indicative of a user input command,

wherein the user input tool can be operatively engaged with a computer system by a wireless or a wired connection,

wherein when one of the plurality of buttons is operated by a user as an indicated input command, the indicated input command is communicated to the computer system which processes the indicated input command and performs a predetermined operation including saying a word or phrase associated with the button.

9. The user input tool of claim 8 , further comprising a transceiver in electrical communication with the plurality of buttons, allowing information to pass to and from the computer system.

10. A user input tool for a computer system, the user input tool comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of buttons secured to the housing; and

an overlay set associated with the housing, the overlay set having a plurality of tactually discernable non-Braille characters or tactually discernable non-Braille images embossed thereon, the plurality of tactually discernable non-Braille characters or tactually discernable non-Braille images positionable over the plurality of buttons,

wherein each character or image is indicative of a user input command,

wherein the user input tool can be operatively engaged with a computer system by a wireless or a wired connection,

wherein when one of the plurality of buttons is operated by a user as an indicated input command, the indicated input command is communicated to the computer system which processes the indicated input command and performs a predetermined operation including saying a word or phrase associated with the button.

11. The user input tool of claim 10 , wherein the housing defines a plurality of openings that allow access to the plurality of buttons, each of the plurality of tactually discernable non-Braille characters or tactually discernable non-Braille images positionable within an opening.

12. The user input tool of claim 10 , wherein the overlay set comprises a plurality of individual tactile overlay keys.

13. The user input tool of claim 10 , wherein the overlay set comprises a sheet.

14. The user input tool of claim 13 , wherein the housing defines a slot enabled to receive the sheet.

15. The user input tool of claim 10 , further comprising a plurality of interchangeable overlay sets, each overlay set being independently positionable within the housing.