How to activate AssistiveTouch to overcome hardware button problems on iPhone, iPad

Curious how to enable iOS 5's Assistive Touch accessibility feature? Whether you have trouble using the physical controls on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad, or the controls themselves have simply stopped working properly, Assistive Touch can give you a great, software-based alternative.

1. Launch the Settings app.

2. Tap General.

3. Tap Accessibility.

4. Scroll all the way down and tap AssistiveTouch then toggle it on. (You'll know its working, when you see a floating button appear on your screen.)

Turning on AssistiveTouch causes a semi-transparent button to appear. Tapping this button gives you access to the same functions as the hardware buttons, such as volume up or down, as well as several gesture types, like pinch to zoom. You can even set custom gestures.
BONUS: If you don't wish to constantly have AssistiveTouch on your screen, you can set AssistiveTouch to your "Triple Click Home" function and call upon it when required.