Use a wide range of tools, devices to help children learn Assistive technology and accommodations for autism are not expensive but do require creativity and the use of everyday objects. Courage Center recommends using a wide range of tools to help children with ASD learn the building blocks of robotics. By building LEGO structures in new ...

More »

The United States has lost its edge in mathematics and science. Almost all of the 30 fastest-growing occupations in the next decade will require at least some background in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The bad news: recent studies show that American children don’t have the same skills as other children throughout the world. ...

More »

Taking pictures is just part of the fun of photography in today’s electronic world. After creating pictures, there are many good resources which can help even a novice create professionally design items. The results may take some time, but the final product will make anyone’s work look like that of a professional photographer. With the holiday ...

More »

Summer was full of activity: family and friends gather at cabins, beaches and at events around town. Through pictures and videos, everyone likes to document time spent together. Photo books, picture albums, digital pictures and interactive videos are easy for people with disabilities to manage with just few simple to advanced adaptations. A good imagination ...

More »

iPhones featuring Suri’s built-in voice recognition have received much attention, but the Apple iPhone brand isn’t the only phone, tablet or device with voice activation features. Speech recognition software has helped users for years. Now that technology has come to the iPad. Whether sending an e-mail, filling out a web form, or writing a proposal for work, ...

More »

Whether for Yourself or Someone Else, Make Sure the Gadget is Accessible Walk into Best Buy or CompUSA and you are immediately bombarded with the latest and greatest in technological products whether hardware or software. Cell phones, computers, personal digital assistants and digital cameras line every aisle, advertising extraordinary memory and features making the average customer ...

More »

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 5.3 million Americans currently live with a disability as a result of brain injury, which translates to an estimated 100,000 Minnesotans. Despite this startling statistic, brain injury is largely a silent public health epidemic. Falls and motor vehicle crashes are the leading causes of ...

More »

Lisa sat quietly in the classroom not participating in conversations around her. Her teacher originally thought Lisa was shy, until one day he was talking to her and she did not respond. A hearing test showed a significant hearing loss to where she was unable to recognize sounds and language. That explained a lot. Luckily ...

More »

The Assistive Technology column last month concentrated on what to address when choosing a mobility aid. This month provides further in-depth information regarding finding an appropriate mobility aid to meet specific needs. A wheelchair or mobility aid is medically necessary for individuals with physical limitations when ambulation is difficult or impossible. It is a liberator! Most ...

More »

Selecting a new wheelchair can be a little bit like buying a new car these days, with so many chairs and options. Each should identify their unique needs: • Physical needs • Daily activities • Transportation issues Wheelchair Seats Wheelchairs usually come with vinyl or nylon seats and backs. Neither is particularly comfortable for people who use their wheelchairs for ...

More »

The Americans with Disabilities Act is a Federal law enacted in the 1980s. One goal of this legislative document is to ensure that reasonable accommodations are provided on-the-job when needed. Reasonable accommodations can mean the difference between being able to work or not. A reasonable accommodation is any type of accommodation that the potential employee ...

More »

As baby boomers continue to age, the percentage of people over 65 continues to increase. The Administration on Aging estimates that by 2030, there will be about 71.5 million people 65 years or older living in the United States, representing about 20% of the U.S. population (U.S. Administration on Aging, 2005). Similarly, persons with disabilities ...

More »

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, the holiday season is here. Children’s eyes twinkle at the shiny decorations, holiday cheer and scrumptious food. Children are the center of attention. The holidays are for everyone, whether five months or 105 years of age. Presents are a part of the festivities along with the traditions, stories, and ...

More »

Pressure sores are nothing to fool around with for individuals with disabilities. They account for $1 billion in medical costs each year according to Emedicine in 2003. Additionally, it is estimated that between 5% and 8% of all paraplegics and quadriplegics will die from a pressure sore (decubitus ulcer). Bed rest is a common regimen ...

More »

Once upon a time in a land far, far away, there stood a house that one could turn on the outdoor lights with a remote control, open and lock the door with the push of a button, open the windows with the same remote used to turn on the TV, and move around the house ...

More »

Every 21 seconds traumatic brain injury occurs according to the Brain Injury Association of America. Today, there are 5.3 million persons living with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) with an additional 4.7 million persons diagnosed with an acquired brain injury. The effects of brain injury are vast and different for each individual depending on the ...

More »

PDAs and Accessibility PDA stands for “Personal Digital Assistant.” These are the little electronic devices you see people jotting stuff down on in public. Today’s PDAs allow you to organize your schedule, take notes, do math calculations, play games, write memos, and even surf the Internet and send e-mail. They are nifty devices to have to ...

More »

To many people, myself included, the Mountains are God’s country. The magnificence of the rock formations, high altitudes, timberline, purple lupine wildflowers and wildlife are my little piece of heaven. Pictures cannot capture the vastness and the spectacular views one sees when visiting the Rocky Mountains or other high mountainous areas. Seeing mountains in person ...

More »

Assistive Technology is revolutionizing rehabilitation and the way services are provided in the areas of: computers, environmental controls, biotechnology, biomedicine, and robotics. Bill Gates revolutionized the assistive technology industry when he built his multi-million dollar home to include what are now known in the disability community as EADLs or Electronic Aids of Daily Living. These ...

More »

Historically, the 18th century was the industrial age and the 19th century was the technology and information era. Our society was built on manufacturing in the 18th century. The 19th century brought exciting developments from the automobile to the Internet. Just imagine what it is like for someone who was born 80 plus years ago ...

More »

After a brain injury (BI), the survivor's life is impacted by changes in abilities possibly affecting physical, sensory, auditory and/or cognitive areas. Persons with brain injuries benefit from assistive technology including adaptations and compensatory strategies. Assistive technologies for memory are often low-tech solutions. This makes it easier for the individual to learn, retain and integrate back ...

More »

In today's society, it is difficult not to utilize technology on a daily basis. This is especially true for someone with a disability. The amount of assistive technology (AT) available today is phenomenal, ranging from electric wheelchairs to academic software programs. It is overwhelming to someone new to the field or to an individual just ...

More »

Arithmetic (math) has always been one of the three Rs in school curriculum. Whether in elementary or high school, math is a rudimentary requirement for all students. Math starts with the very basics of addition and proceeds onward to higher level coursework such as calculus. It requires mental, physical, and visual abilities to perform the ...

More »

With commercial software, you purchase the program before you install it. Unfortunately, after trying it, you may find it’s not what you anticipated and are unable to return it. Freeware and shareware are different. This category of software is free to use, distribute and try, though some programs may request a donation to continue their ...

More »

Whether or not you agree with Christopher Reeve's agenda, the disability community did lose a great advocate in October. His ability to bring the concerns of disabled individuals into the limelight was uncanny. He raised millions of dollars for research in the hopes of finding a cure for spinal cord injury and related conditions. His ...

More »