Katherine Swarts – Page 11

Malissa in AT lab with a device in each hand, and a monitor screen full of color and icons

Client Success Story: Learning Fast in the World of Digital Literacy

BridgingApps’ latest Client Success Story, told by Alejandra “Ale” Gonzalez, Digital Navigator. This story began when Malissa Dean, a visually impaired young-adult client, came to the BridgingApps open lab. Her goal was (and is) to become YouTube famous, and she…

Mental Health Awareness: Finding Your Individual Path to Recovery

“If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.” –Dr. Stephen Shore Ditto if you’ve met one person with Parkinson’s disease, or one person with PTSD, or one person with depressive disorder. Or even if you’ve…

Inclusive Post-Secondary Education: Family Stories, Continued

Companion post to “Let’s Celebrate: Inclusive Post-Secondary Education.” Disability access in higher education has improved considerably since today’s grandparents were in college. Accommodations and stigma are still issues, however—particularly for students with intellectual or developmental disability (IDD), since college admissions…

Favorite Apps for Busy Moms

A mother’s work is never done, but a good app (or two or several) can help you at least keep pace with the urgent and the important. Want to sign up for grocery delivery? Planning a long day of errands?…

guy pushing gal in wheelchair up ramp into a van

STEAR: State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry

Hurricane season officially begins on June 1, and many Houstonians are already preparing and bracing. All predictions for 2024 indicate an “active” season: 54 percent chance of at least one hurricane landing somewhere along the Texas Gulf Coast, and a…

Mental Health Apps Lists: Life Management

Recognizing May as Mental Health Awareness Month, today we highlight BridgingApps lists that focus on keeping life under control. Of course no life can ever be brought completely under control, but mental and emotional stress are significantly reduced by committing…

Let’s Celebrate: Inclusive Post-Secondary Education

Begun in 2020, Inclusive Post-Secondary Education (IPSE) Day (May 1) emphasizes college options for disabled and underserved students. Intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs), as well as the more “extensive” physical disabilities (e.g., deaf-blindness and quadriplegia), mean extra challenges. In today’s…

The World of Police Encounters: How to Prepare a Disabled Family Member

The traditional motto of a police department is “protect and serve.” For many people, however, the word “police” evokes quite opposite feelings. Traditional police training took few steps to prevent biased and rough treatment of certain populations—a concern which often…

Safety Highlight: Assistive Technology for Wandering and Elopement

In honor of Autism Acceptance Month, today’s post shares tips for keeping track of family members with wandering tendencies. It’s a parent’s worst nightmare: a child wanders off and disappears. The nightmare gets even worse if: All the above are…

Celebrating Earth Day with Sensitivity Issues

April 22 is Earth Day: an event recognized by nearly 200 countries worldwide; a day for making eco-friendly resolutions, picking up trash, planting trees, and otherwise honoring the natural world. Many places host community festivals with nature presentations, farmer’s markets,…