Katherine Swarts – Page 2

A young man wearing headphones and glasses sits on a bus, looking at his smartphone. The bus is relatively empty, and sunlight is streaming in through the windows.

Video Captions and the Curb Cut Effect

Curb cut effect: what happens when something, designed with one demographic in mind, proves to benefit the larger population. —————————————————- The first captioned media was likely the silent movie, popular in public theaters a century ago. At the time, there…

family gathered in living room preparing for emergency

Could a Disaster Interrupt Your Vacation? How to Travel Prepared

(This article was largely drafted as Houston sat out the “sideswipe” by Hurricane Beryl, and was completed in a public “cooling center” the next day.) An Emergency in Strange Territory: One Family’s Story As most ESGH clients know, Houston has…

Planning Your Summer Vacation: BridgingApps Travel App List

Going anywhere this summer? Vacation trips are tons of fun, but often tons of bother as well: what-to-bring lists; heavy suitcases; delayed flights; rental cars; navigating unfamiliar locations; perhaps meltdown-provoking chaos, misplaced medications, or older buildings that lack modern accessibility…

Commuting in Greater Houston: When You Have Disabilities and No Private Vehicle

July 26 is the 34th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This article is dedicated to continued progress in public accommodations. In Greater Houston, well over 90 percent of households own cars. With a large population scattered across a…

Cybersecurity 101: Special Disability Concerns

We’ve all heard of the digital world being used as a tool for crimes: romance scams, fake emergencies, ransomware, and stalking, to name just a few. While anyone can be a victim, disabled users have special concerns: Says Walter Prescher,…

1980s typewriter and red telephone on desk with hat, wallet and glasses

Looking Back: Assistive Technology in the Last Quarter of the 20th Century

Would it surprise you to learn that assistive-technology engineering began long before the age of apps? And long before the Americans with Disabilities Act? And even before computers became household appliances? My Father the Pioneer I grew up close to…

dad and toddler son looking at phone together

Apps for Fathers

Father’s Day (Sunday, June 16) will be here soon! Fathers often don’t get enough respect these days, so let’s take time to show how much we appreciate them. Don’t settle for buying Dad a token necktie. Give him: When you…

Partnership Success Stories: Never Too Late to Learn

Among ESGH’s senior-adult programs is BridgingApps’ Did You Know–On the Go series, which brings hands-on technology training to local community centers. Today, two of our team members share their experiences with On the Go. (Thanks also to the Consumer Technology…

On the Threshold of Independence: Recommended Apps for Young Adults

The digital age is a boon to assistive technology and the people who depend on it. For disabled youngsters entering legal adulthood, the new digital world is also a wider doorway to independent living. It’s no longer necessary to have…

Super-Accessible Digital Games: Any Ability Level Can Play

***UPDATE*** Since the original publication of this article in June 2023, the Overjoyed Accessible Game Controller has completed its beta-testing period and been officially released to the public. See details on Our Odyssey’s Overjoyed Software page. Digital games are as…