Following up our recent “Biking with a Disability” post, Program Director Cristen Reat shares the full story of her family’s test ride on a Van Raam tandem. One of our regular family activities is to go for walks in our…
Author: Katherine Swarts (page 3)
Phones in School: The Latest Assistive-Technology Challenge
Since the first generation of flip-phone-equipped teenagers, there have been clashes over bringing devices to school. Teachers protest the distraction potential. Parents claim the right to contact their kids directly at any time. Students can hardly imagine an hour without…
On AAC: The Latest Word from Our Team
Most parents eagerly anticipate their children’s learning to talk. However, there are children—and seniors, and people of all ages between—for whom “talking” in the conventional sense is a problem. Speech disabilities have a number of physical and neurological causes, including:…
Hale Johnson: From Special Education to the Working World
October is National Employment for Persons with Disabilities Month. Today, we share one client’s employment journey. Besides getting an academic education, every high school student needs to learn certain life skills before launching into the larger world. This is doubly…
AirPods as AT: “Hearing Aid” Is Now an Earbud Feature
Remember last year’s blog post on “The New World of Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids”? For a long time, hearing aids required a doctor’s prescription and hundreds to thousands of dollars. And those dollars frequently came out of the user’s pocket, since…
Biking with a Disability
Remember our September 23 article, “Hiking in a Wheelchair”? Here’s another post for readers who love autumn and outdoor recreation. If you haven’t been on a bicycle since you reached driver’s-license age, you’re missing out. Bikes get you around faster…
Longer Lives, New Challenges: Down Syndrome in the 2020s
October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month. If you or a family member have Down syndrome and need assistive technology for learning, time management, or long-term planning, check out these apps lists from our database: Growing Older with Down Syndrome As…
What Do Digital Navigators Do All Week? A Firsthand Account
This week—October 7–11—is Digital Inclusion Week, powered by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance. It’s a week for celebrating the advantages of digital access; advocating universal accessibility; and recognizing those who work to ensure access for all. Among these workers are Digital…
Discovering His Mission: The Story of a Digital Literacy Training Graduate
In our recent Program Update from Tara Rocha, we shared the latest news on BridgingApps’ digital-literacy training for high school students and recent graduates, especially those with intellectual/neurological challenges. Today, we take a closer look at one participant: his digital-training…
Finding Trustworthy Online Sources: The First Google Results Are Rarely the Best
“Google” is a trademark, a proper noun, and a verb. You probably “Google” for online information every day. And that’s fine—for most everyday information. Or for entertainment. But trusting Google is risky if you need really important information, such as:…