As summer changes to autumn, the U.S. Gulf Coast anticipates the return of cool weather. Outdoor strolls are loaded with health benefits, even for those who can’t “walk” in the standard sense. Many wheelchair users enjoy regular outings, not just…
Category: Accessibility (page 2)
Your Right to a Real Life: The Story of Olmstead v. L. C.
Last June 22 marked the 25th anniversary of Olmstead v. L. C., when the Supreme Court ruled that it was illegal under the Americans with Disabilities Act to keep people in disability-care institutions when they were better served elsewhere. The…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
What’s Going on in the AT Lab?
Today’s article salutes BridgingApps’ Assistive Technology Lab Services and our latest financial gift from Comcast. Unless otherwise specified, all information below is from our Program Director, Cristen Reat. We are so grateful for Comcast’s ongoing support. For nearly ten years,…
Where Is the ACP Going? What to Do, How to Prepare
Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) participants are facing an uncertain future with the possible end of ACP funding. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will stop accepting new applications after February 7, and BridgingApps has already paused Digital Navigator assistance filling out…
In Honor of Special Education
December 2, the 48th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), is officially recognized as Special Education Day. Take time this week to congratulate a special-education student, teacher, or advocate. While “special education” usually means disability accommodations, everyone…