Happy Independence Day month, everybody! No one is “confined to a wheelchair.” Or “stuck in a wheelchair.” Or “wheelchair bound.” Any such phrase marks the speaker as insensitive to wheelchair users. It’s not that wheelchair users have anything against the…
PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) is not an illness exclusive to battle-scarred Veterans: about one in twenty Americans have it, and they come from all career fields, genders, ethnicities, and ages. Nor do all trauma survivors develop PTSD: probably the highest…
In recognition of Deafblind Awareness Week this June 25–July 1, today we look at assistive technology for people with impaired hearing and/or vision. Worldwide, over 1.5 billion people have hearing loss; at least 175 million have blindness or low vision;…
Our annual Father’s Day highlight features country musician Cooper Wade and his daughter Anna Kate. Anna is turning 21 and, despite cerebral palsy that severely limits her speech, excels as a Chick-Fil-A greeter, using a BIGmack recorder for assistive technology.…
A nod to National Business Etiquette Week, the first full week in June. Most workers who succeed in their professions are experts in the rules of business etiquette: If you’re on the autism spectrum or have an adult child who…
No question: it takes more than a high school diploma to prepare for the college world. High school is a right and a duty; college is an earned privilege. High school students are supervised by school faculty during class hours…
Hearing loss is worse than an inconvenience: its side effects include social isolation, increased vulnerability to depression, and increased risk of injury. Not to mention higher stress and frustration levels, especially when dealing with people who dismiss the struggle with,…
Today’s post is dedicated to Mental Health Awareness Month this May. People with autism, major depression, or similar conditions often feel they’re fighting a daily battle against panic/hysteria/despair. Digital technology can help: Sometimes, the primary barrier to improved mental health…
Apps and other digital technology are great—until they aren’t. You may have heard worst-nightmare stories: fatal accidents due to someone’s being distracted by a smartphone; suicides triggered by cyberbullying or doomscrolling. On a less dramatic note, just about everyone has…
A special Happy Mother’s Day to all hardworking moms! Remember the family images in classic sitcoms? Every mother a full-time housewife who had it all together; every kid healthy and happy; every grandparent a bottomless source of wisdom and encouragement,…
