Disabilities | Assisted Disability

Mobile Software for the Disabled

With the advancements in technology, those who are disabled have more advantages than they’ve ever had before. They are able to do more and accomplish more and are no longer tied to their homes feeling cut off from the world. Here are some ways that technology is helping:

Voice Recognition Software

One of the major ways that technology has helped is through voice recognition software. This helps those who are not able to type or use a mouse to use computers. Programs such as Dragon Naturally Speaking have the ability to recognize a person’s voice and follow commands including composing emails. This is very helpful for those who are wheelchair bound to communicate with friends online. It can even be used on websites such as Facebook.

Smartphones

There are many smartphones available with apps that can help the disabled such as Blackberry phones. What is a Blackberry phone? It’s a multi-use communication device that can receive emails, surf the web, and use many applications including games. There are some amazing apps out there. For example, there is one called ThinkContacts. This app uses a headset to measure a person’s brainwaves. While looking at a contact list, the user can choose a person to call by the headset measuring when attention level goes above 80 percent. Other useful apps include LocalEyes and BrailleBuddies for those who are blind.

This is just a small sampling of the many ways technology helps those with disabilities, and more ways are being developed every day. This is just another way that technology is improving the lives of everyone living in this world.

Filed Under: Advancements, Disabilities, Technology Tagged With: Disabilities, Mobile Software

Assisted Technology for Disabilities

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Assisted technology is something that sort of evens out the playing field for people with disabilities. There are many aids which fall into the category of assisted technology. These can be as simple as a walking cane or as complex as a bionic arm or leg. A person’s handicap may make him immobile and the wheelchair, either manual or motorized, is what assists him with walking. People sometimes need assisted technology to do their jobs. One such instance of this would be providing a magnified screen for a copywriter that is sight-impaired.

Another assisted technology for supporting people with disabilities is the telecommunication device for the deaf (TDD). Until the invention of this technology is was not possible for deaf persons to use the telephone to communicate the way that it was originally intended to be used. A deaf person can type what he wants to say. It is then relayed to an operator who reads it to the person on the receiving end. Hearing aids are considered assisted technology, too.

Assisted technology comes into play in the education arena to help those with learning disabilities. Software that generates graphic organizers assist those students that are visual learners and who benefit from that particular learning style. One may be able to get assisted technology by using a file sharing program like FileZilla. Some file transfer software is free, like File Zilla, and allows you to download and transfer information like graphic organizers for educational or personal purposes. The assisted technology that is used in the classroom can either be low tech or high tech. Low tech basically encompasses anything that doesn’t require a battery or electricity, like a dry erase board. High tech uses items like computers, video camcorders and anything that would typically require more training and support to use.

Durable medical equipment also falls under the assisted technology category. This includes things that help people to walk, like crutches and walkers. Items that help to increase a person’s independence with daily activities, such as showering and bathing can also be considered as assisted technology. This would include a shower seat and rails in the bathtub.

Filed Under: Technology Tagged With: Assistive technology, Disabilities, Disability, Disabled, Health, Hearing impairment, Shopping, Technology

Assistive Technology for Disabilities

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Assistive technology is something that sort of evens out the playing field for people with disabilities. There are many aids which fall into the category of assistive technology. These can be something as simple as a walking cane or as complex as a bionic arm or leg. A person’s handicap may make him immobile and the wheelchair, either manual or motorized, is what assists him with walking. People sometimes need assistive technology to do their jobs. One such instance of this would be providing a magnified screen for a copywriter that is sight-impaired.

Another assistive technology for supporting people with disabilities is the telecommunication device for the deaf (TDD). Until the invention of this technology is was not possible for deaf persons to use the telephone to communicate the way that it was originally intended to be used. A deaf person can type what he wants to say. It is then relayed to an operator who reads it to the person on the receiving end. Hearing aids are considered assistive technology, too.

Assistive technology comes into play in the education arena to help those with learning disabilities. Software that generates graphic organizers assist those students that are visual learners and who benefit from that particular learning style. The assistive technology that is used in the classroom can either be low tech or high tech. Low tech basically encompasses anything that doesn’t require a battery or electricity, like a dry erase board. High tech uses items like computers, video camcorders and anything that would typically require more training and support to use.

Durable medical equipment also falls under the assistive technology category. This includes things that help people to walk, like crutches and walkers. Items that help to increase a person’s independence with daily activities, such as showering and bathing can also be considered as assistive technology. This would include a shower seat and rails in the bathtub.

Filed Under: Disabilities, Technology Tagged With: Assistive technology, Disabilities, Disability, Disabled, Health, Hearing impairment, Shopping, Technology

What Are The Methods In Which A Person Can Support People With Disabilities

There are many methods in which the general population can support people with disabilities. Supporting people with disabilities is not easy. The main reason is that unless one knows the proper needs of the person with some disability, the support will not be possible. The primary method that needs to be used for the support is the mental support. Many people think of financial support first. This may not be a need that every person with disability will have. The main reason for this is that the people who do have disabilities need all the support they can get so that they will be able to get over the disability mentally. Once the person is mentally able to get over the problem, then all the other relevant needs can be met.

The next most important method of supporting people with disabilities is the financial support. There are many people who have financial problems and these people are not able to earn money because of the disability. They are at a disadvantage in the society and this disadvantage makes them to suffer more with lack of proper employment. Even if they do have employment, they are not able to get a reasonably paid employment. This makes them to be at a disadvantage. This is the reason for these people needing support.

Though there are many organizations that are supporting people with disabilities, but the support that is given to these people may not be adequate. Some of the people with disabilities who have not been proactive in the seeking of help may have missed out on the help completely. The government should step in for these people and make sure that every person with disability is supported adequately. These are the best methods in which the people who are suffering with disabilities can be supported.

Filed Under: Advancements, Disabilities Tagged With: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Disabilities, Disability, Disabled, Employment, Social Security Administration, Unemployment, United States

Assistive Software – Sue Center

There are some good disability assistive technology products out there in the market. Software and hardware aimed at improving the lives of disabled people are marketed by assistive technology vendors. Sue Center is one such initiative designed to improve the lives of disable people.

Sue Center is the brainchild of an artist called Jon Bjornstad. This person apart from being an artist also writes code. The software application that he has developed is named after a disabled woman who was paralyzed. When Bjornstad met this woman he was deeply inspired to come out with his own version of assistive technology software that will help disabled people immensely.

The software application is written in Perl, and has close to sixteen thousand lines of code. More enhancements are being added in the software application. Continuous efforts are being put to improve the usability of the software application.

Sue Center is an environment for communication. It is free software, since it is freely distributed by Bjornstad. This software application benefits those people who are not able to use the keyboard and mouse. There could be paralyzed people who are not able to move their hands or fingers. There could be people with motor neuron problems. These people can benefit immensely from such a hands-free technology.

Although the software is free, some smart devices have to be bought. Smart devices are hands-free accessories that can be worn on your body. It could be a cap that is worn on the head. By moving the head, the person can simulate the movement of a mouse cursor. A virtual keyboard will assist the user to type into instructions, text, and numbers or anything to the computer.

The Sue Center application lets users do a variety of things. It helps read books. Users can keeps journal entries, use the dictionary, send and receive email, play games, make VoIP calls, use translation capabilities of Sue Center, watch movies on a DVD, and do many more things.

Filed Under: Advancements, Technology Tagged With: Assistive technology, Computer Access, Disabilities, Disability, Disabled, Health, Perl, Shopping

The Process Of Supporting People With Disabilities

There are many people who are very interested in supporting the people with disabilities, but when it comes to action, there are very few people who actually are able to support the people who live with disabilities. The main reason for this is that the people do not have the final push in the will to help. The thought process which is involved in the process of supporting people with disabilities is listed here.

The person has to first decide that he or she is going to help or support the people with disabilities. Many people do not have this thought. Either they are too busy to think of other people or they may not feel that these people need support. Whatever the reason, they do not think of supporting people with disabilities because of the lack of the mindset. So the thought should come first and that is the first step in the process of helping.
The assessment of the need of the affected person or groups is the next step in the process of supporting people with disabilities. There are different kinds of people with varying levels of disability. It is very important for the needs of these people to be assessed so that the right needs can be identified and the needed help for these people can be provided.

Once the needs are assessed, the next step in the method of supporting people with disabilities is to find someone who will be able to help the affected people. Though there are many non Governmental and nonprofit organizations that are helping those with disabilities, there is a lot of needs that are still unmet. These may include financial needs, educational needs and other needs. These needs should be met so that the people with disabilities are supported and rehabilitated completely so that they are self sufficient.

Filed Under: Disabilities Tagged With: Disabilities, Disability, Disabled, Employment, Health, Illinois, Non-profit organization, Support Groups

Support Networks are Invaluable for the Disabled

Having a disability now isn’t the same as it has been throughout history. Clever and ingenious people have always come up with ways to help them cope with their physical detriments, but in the current era, coping is less of a struggle. Science has been, and continues to, research answers for how to fix virtually every human malady. It seems likely that in time, we’ll be able to grow new body parts as needed, and in the meantime, robotics have allowed people with no arms to again pick up objects by commanding mechanical limbs with their brain’s electrical impulses. Progress like this is heartening, and goes a long way beyond merely carving a wooden stick to replace a leg amputated at the knee, as was done up until modern prosthetics arrived on the scene.

All the current and future advances in assisting people with disabilities don’t address a common remaining issue, however. That is the more psychological component of dealing with a disability. While some people are born with some basic difference to the average, fully able body, they learn from a young age to handle their difference so that it doesn’t become a large limitation. Others are struck with loss of a former trait or ability later in life, and require adjustment. In either case however, those with a disability do best if they receive support from loved ones, friends, and family.

Even the most well-adjusted person will struggle to an extent with the loss of function that any disability creates. A network of supportive individuals will help deal with the emotions, or even physical limitations, which arise. There’s nothing quite so calming and soothing as an understanding voice and a listening ear when one is frustrated with their having to find a new way to do an old trick! Friends can be invaluable, as they help ensure that the disabled person gets out and about and learns to deal with their limitation.

Filed Under: Advancements, Disabilities, Technology Tagged With: Accessibility, Disabilities, Disability, Disabled, Employment, Hotel, United States, United States Department of Justice

Assistive technology available to disabled persons

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Assistive technology includes a wide range of products that aid a disabled person. Also known as adaptive technology, the phrase includes assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative equipment and devices. The phrase assistive technology also broadly encompasses the process to selecting those devices.
Assistive technology allows a disabled person to perform tasks that they previously could not, or helps them complete the task easier and quicker.
Many technological advancements can’t be used by some people. Assistive technology devices help people with a range of disabilities handle a variety of issues.
For example, a blind person can’t use a typical computer and word processing software. An assistive technology product allows a seeing impaired person to use word processing software by using voice commands.
The invention of the telephone changed the way people communicate, but the traditional telephone as is leaves out hearing impaired persons unless assistive technology is used to allow deaf people to read what the person on the other end is saying using a device.
Persons suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome or someone just dealing with sore wrists benefit from using a keyboard designed ergonomically that lessens the strain placed on wrists while typing.
Persons with learning difficulties also can benefit from assistive technology. Diagnostic software diagnosis some learning disabilities.
Some disabilities are temporary and assistive devices are needed only for a short time period. A broken leg might require the use of crutches or even a wheelchair to get around.
At the same time, others might use those devices permanently, a person without use of their legs might have a wheelchair designed to make them mobile.
Assistive technology used by a family member often requires the rest of the family to adapt and learn to how the device works so they can help the disabled person.
A wide variety of assistive technology exists today allowing many people to function in society better and faster.

Filed Under: Technology Tagged With: Assistive technology, Disabilities, Disability, Disabled, Hearing impairment, Learning disability, Resource Directories, Technology

Helping People With Disabilities How Can You Do Your Bit?

How can you do your bit to support people with disabilities? We all know that technology has the potential of revolutionizing persons with disabilities. Earlier, a bedridden person was no more than a vegetable. His or her entire life would be spent being cared for by family members.

However, it is possible to make use of technologies to regain control and independence. One can control the bed, television, computer and other facilities by simply breathing into or out of a tube. These technologies have helped individuals enjoy life better. Of course, such persons will still remain bedridden. However, they need not be constantly dependent on others for basic activities.

The biggest disadvantage with these technologies is the expenses involved. Secondly, most individuals are forced to opt for universal design. The end result of this approach is that there is no scope for customization. Going in for customized technology from the scratch is going to cost a lot of money. Well, you can do your bit by using the equipment in your hand in a better manner.

Rather than throwing your keyboard, you can spread word that you are ready to offer the keyboard as an experimental device for any person who wishes to try and modify it for disabled persons. If an existing keyboard can be improved and if size of the keys can be enhanced, it might help a person with visual disability to see the keyboard better at lower cost.

Having a reasonable quality keyboard to begin with and getting it at low cost will help the service provider offer cheap services. Whether this approach will work or not is uncertain.

However, what matters is the desire to make a difference. Most persons have good intentions but never proceed to translate it into real work. You can make a difference by starting to act on your intentions today.

Filed Under: Disabilities, Technology Tagged With: Alf Morris, BBC, Disabilities, Disability, Disabled, Employment, International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Rory Cellan-Jones

Helping People With Disabilities & How Can You Do Your Bit?