A toy jack-o-lantern with the phrase "Happy Halloween" printed in it's open mouth. Under the Where it's AT logo, the text reads "Halloween is for anybody!" - abilitytools.org

Halloween is for anybody!

A Halloween that is accessible to everyone is possible without any extra effort or with very little effort and some creativity. With COVID-19 still being a serious consideration, please check out last year’s blog Spooky, Not Scary for some tips on how to have a socially distant and safe Halloween. Accessible costumes Costumes that incorporate…

Moldable plastic being used on a key.

Moldable Plastic and DIY Assistive Technology

For most individuals with disabilities, life is all about adaptation. Narrow scope of imagination when environments and objects are being designed and constructed are, more often than not, the true cause of accommodation needs. As a result, individuals with disabilities are some of the most innovative and creative people you will ever come across. So,…

Graphic of old Ability Tools Weekly logo next to new "Where It's AT: The Ability Tools Blog" logo

WHERE IT’S AT: The New Name for the Ability Tools Blog

The Ability Tools team at the California Foundation for Independent Living (CFILC) opted to let our assistive technology (AT) advocates and the general public vote online for a new blog name. With over 50% of the votes, Where It’s AT won! When you think of an assistive technology (AT) blog – Ability Tools is Where…

In the photo, Liz is lying on the ground next to her daughter who is sitting on a ride-on toy. The text is light yellow on a pink background. The Ability Tools Logo is at the top. It reads “Ability Tools Blog; Mothering with a Disability; Liz Pazdral shares her mom hacks using assistive technology; www.abilitytools.org/blog”.

AT Mothering With A Disability

Written By: Liz Pazdral, Executive Director of the State Independent Living Council (SILC) and Madeleine’s Mom If you are living with a disability, you know that modifying tasks is the key to success.  This Mother’s Day, I would like to identify some Assistive Technology I used to successfully mother when my daughter was a baby.…

The image is of President Obama at the White House. He has his arm wrapped around a computer screen that is a robot attached to wheels. On the screen you can see Alice Wong connecting via videochat from her home in San Francisco. The right side features the Ability Tools Logo. It reads “Ability Tools Blog My Day as a Robot. By Alice Wong, Founder of the Disability Visibility Project. www.AbilityTools.org/blog”.

My Day as a Robot

Written By: Alice Wong, Founder of the Disability Visibility Project Resistance to assistive technology is futile. As a sci-fi nerd, I have to make a Star Trek reference whenever I talk about technology and disabled people. The disability community is living in the darkest timeline right now, at least that’s what it feels like under…

Photo description: Photo of a woman in a wheelchair smiling and wearing a blue/brown top. The photo is framed in a gold/purple gradient circle. The background is lavender. There is a CFILC logo at the top left corner and a Puffin Innovations logo in the top right corner. The caption reads, "Adriana Mallozzi" in gold cursive on a dark purple bar, "Founder/CEO, Puffin Innovations” in purple print on a gold bar. #HERstory #DisabledandPowerful

The Future is Female… and Accessible.

By: Kyla Aquino Irving- Communications and Marketing Manager, CFILC   Adriana Mallozzi, CEO and Founder of Boston area-based Puffin Innovations, is on a mission to empower people with disabilities by providing innovative assistive technology (AT) devices. Adriana grew up with a disability at a young age and was exposed to AT by an occupational therapist…

A gray wall with a wooden table and small bonsai plant. A hand is holding up a pink Keela Cup. It is shaped like an inverted bell with a long pullstring on the bottom. The text reads 'The Keela Cup Designed by a woman for all women". Th Ability Tools logo is on the bottom left.

The Keela Cup- A Menstrual Cup Designed For Everyone

For those who are unfamiliar, a menstrual cup is a feminine hygiene product that can be used in place of pads and tampons. Instead of absorbing fluid, a menstrual cup collects it and can then be emptied. Menstrual cups are usually made with medical-grade silicone and can be washed and reused for many years, making…