AT Advocates are community based information and referral specialists who can assist consumers with a variety of assistive technology issues. They work at Independent Living Centers in California. Ability Tools wouldn’t be the program it is without these advocates and all their hard work. With the New Year approaching we asked our advocates to tell…
Composed by: Emily Flynn, Ability Tools Staff. Information Sourced from Bookshare® Bookshare is a massive online library that opens up the world of reading for people with print disabilities. If you cannot read traditional print books because of a visual impairment, physical disability or severe learning disability, Bookshare can help! The books available are “accessible,” which…
Written by: Luke Hsieh, Community Access Center Assistive Technology Advocate When it comes to Word Prediction Software; none is, perhaps, better marketed than CoWriter by Don Johnston. Like Dragon Naturally Speaking by Nuance is for speech recognition, CoWriter by Don Johnston is often the first thing an AT professional think of when Word Prediction is being…
Written by: Emily Flynn Ability had the pleasure of participating in the 32nd annual CSUN AT Conference in San Diego, CA From March 1st-3rd. Our participation included having a table within the large exhibit hall. This was a fantastic opportunity to talk face to face with individuals with disabilities and answer their questions related to…
We are excited to announce the launch of a statewide pilot program called Voice Options, California Speech Technology Program. Voice Options offers iPads with speech applications to people with disabilities for demonstration, short and long-term loan via 10 demonstration centers throughout the state. The project is funded by the California Public Utilities Commission and administered by the…
By Maggie Mahony, Grasp Assistive Technologies Grasp Assistive Technologies aims to deliver every benefit of technology to enhance communication, interaction, and learning. We specialize in offering assistive technologies and educational toys from around the world. We believe in the power of progress; and that each advancement, big or small, is a critical step towards independence.…
Reprinted from the Assistive Technology Blog, by Venkat Rao For amputees, people with spinal cord injuries, stroke patients, and other who have bad motor skills, a mouse for computers or their finger(s) for tablets or phones are not the most feasible ways to operate their devices. GlassOuse, a new Bluetooth operated eye and mouth controlled…
by: Rachel Anderson, Marketing & Communications Manager for Ability Tools In the field of assistive technology (AT) we talk a lot about switches. We usually bring one or two switches to our tabling and outreach events as some simple and portable examples of AT, since they are a popular item that we loan out for…
Written by: Assistive Technology Blog Off and on, you may have heard or read about Internet of Things (IoT). In the coming years, it is supposed to be a new phenomenon (it actually already is) that will make everything much easier and convenient for everyone. But what does it mean? What exactly is it, and…