Disability Pride Month, celebrated every July, provides an opportunity to honor the history, achievements, experiences, and struggles of the disability community. By recognizing the historical significance of Disability Pride in the fight for rights and acceptance, celebrating Assistive Technology (AT) during this month highlights the progress made and emphasizes the ongoing need to advocate for…
This September an older adult in Long Beach had the good fortune of connecting with Assistive Technology (AT) Specialist Samantha Mam at Disabled Resources Center, not far from his home. His lovely letter warmed our hearts and reminded us of why we love serving our community. Dear Samantha,Thank you for the help, first with information…
Written By: Ability Tools Staff Did you know that California has a state program that provides FREE phone to individuals with various disabilities? These phones are provided by the Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program (DDTP) at no charge to eligible Californians. DDTP distributes telecommunications equipment and services that improve communication for all Californians. A program of the…
Written By: Vilissa Thompson, LMSW, Creator of Ramp Your Voice! As someone who is proudly disabled as a wheelchair user, little woman, and who is hard of hearing (HoH), assistive technology (AT) allows me to exist and be a part of my community with fewer barriers. To not have the AT I depend on means…
A new self driving bus, named Olli, is in the works that does a lot more than taking people places. An accessible version of the bus, called “Accessible Olli” will be using IBM’s artificial intelligence powered Watson technology to communicate with passengers since there will be no driver or staff on it. For example, when…
by: Emily Flynn, Ability Tools Information and Advocacy Specialist Working our information and referral line can bring on some very interesting calls. I speak with people from all walks of life and with all different types of disabilities that affect them. Our goal at Ability Tools is to help individuals with disabilities find assistive technology…
Financial Loans for Assistive Technology Now Available in California! Finding money to pay for assistive technology can be a challenge for many people with disabilities and qualifying for a loan may seem like an impossible task due to limited income and credit history. Fortunately, on July 11th, CFILC launched a low-interest financial loan program for…
Did you check out our 2016 Assistive Technology (AT) Photo Contest? We opened the voting of the top ten finalists up to the public and here are a couple of the winners! See all of the winners by clicking here. Thanks to everyone that participated! It was a great event and we will surely do…
by Ability tools staff Assistive Technology (AT) helps everyone. Here at Ability Tools, we define AT as any object, device or tool used to make life easier. Specifically, Assistive Technology is any device, gadget, hardware or software used by a person with a disability to do things for themselves that might otherwise be difficult or…
Are you a person with a disability that uses assistive technology (AT)? Send us a photo and you could win $100! AT is defined as any device, gadget, hardware or software used by a person with a disability to do things for themselves that might otherwise be difficult or impossible to do because of…