Comparing Bluetooth Speakers for AAC Use

Comparing Bluetooth Speakers for AAC Use by Heidi LoStracco, MS, CCC-SLP, Speak For Yourself AAC In the beginning of this school year, I purchased some iON Clipster portable Bluetooth speakers. Over the months, I’ve left them with students who do not have amplified cases. When you’re working so hard to learn to use augmentative and…

2016 assistive technology photo contest

Announcing our 2016 AT Photo Contest!

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…

Adaptive Equipment is not a One-Size-Fits-All

Written by Monique McGivney, Marketing Director for Ability Center Here at Ability Center, we get calls daily for people who want driving aids installed in their vehicle or to just buy a ramp to get their scooter/wheelchair into their vehicle. There are so many variations and things to think about when we think of adaptive…

Picture of a little boy sitting at a desk using a communicaiton tablet

Top 5 Posts of 2015

Happy New Year Everybody! Did you know that we publish a new blog post about assistive technology (AT) devices and services each and every week -usually on Tuesdays- and that you can sign up with your email address to get it delivered directly to your inbox?  Enter your email today so that you don’t miss…

Happy New Year! Now Let’s Talk About Resolutions…

By Rachel Anderson, Marketing & Communication Manager of Ability Tools Most of us choose January first as a good time to make some important changes in our lives, as it is a new year and symbolizes a new beginning. These resolutions usually include making healthier choices, including getting more exercise, getting more sleep, eating better,…

Robots Being Developed for Individuals with Disabilities

On December 2nd, the National Institutes of Health announced that it will fund the development of three exciting new robots! These robots, actually called co-robots, are designed to work cooperatively with people with disabilities and are part of the National Robotics Initiative.  Funding for these NIH projects will total approximately $2.2 million over the next…

Making your Android Device AAC Multi-Lingual

by Chi Hung Luke Hsieh, Assistive Technology Advocate at Community Access Center   Due to my moderately severe speech disability, I have been paying close attention to the development of Augmented Assistive Communication (AAC) devices/apps and Text to Speech Technology or Voice Engines. Those who have paying attention to my previous articles over the years…

Ability Tools Responds to the Needs of Fire Survivors in Northern California

Recently, Ability Tools, a program of California Foundation for Independent Living Centers (CFILC), assisted with the disaster relief efforts related to the Northern Valley Fires. Deployed to the Napa county shelter as part of the state’s Functional Assessment Service Team, Ability Tools collaborated with state partners to quickly assess the needs of fire survivors with…