Assistive Technology and Accessibility

During May, which is National Stroke Awareness Month, the American Stroke Association strives to educate the public that stroke is the leading cause of serious, long term disability. Here are some important statistics:

In honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday, March is designated as National Reading Month. The primary audience for Dr. Seuss’ books is young children, but his writings have insight for adults, too.  As he said, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, requires that electronic and information technology developed with federal funding be accessible to people with disabilities. This includes training materials developed with federal funds that are disseminated to users via the internet. Currently, I direct the National Clearinghouse on Rehabilitation Training Materials (NCRTM). This contract offers technical assistance to individuals and organizations who submit resources to the NCRTM.

November is National Family Caregivers Month. While caregiving can be a very rewarding experience, caregivers are at risk of fatigue, increased stress, and other negative health consequences. One way to help reduce the stressors faced by caregivers is to learn about and employ helpful tools and resources.

Winter weather evokes mixed emotions in adults. Children love this time of year when school can be canceled on a Wednesday and snowmen dot the landscape, while adults wrestle between the guiltless joy of having an excuse to stay indoors with a book, hot chocolate and Netflix—and the inevitable loathing of de-icing, shoveling and the worsening of already terrible traffic. Among the black and white of the average person’s view exists a hidden realm of winter trials reserved for people with disabilities.

Since my days as a rehabilitation counselor three decades ago, I have worked toward a goal of including people with disabilities into our society—no matter the job that I held.  When I became an employer twelve years ago, I sought and hired people with disabilities.

At New Editions we are committed to making electronic information accessible to people with disabilities.  We support the implementation of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that requires Federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology (EIT) accessible. The law (29 U.S.C.

The white cane is universally recognized as a representative marker for blindness and low vision. But many people may not realize that for individuals who are blind or have low vision, the white cane is so much more than a navigational tool. It is a symbol of independence, integration, and triumph. This is why people across the country observe October 15th, White Cane Safety Day, as a day to celebrate just how far individuals with visual impairments have come in their pursuit for independence.

Parents who are gathering backpacks and supplies for the start of the school year, may want to add one more item to that back to school list—an appropriate assistive technology (AT) product. AT can help with many types of learning challenges: listening, speaking, math, organization and memory, reading and writing.