Assistive Technology (Disabilities) « Assistive Technology

Articles, Publications, Organizations and Resources
re: Assistive Technology
for People with Disabilities

Articles & Publications:

• 14 Tech Tools that Enhance Computing for the Disabled (ComputerWorld)
  Getting work done on a computer is easily within reach of the blind and physically disabled with the help of these new and updated tools. 
• Budget-Friendly Smart Home Accommodations for Seniors and Individuals with Special Needs (HomeAdvisor)
  This guide was designed to provide a thorough understanding of the latest smart home technology, and suggestions for specific software and devices that can be incorporated into a home to accommodate each of seven of the most common types of disabilities: hearing difficulty, vision difficulty, speech/language difficulty, cognitive difficulty or memory loss, ambulatory difficult, arthritis, and self-care/independent living difficulty.
• Changing Lives with Innovation, Collaboration & Leadership (Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities – MSU)
  MSU’s Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD) has partnered for decades within and outside MSU to innovate technology for persons with disabilities, disseminating inventive work around the world.
• Considering Assistive Technology in the IEP Process (The Texas 4-Step Model)
  Provided to assist educational teams in considering assistive technology in the development, review, and/or revision of a student’s Individual Educational Plan. 
• Disability Retrofit (OregonLive.com – 1/14/10)
  Remodeling a home can be daunting even under ideal circumstances. But combined with the stress of a sudden injury, the need to care for an aging family member or sensory loss due to a disease, the prospect of a big retrofitting project can be overwhelming.
• Financial Assistance Options for Adaptive Driving (Disability Blog – 9/26/12)
  Many individuals with disabilities require varying types of vehicle adaptations to enjoy the freedom of mobility. Unfortunately, they often face prohibitive costs to purchase the proper equipment for their transportation needs. The good news is that funding assistance to purchase new adaptive vehicles or to retrofit existing vehicles is becoming increasingly available.  
• For People With Disabilities, New Technology Can Be Life Changing (NPR – 5/21/16)
  For most of us, eye tracking technology sounds interesting. But it's not life changing. Eye tracking allows users to move a cursor around a computer or mobile device simply by moving your eyes and head.
• How to Save on Adaptive Equipment As You Care for Disabled or Senior Loved Ones 
  Everything you need to know for buying assistive technology smartly.
• iPod May Ease Transition For Those With Autism (Disability Scoop – 9/6/12)
  As more people with autism enter the work world, a new case study suggests that arming them with specially-programmed iPods may go a long way toward achieving independence on the job.
• iPortal Set to Change the Lives of Wheelchair Users With iPhone and iPod Touch (Voxy – 8/25/10)
  Dynamic Controls today announced its innovative iPortal is now available worldwide. The iPortal solution connects powered wheelchairs to the internet using an iPhone or iPod in a special mount and also includes a 'chair doctor' diagnostics feature that interprets any problems with the wheelchair and an on-chair charger so devices never run flat. "We predict iPortal will change the quality of life of thousands of people by connecting their powered wheelchair to the internet via iPhone or iPod touch," said Charlotte Walshe, CEO of Dynamic Controls. "iPortal is a revolutionary approach to wheelchair displays and provides key information such as battery capacity and seat adjustments.
• Physical Therapists Prescribe Wii Time (Reuters – Dec. 6, 2007)
  An occupational therapist is convinced that the Nintendo game could help patients build balance, coordination, endurance and upper and lower body strength.
• The Medicine Cabinet of the Future (Popsi.com)
  Your future medicine cabinet will integrate home, pharmacy and doctor's office into a digital health network.
• What is Assistive Technology?
  Assistive Technology is any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.

Organizations & Services:

• Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA)
  Purpose is to improve the potential of people with disabilities to achieve their goals through the use of technology.

Resources (Websites & Blogs):

• AbledBody.com
  News and insights on assistive technologies and innovations for people with disabilities. See article in Mediadis&dat – 3/27/09
• Assistive Technology News
  Independence through technology.
• Disabled and Elderly Assistive Technologies in the U.S.
  Assistive technology products are products designed to assist people who, because of specific disabilities or the general infirmities that often accompany old age, would otherwise be unable to participate meaningfully in economic, social, political, cultural, and other forms of human activity in their communities.