The telephone has come a long way since inventor Alexander Graham Bell made the first call nearly a century-and-a-half ago. Now, it’s no longer a communication device glued to our ear but a multipurpose tool for navigating the world. For people with hearing loss or impairment, the iPhone 17’s accessibility features make life run smoothly […]
Author: ColesStaff
iOS 17 Accessibility Features: Speech
Communication is vital for all of us, but it can also create barriers, especially for people with disabilities. The new iOS 17 not only offers non-speaking communication, but it also gives literal voice to the voiceless. Speech Is Just a Tap Away With Live Speech, users can type what they want to say or choose […]
Summer Fun for Everyone
With summer in full swing, it’s time to plan for outdoor fun. Of course, we want to make sure Hoosiers can find fun for everyone, including people with disabilities. “Fortunately, Indiana continues to make great strides in inclusion and accessibility,” said Brian Norton, vice president of adult services at Easterseals Crossroads. “From the addition of […]
Digital Accessibility Starts with Literacy
“For some people, an accessible internet literally makes a world of difference.” Web accessibility advocate Joe Devon wrote this statement in a 2011 blog that single-handedly led to what is now the 13th annual Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), which occurs on the third Thursday of each May. When digital accessibility professional Jennison Ascuncion stumbled […]
ChatGPT Supports Cognitive Enhancement and Learning
Open AI’s artificial intelligence (AI) program, ChatGPT, stands out due to its ability to generate nearly human-like speech responses in a conversational manner. In addition to guidance for individuals who have communication disabilities, ChatGPT can also assist with organization and remembering essential tasks for those who live with memory loss and other cognitive challenges. ChatGPT […]
AT Awareness and Empowerment
This year, the Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs (ATAP) rang in the sixth annual National Assistive Technology Awareness Day (April 17) with a briefing on Capitol Hill to address the importance of assistive technology and the federal funds needed to acquire it for such programs as the INDATA Project. In his remarks to honor […]