Computer Technologies Program The Bridge to a Career

You’ve probably heard a lot in the media lately about self-driving cars, or auto-autos, as I think of them.  The original idea was to reduce human error and provide enhanced safety, but just think what they could do for people with disabilities!  For a sneak preview of the future, watch this video of a man with a visual impairment in a …

Although there have been TV closed captioning rules in place for some time, the quality of the captioning has been variable–to be polite about it.  On February 20, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved new rules that clarify and refine quality standards that will be required for television closed captioning in the future. The FCC states that under the new rules captions must be: Accurate: …

Zach Tucker, who has Asperger’s syndrome, stopped hugging his parents when he was 5.  At age 9 he was still doing kindergarten work, and he would stay up all night crying. Then they got Clyde, a service dog specially trained to work with Zack and his autism. The first night Clyde stayed with Zack, the all night crying stopped.  Within three weeks he …

Statistics show that mobility-impaired and visually-impaired people are more often targeted by muggers, who assume they are an easy mark.  You can help reduce the likelihood of getting mugged by following these safety tips put together by Marsha Saxton of the World Institute on Disability (WID): Avoid isolated areas, uninhabited parks, parking lots, garages, and alleyways; stick to well-lit, high traffic areas. Be aware.  …

A nonprofit startup called Noble Paws has taken adaptive technology in a new direction: dog mushing.  Based in Fairbanks, Alaska, they have developed two specialized sled designs; one is wheelchair accessible and the other is accessible for people who have difficulty standing. The purpose is to enable people to discover new forms of mobility and independence while engaging with the natural world …