What Assistive Technology would have benefited Helen Keller?

Most of us have heard of Helen Keller. 

She was an American Author, political activist, and lecturer. She was also both Deaf and Blind.
She was born in 1880 in Alabama, but at 19 months old, she became unexpectedly ill. Though some experts believe the illness might have been meningitis or scarlet fever, we cannot be sure what caused Helen to become speechless, sightless and unable to hear.

When Helen was 6 years old, her parents reached out for help for their daughter.

After several referrals they found Anne Sullivan, who came highly recommended as she had just graduated from the Perkins Institute for the Blind in Boston, Massachusetts.
With Anne as her teacher, she learnt to communicate with the outside world.
She had previously had a primitive form of communication with her companion, Martha Washington, who was the young daughter of the family cook. The two had created a type of sign language, and by the time Keller was 7, they had invented more than 60 signs to communicate with each other.

By Anne spelling words using sign language into Helen’s hands, her vocabulary rapidly grew.
At 10 years old , Helen had mastered Braille as well as the manual alphabet and even learnt to use a typewriter.

In May 1888, Keller started attending the Perkins institute for the blind, and continued her way through education and graduated from Radcliffe College  in 1904, (at the age of 24 ) becoming the first deaf blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Helen and Anne worked together for 49 years, and Anne assisted Helen in writing some of her 12 books and articles.  

Between 1946 and 1957, Keller travelled to 35 countries on five continents. In 1955, at age 75, Keller embarked on the longest and most gruelling trip of her life: a 40,000 mile, five-month trek across Asia. Through her many speeches and appearances, she brought inspiration and encouragement to millions of people.
Here is a very short video from YouTube showing how Helen communicated with others:

Keller was a great advocate for people with disabilities, especially those who were Blind, Deaf or both.

Keller wrote a dozen books during her life time, and was aided by others to complete them.

Assistive tech such as an adapted laptop, combined with a refreshable braille display, would have given Keller a lot more independence when writing her books if she were alive today.
We know that Keller was able to touch-type using a type writer from a very early age.

With Refreshable Braille Displays, people who are deaf blind are able to surf the internet, read news and  if you were writing in a document, you could read back what you have just typed.

Here is a short video showing this technology in action: 

Refreshable Braille Displays can also be used not just to read the information; you can also navigate around an iPhone just by reading what is being displayed:

Here is a video from Yahoo Accessibility showing how the iPhone 4 works with the braille display: 

Braille Displays are a fantastic piece of technology; however they can be extremely expensive some of the top end models are over £2000.
There are alternative, cheaper options. With all technology as it progresses, new assistive tech will be produced and the prices will fall, making it easier for people to afford.
Like when the first digital watch was released in the 1970s. It was worth $2,100 which is about $11,400 (£7131) in today's money. Now you can win them as prizes on the pier in the 2p machine! (I must have put about 200 tuppences in there to win that Gladiators watch! And i never got it).

Most people who are deaf blind have some hearing and vision.
Depending on the individuals specific requirements, other forms of assistive technology such as Screen Readers or Zoom text could be beneficial.

If you have any questions on Assistive Technology please feel free to call our FREE Advice and Information help line: 0800 269 545

Or drop us an email at: enquries@abilitynet.org.uk
Visit our website: http://www.abilitynet.org.uk
                             https://www.facebook.com/AbilityNet

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Useful links and resourses:
http://www.sense.org.uk/content/technology

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Keller
http://www.biography.com/people/helen-keller-9361967

Auto-Correct Me if I'm Wrong...

Global AutoCorrect is a liberating piece of software, which allows people with Dyslexia to achieve their full potential. No matter what programme you are typing in, the software corrects your spelling as you type. 
This is a crucial piece of time saving assistive technology. Countless times I have found myself staring at the list of spelling suggestions by standard autocorrect in a document, and they haven't been remotely close to what I wanted to say. Not only does Global AutoCorrect, make  use of an extensive database and intelligent algorithms, (providing millions of accurate corrections as soon as it is installed) it also acts as a learning tool. The Software identifies your most common mistakes so that you can work on them in your own time. 

AbilityNet talks to Neil Cottrell, Director of LexAble:

LexAble Team at T4G Awards ( Neil, centre)

When were you first diagnosed with dyslexia?

When I was 10 my teacher noticed that I was having difficulties with reading and writing, so I was referred to an educational psychologist who diagnosed me with dyslexia. I had experienced problems before then, but managed to hide them quite well by developing coping strategies without really realising it. This is something that a lot of people with dyslexia find themselves doing, which is why diagnosis often comes later than it should. So I'm thankful that my teacher was so observant and keen to help!

During the time you were in full time education, what sort of assistive tech or aids (such as colour overlays or audio dictator, computer etc.) did you have, if any?

I used lots of different coping strategies at school, some of which were technology-based and some not. Working with my teachers and my parents we first identified my issues, worked out what I needed then found suitable solutions. Personally I think this approach is much more effective than simply choosing the products that are well known or popular. Visually I found large blocks of text quite distracting and difficult to read, so I got a reading ruler with a coloured overlay that also blocked out the text above and below, helping me to focus. Text to speech, which so many people use these days, was also a great help.

I also consider myself extremely lucky; I had a laptop funded by the Local Education Authority and a statement of Special Educational Need from the age of 12, which even today is far too rare. Another problem that children with dyslexia face is people thinking you're 'different' when you've got a laptop and headphones in lessons. I managed to overcome this, though - at break times my friends and I would write rude sentences on my laptop and use text to speech to read them out! I thought I was just making my assistive tech funny, but I think that doing this helped to break down the barriers and challenge negative stereotypes.

When did you first start coming up with the idea for Global AutoCorrect?


Global AutoCorrect was initially developed as a crude personal coping strategy when I was 15 - I found red underlines to be very distracting, and even if I ignored them the process of spell checking all those words at the end was disheartening. I first created Global AutoCorrect as a simple tool to automatically correct my spelling in any application, with a simple process for adding new corrections. As my personal list of corrections grew I was able to expand my vocabulary far beyond the words I knew how to spell, and I was also able to track the words I was misspelling most frequently.

When I started at university I realised that other people could benefit from Global AutoCorrect, so in my spare time I started developing it into a commercial product. In 2009 Global AutoCorrect was released to the public and the rest, as they say, is history!

You have received several awards for Global AutoCorrect, how has this recognition for your work made you feel?

Actually, this has changed quite significantly over time, as the business has developed. I was named the British Dyslexia Association's Young Achiever of the Year in 2010, which was a big source of personal validation for me. A well-respected organisation was recognising the work that I'd done. This in turn helped me to recognise that my product was helping others and that I was genuinely making a difference.

In 2011 I was named Cardiff University's Graduate Entrepreneur of the Year. Of course I was absolutely thrilled to receive this title, but it also demonstrated to me that what had began as my own personal project was turning into something that was really going places!

Our latest award was AbilityNet's own Technology4Good Accessibility Award. This was the first award that had been given to the company as a whole, and it's served as brilliant motivation for the team. The awards ceremony was also a fantastic opportunity to explore bringing Global AutoCorrect into the workplace; we have made so many useful contacts at the event which are evolving into long term relationships in the corporate environment. Overall, we're really grateful to AbilityNet for the fantastic exposure that has made such a big difference to our company.







So where is LexAble now?

The company has changed so much in the past year or so - originally it was just me doing everything but we've now got a fantastic team of people working to develop the software and to bring it to a wider audience. Although we're quite a small company, we're growing all the time and it's amazing how quickly things are changing! We're also working with some of the world's leading experts to continually improve Global AutoCorrect's ability to make accurate corrections, and conducting research with Cardiff University to look at some of the additional benefits of our software for people with dyslexia.

Technology moves so quickly, what’s in store for LexAble in the future? e.g: App for tablets/phones?

The key thing we're working on right now is the development of Global AutoCorrect for Mac - this is the most frequent request we receive and we will be releasing it in 2013! We're also developing some fantastic improvements to our existing software that will benefit all of our users - watch this space! From a wider perspective, tablets and smartphones are rapidly changing how people interact with technology and the world around them, and we're exploring some interesting ways to harness these changes.

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Useful Links:
Lexable's Website: http://www.lexable.com
Follow LexAble on Twitter: @LexAbleSoftware
Technology4Good Awards: www.technology4goodawards.org.uk 
AbilityNet Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AbilityNet

Real Life Dragon Aids Fantasy Author

Sir Terry Pratchett is a world renowned fantasy novelist. His most famous work would be the Discworld series which has about 40 volumes! Not to mention a massive Fandom which has led to worldwide Discworld conventions!

He has sold over 70 million books worldwide which have been translated into 37 languages, which makes him , currently the second most-read writer in the UK.

On average, Pratchett has written at an incredible rate of two books a year.

However, in the winter of 2007, Terry Pratchett announced that he had been diagnosed with early on-set Alzheimer’s Disease.

Typical Alzheimer’s disease is most commonly associated with deterioration in memory, language, perception and a host of other skills and abilities.
During our lives, most of us will be affected by Dementia, whether it be ourselves, a friend or family member.

Pratchett has a rare form of Alzheimer’s called Posterior Cortical Atrophy (PCA).

Unlike other forms of Alzheimers, individuals with posterior cortical atrophy tend to have well preserved memory and language, but instead show a progressive, dramatic and relatively selective decline in vision and/or literacy skills such as spelling, writing and arithmetic.

Pratchett has turned to assistive technology, to help him continue with his work.
He uses speech to text software Dragon Dictate.

Like most assistive technology, Dragon can take some getting used to. Speaking unusually slowly or pausing between words will only make it more difficult for Dragon to interpret your speech accurately.
If you imagine all the names of places and characters in the wonderful world of Terry Pratchett, they’re not likely to be in your average dictionary.
Combining Dragon with some extra assistive technology from TalkingPoint, a solution was found:

“ Without a shadow of a doubt, I must be one of the toughest customers to accommodate; as an author I use a huge working vocabulary and let us say an idiosyncratic writing style" says Pratchett.

"But I did have one big advantage. We dumped all of my novels, in electronic format into the computer, which overnight absorbed my personal vocabulary into its own; don't ask me about the algorithms involved, but it can make a pretty good stab at understanding me, amazingly so, I will add, given that I have an accent like David Bellamy with his hand caught in an electric fire. Even so, with the most minimal of training, both of myself and of the machine, I was producing decent copy by the end of day one. Complex words were no problem at all; talking point loves complex words, because they are more distinctive." 

Statistics from the Alzheimer's Society states that there are currently 800,000 people with dementia in the UK. And there will be over a million people with dementia by 2021.

A year ago in October 2011, Sir Terry Pratchett become one of AbilityNet's patrons.

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Useful Links:

Full Talking Point Article:  

http://www.talkingpoint.uk.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=103:sir-terry-pratchett-testimonial-&catid=166:testimonials&Itemid=107

Terry Pratchett's Website:
http://www.terrypratchett.co.uk/
Dragon Software:
http://shop.nuance.co.uk/store/nuanceeu/en_GB/pd/productID.253297100/quantity.1/OfferID.20321220909/pgm.52895800?resid=UHfhaAoHAtYAAFNJovEAAABN&rests=1350033768189

Still a Superman

REMEMBERING CHRISTOPHER REEVE:   (1952 – 2004)

October 10, 2004  marks the 8^th Year anniversary of his death.

With America celebrating Disability Awareness Month, we take a look at how an unfortunate accident dramatically changed the life of the Silver Screen hero, which led him to become the Voice for spinal injury suffers internationally.

We know him best for his portrayal of DC Comic Hero, Superman.
In 1995, Christopher Reeve became a ventilator-dependent quadriplegic after he suffered a spinal cord injury in a tragic horse riding accident.

Not long after he returned home from hospital, Christopher began to search for ways to help other people with spinal cord injuries, by using his name and celebrity status. He urged the scientific world to push forward in researching new ways to help improve the quality of life for those whose lives were affected by this type of injury.

Together with his Wife, they set up the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. The Foundation provides much needed information, advice and support for people with paralysis and their families.

Their website has some great information on the different types of assistive technology and includes a list of “2012 Best Apps for Individuals Living with Paralysis” .

Since the invention of smart phones and tablets, its been possible for people with disabilities to access a whole new world of technology which previously was unavailable to them.

Assistive Technology has moved on from hard to obtain,clunky, expensive hardware to having the power in your pocket, with thousands of free downloadable apps.  Not to mention the ability to customise accessibility options on your device to suit your needs, whether you have a visual, cognitive or motor impairment.

Christopher fought to increase research funding and attention at a federal level by appearing in front of Congress as a patient advocate.

On the 10^th October 2004, Christopher Reeve passed away from heart failure. He would have been 60 years old this year. He left behind a legacy that continues to assist many people with spinal cord injuries through therapy, grants, support groups, a massive resource centre and the Foundation is heavily involved in stem cell and other research. 

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Links:
http://www.christopherreeve.org
http://www.christopherreeve.org/site/c.mtKZKgMWKwG/b.8295959/k.2F05/2012_Best_Apps.htm

Mind over Mobility

“..technology is a vital part of human existence. ..the right tools in the right hands can help everyone, regardless of our frailties, to achieve our true potential and advance as a civilisation.” -Stephen Hawking

When considering the list of inspirational people who use assistive technology to achieve great things, at the top of most lists would be Professor Stephen Hawking.

The World famous Cosmologist, Physicist, Mathematician and Author was originally only given an estimated couple of years to live after the initial diagnosis of his illness.

Stephen Hawking has Motor Neurone Disease, also known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.
This means that over a period of time the cells that control voluntary muscle activity (including speaking, walking, breathing, swallowing and general movement of the body) start to degenerate. 

For what is an extremely limiting illness for some, hasn’t restricted Prof. Hawking from doing anything he wants to do. 

He’s written a number of books including best seller, ‘A Brief History Of Time” (1988) which has sold over 10,000,000 copies. He has also co-written children’s fiction with the help of his daughter, Lucy. 

His popularity and sense of humour has landed him cameo roles in some of popular cultures greatest shows such as Star Trek TNG, The Simpsons, Futurama and most recently in The Big Bang Theory.

As of 2012, Stephen Hawking is almost completely paralysed.
He lost the ability to speak after he had a tracheotomy operation following pneumonia back in 1985.   

 “For a time, the only way I could communicate was to spell out words letter by letter, by raising my eyebrows when someone pointed to the right letter on a spelling card." says Hawking, “ It is pretty difficult to carry on a conversation like that, let alone write a  scientific paper.”

Technological advancements have allowed Hawking to communicate through a text to speech device.  Before Prof. Hawking lost the mobility in his hands, he had used a thumb switch and a blink-switch attached to his glasses to control his computer and select the correct letters.
He now uses muscle movement in his face, combining squeezing his cheeks and "blinking” which activates an infra-red switch which can scan and select characters (letter by letter) on the screen in order to compose speeches, surf the Internet and send e-mails.

In July this year, it was announced that several American companies are researching new ways that Assistive Technology can help Prof. Hawking. Due to Hawking’s condition, his cheek muscles will eventually deteriorate, which could eliminate his ability to communicate, leaving him with “Locked-in Syndrome”.

One American scientist, Professor Philip Low, is working on something called ‘iBrain’. The iBrain is a headset that records brain waves through EEG (electroencephalograph) readings - electrical activity recorded from the user's scalp.

This may allow Prof. Hawking to "write" words with his brain as an alternative to his current speech system which interprets cheek muscle movements.

Alternatively , US chipmaker, Intel, announced that it had also started work to create a new communication system for Prof. Hawking. It is attempting to develop new 3D facial gesture recognition software to speed up the rate at which Prof. Hawking can write.

Hopefully the research and discoveries from these scientists will benefit many others who face similar communication restrictions due to their disability.

Stephen Hawking is a highly decorated person, and has received many major awards and honors for his work.

Earlier this year Professor Stephen Hawking was the toast of the Technology4Good Awards, winning a Special Award for Excellence in Accessibility at the Awards Ceremony at BT Centre, London. The 200-strong audience heard a specially recorded acceptance speech from the man himself

The Awards are organised by AbilityNet and BT to recognise the many ways that people use computers and the internet to help make the world a better place. Professor Hawking received the Special Award for inspiring disabled people to achieve their true potential.

Accepting the Award he said:

“I am delighted to accept this Award as recognition for all the truly great things that disabled people can achieve when technology has given them the chance to shine.  I was lucky to have been born in the computer age.  Without them, my life would have been miserable and my scientific career impossible.

 “AbilityNet continues to help disabled people in all walks of life and the Technology4Good Awards remind us that technology is a vital part of human existence. They show us that the right tools in the right hands can help everyone, regardless of our frailties, to achieve our true potential and advance as a civilisation.”

Listen to Stephen Hawking's Speech here: 

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resources:http://www.hawking.org.uk/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-18749963http://www.gizmag.com/ibrain-stephen-hawking-communicate-brainwaves/23182/

Disability Employment Awareness Month

October is the month in which America has its annual celebration of Disability Employment Awareness Month. The idea behind it is not only to raise awareness, it recognises the contributions of people with disabilities to both their workforce and society.


It's started to build momentum each year that it has taken place.

AbilityNet is one of the UK's leading experts in working with employers and helping disabled people in their workforce be more comfortable and productive at work.

Here are some interesting facts :

• One in five people of working age is disabled.
• 78% of disabled people acquire their impairment aged 16 or older.
• 2% of the UK working age population becomes disabled every year.

Research by the Health & Safety Executive shows that disabled employees are:

• As productive as their colleagues.
• Have less time off sick.
• Stay longer in their jobs.
• Have fewer work accidents.

Earlier this year, we posted a video on our YouTube channel which showed some of these incredible statistics on the benefits of employing someone with a disability.MiDRAS is a single, comprehensive service that helps you to manage workplace disability issues efficiently and cost effectively. 

Take a look at our video on MiDRAS 

Employers are legally responsible for ensuring their employees are adequately equipped to do their job, which includes making 'reasonable adjustments' to their workstation, but there are many benefits to our services:

• Improved efficiency.
• Increased staff loyalty and retention - saving recruitment costs.
• Improved recruitment processes.
• Compliance with the law (Equality Act 2010) and lower risk of litigation.

To find out more about MiDRAS please visit our website:

http://www.abilitynet.org.uk/assessment/midras

or give us a call free on :
0800 269 545