Helping people with speech disabilities to communicate on their own

The ability to communicate verbally is an essential part of what makes us human. It expresses our personality. It showcases our individuality. Communication should enable, not hold us back. 

That’s why the Voiceitt mission is simple: use technology to improve the lives of people with non-standard speech or speech impairments. 

What is Voiceitt — and who is it for?

Founded in 2012, and headquartered in Tel Aviv, Voiceitt’s mission is to help people with disabilities live more connected, independent lives. Voiceitt’s automatic speech recognition (ASR) enables people with speech disabilities to access mainstream voice technologies, communicate by voice — and be understood. It was designed specifically for people with speech impairments caused by conditions such as:

• Cerebral palsy

• Stroke 

• ALS

• Parkinson’s disease

• Down syndrome 

• Brain injuries  

Help Voiceitt make speech recognition technology accessible to everyone — and they’ll reward you with $100. 

Voiceitt recently launched its community engagement initiative, to make automatic speech recognition accessible to everyone–and they need your help! 

Sign up for their Project Ensemble initiative. Voiceitt is asking individuals with non-standard speech, caused by ALS, Cerebral Palsy, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, Down syndrome, or brain injuries to submit voice recordings via the Project Ensemble dashboard — AND, as a thank you for their time, they’ll be rewarded with a $100 Amazon gift card. 

As a company, they take pride in helping people in their everyday lives. By giving them the freedom to communicate on their own — and be understood — Voiceitt can help remove barriers and increase independence. 

The Voiceitt App is available for iOS users

As a Voiceitt user, you can train the app to recognize your unique voice. It’s easy and intuitive. Best of all, once you do, the app does something truly life-changing: it can speak for you in real-time — helping you be understood. Get ready to enjoy more freedom and control in a variety of everyday settings, including:

• In-person conversations with family and friends

• FaceTime conversations on your mobile phone or tablet

• Ordering at a restaurant

• Job interviews

• Interactions at a store

• Medical appointments  

Voiceitt also works with Alexa!

That’s right. The Voiceitt App easily integrates with Amazon Echo devices and Alexa. So now you can use your voice to manage tons of daily activities around your home, such as:

• Turning your TV on or off

• Turning on/off lamps and lighting

• Turning on/off a radio

• Adjusting the thermostat for heating or air conditioning

• Arming/disarming a home security system

• Checking your doorbell camera

We invite you to be a part of it. Download the Voiceitt App today and be sure to sign up for Project Ensemble. You’ll be helping yourself — and thousands of other individuals like you. 

A Conversation with Gina Brelesky

Pat: Gina, I know you have been running a ton of free learning events over the last two years for people who work in human services and, in particular, the disability “industry”. I am excited to hear all about that but let’s start with a little bit about you. Tell me a little about who you are!

Gina: Thanks Pat, I am happy too. You are correct I have been running many events over the past two years! I have spent most of the last 35 years in human services supporting people with IDD. It truly has been my career. I started as a direct support professional and continued in operations for the first half of my career. I discovered during that time that I loved to support my team members to grow and develop their talents. I am a teacher at heart! I ultimately found my way into the learning and development space so I could more fully support team members and the organizations I was working with to grow their talent and plan for succession. 

So, for the past 17 years or so, I have been able to do what I love – develop talent!

Pat: That’s great, I got my start as a DSP too! In a nutshell, tell me about the last two years and your community- Experience Human.

Gina: Absolutely, I would love to! At the start of the pandemic, like so many people, I felt called to do something more. I wasn’t sure what it would be. I just knew I wanted to do something. I asked myself, “what are you good at that other people might benefit from?” This forced me to take stock of my strengths. You have to understand that technology has been my friend for many years. Particularly video conferencing. I have been using video meetings in my coaching business for the last ten years. I meet with leaders all over the country via Zoom, so meeting via the digital space was comfortable for me. So, I came up with a few strengths; I was good at using a digital platform to hold meetings and events, I was a teacher and facilitator, and I have a lot of wonderful professionals in my life! This led me to create Experience Human. 

Pat: That is so cool, you were using online video conferencing before everyone was pushed into it. I bet that gave you quite the edge! 

So you figured out what you are good at and felt called to do something for those working day in and day out during the pandemic to support people with disabilities. So, what exactly is Experience Human?

Gina: Experience Human is a beautiful community that grew organically by me offering free learning events and guest speakers to anyone working in human services. I called on my friends and colleagues to donate their time and expertise, and they did! Initially, I was offering a session almost weekly. Now I offer 1 or 2 a month, and I plan to continue them. 

The coolest part about these events is the community that now exists. We have people from all over the US and Canada attending these sessions. Because our sessions are very engaging and interactive, they have gotten to know one another well! They love seeing one another in the breakout rooms! 

Pat: That is awesome! You mentioned having many sessions, and I also know you enjoy technology. Maybe you can explain how you share the importance of technology with this community through the sessions you offer? 

Gina: Sure! I believe that for our field to continue to progress, we must become adept at using various technologies. Those of us working in human services need to keep ourselves updated on what is new on the tech front to continue to innovate and do an even better job at supporting others. If we do not do that, we will fall behind, and those we support will also fall behind. As you know Pat, there are so many wonderful technologies that exist today that can be used to help people learn, be more independent, and live more fully. We need to know those technologies exist to explore them with the people we support. I love inviting experts in the tech space to come and present to our community. Dustin Wright has been on twice, and the group just loves what he has to share. It is fun to watch the group while he is speaking; they are all feverously taking notes! The tech space is a space I will continue to explore with our community, and we will continue to invite tech experts to share their wisdom with us!

Pat: That’s great, Gina! I appreciate you making time for this and most importantly. I really appreciate that you continue to advocate for this field to become tech-savvy!

Connect with Gina

Intimidation in the Gym : Logan Anderson of All Strong Fitness LLC

Moving your body and exercising is something that is incredibly hard for most individuals to consistently participate in and stick with long term. This is due to a variety of reasons, including time, costs associated with going to the gym, not enjoying the exercise, and plenty of other reasons. In addition to this, there are also numerous self confidence issues that individuals run into when considering working out in a gym or fitness center. “Everyone will be looking at me.” “They probably all think I am fat.” These thoughts plague many beginners that start their journey in the gym, paralyzing them from making any long term progress for themselves. Unfortunately, individuals with any type of disability, whether it be physical, mental, or emotional, may deal with this insecurity even more so. Not only are you a beginner to navigating the gym, but you might also have a disability that separates you from what society might consider “normal.” With a few subtle reminders, and reassurance about our capabilities and priorities, working out in a public gym can hopefully be less intimidating than it is for you, currently.

One of the first things to address when talking about intimidation in the gym, is to think about the other members that are there. This is largely where a lot of the insecurity may come from. You may look around and see others with huge muscles, slim bodies, and confidence that you may never think you can achieve. The thing about these individuals is that they started out just like you. They started out as a beginner, not knowing anything about working out and the gym. Just like a self made millionaire starts out with only a couple dollars, these individuals started out with just the gym membership itself. The way that they did this is through consistency in their health promoting lifestyle, and lack of comparison to others. If those individuals always looked at how others were achieving and then placed judgment on themselves, they would have quit a long time ago. The same can be true for you. No matter what your current physical or mental capabilities are, there is simply no need to compare who you are to other individuals. You were not born with the same life they currently hold, so comparison is useless. Remember that the individuals in the gym are there for their own personal reasons. If someone is working out in the gym and judges, stigmatizes, or makes fun of you, they have a large amount of insecurity that they are currently dealing with. These individuals are not someone who you want to have in your life anyway. Instead, try to foster the relationships of individuals who try to know you at the gym. Meeting the owner, front desk associates, and even some of the members who are willing to talk will build a sense of community for yourself, and decrease the intimidation.

Another aspect of intimidation is the judgment we place on ourselves. The saying that “you are your harshest critic” is very true, we beat ourselves up over everything. If you walk into the gym and can’t complete an exercise machine due to a physical disability, or aren’t able to participate in a group class because you aren’t able to mentally keep up, this can be extremely frustrating. “I can’t do this,” “I always mess up,” “My disability strikes again,” are all thoughts that can cloud your mind. But why? Likely, your expectations for yourself are too high. There is of course time for us to have ambitions and goals, but we often push too hard on ourselves, especially in new environments. The last thing you should be doing when beginning your journey into exercise, health, and nutrition, is to be judging yourself for every slip up. I want you to know that EVERYONE messes these things up. You should go into this knowing you probably will mess up to some degree. If you try to use a treadmill for the first time and get overwhelmed and quit, it is okay. If one of your friends shows you an exercise that you don’t understand, it is okay. The idea is that there are many different ways that you can exercise and move your body. Do not be rigid in your plan, following others and what they do, but rather what you want to do and enjoy. If you don’t do this, you will never be able to sustain yourself and lead a happier healthy life.

In short, when you are feeling intimidated in the gym, remind yourself of why you are there. You want to improve your strength, stamina, fitness, and overall self confidence for yourself. Not for the members at the gym, not for the cashier at the grocery store, but for yourself. Find reasons to exercise that directly will impact your life, and make working out a time to work on yourself both physically and mentally. Most importantly, find something that makes you feel confident, something that you enjoy, and something that you can keep up with for a long period of time.

Bio:

Logan Anderson is the owner of All Strong Fitness LLC, an inclusive fitness and health company that helps individuals with a variety of special needs improve their overall wellness. He has worked with seniors, special olympics athletes, best buddies members, and many others to help improve their health lifestyles. He enjoys empowering everyone, regardless of their current physical and mental abilities to become more independent in their health journeys. To learn more about him what he does, feel free to visit allstrongfitness.org for more information.

Impact of AI on Tracking Activities of Daily Living

AI used to be such a foreign concept to the layman. Something only big tech wizards and scientists knew about, the kind of technology that seems a little too far-fetched for the ordinary citizen. Isn’t it grand that today, we hold AI systems at the palm of our hands?

The phone you may be reading this article from has loads of AI systems. Those laptops students use to do their school work is run by tools with machine learning capabilities. Everywhere we are surrounded by AI, unknowingly and quietly making our lives a little easier. 

Artificial intelligence in our daily lives

We interact with AI every day. Unbeknownst to us, we’ve gotten quite adept at it. Below are a few examples of AI in our everyday lives, what they track and how they affect us. 

AI in the kitchen

From making meal plans to cooking meals, and even in your kitchen gadgets, AI has infiltrated our kitchens. And it’s a good thing. 

Smart kitchens are now a real thing. There are AI powered refrigerators that help you keep track what you have inside, and how fresh they are. You can turn your smart oven on to handle various types of cooking. There is even an AI run wine dispenser that dispenses wine at just the right temperature. 

Don’t know what to cook? There are online tools for that too. And the really nifty part is when you see a picture of food that you think you can cook, you can generate the recipe just from that one photo. There is a tool on Facebook where you input a photo of food and it automatically reverse-engineers the recipe for you. 

Everything is much easier to manage in the kitchen when you have the right set of tools. AI tools, that is. 

Fitness

Nowadays it is doubly important to stay healthy. It’s a good thing that there are a lot of fitness trackers around. 

Fitness trackers follow a lot of things. They track your daily physical activities through your heart rate, respiratory rate, duration of activity. They even track your location, so they can measure the distance you’ve run and map out your usual routes for you. All the data collected by your fitness trackers will paint a picture of your current physical health. The data collected over time will help you track your improvements and setbacks, making it easier for you to modify your regimen to attain your fitness goals. 

Speaking of fitness, a healthy body is created in the kitchen. There are online apps that help you keep track of the number of calories you intake every day. All you need to do is put in the food you eat, and the quantity and the app will automatically calculate your total calories for you throughout the day. This makes for easier tracking if you are on a diet or if you are just conscious about the number of calories you take in during the day. 

Transportation

Feeling like you took a wrong turn on your way to your destination? No worries, most cars now have GPS trackers that tell you where you are and how to get to where you want to be from your current location. People really no longer need paper maps or compasses to get from point A to point B. Unless they want to for entertainment. 

Apps like Waze and your car’s navigation system track your speed and location. Some of them even track the traffic on the streets to your destination. This helps you find the easiest and fastest routes. 

And if you don’t have a car, AI helps you out when you book an Uber or a Lyft. Their systems look for the closest driver to you so you don’t have to wait long for your ride. It also tracks your route, the duration of your ride, and where they dropped you off. These make booking rides a little safer especially because you can share your location real time to your friends or family while you are in the car. 

Conclusion

AI has been integrated so seamlessly into our lives. We’ve gotten used to the convenience it brings. With smart homes and better apps becoming more popular, the relationship between man and artificial intelligence looks to have a bright future.

Written by:

Accessible Online Fitness for Everyone

A healthy lifestyle requires both eating properly and having regular exercise. Unfortunately, for many people with disabilities, access to exercise programs and quality nutrition is not always or easily available. The vast majority of gyms are not set up to meet the needs of a person with a disability. Most fitness classes, whether at gyms or online, do not provide the necessary modifications to support a person with a physical or developmental disability.  The same can be said about nutrition. With many people with disabilities falling in the lower income bracket, the food they can afford is often the food with the least nutrition. In addition, many people with disabilities are prescribed medications that often have side effects, including weight gain. This often leaves those with disabilities at a higher risk for health complications .Statistically, a person with a disability is 58% more likely to be classified as obese than a person without a disability (Centers for Disease Control). Not only can a sedentary lifestyle lead to physical health problems, it can lead to mental health problems such as depression and lethargy. 

Sadly, during the COVID-19 Pandemic, the opportunities for exercise and nutrition opportunities have been reduced even further and a new challenge has arisen for the disability community: the lack of meaningful daily activities. Because of health conditions that put them at greater risk of the effects of the virus, many people with disabilities have a new normal and lead a life that involves sheltering in place to quarantine from the Coronavirus. For these people, day programs are often either closed completely or are operating at a much lower capacity in the form of predominantly virtual programs. Jobs or employment programs are either closed or not safe to go to. Going into the community, an activity that prior to the pandemic was looked upon as the ideal way to spend one’s time as a way to promote integration, is now out of the question. The idea of creating meaningful days has gotten much harder as often the go-to activity for the day is now watching television. With limited  daily activities available, people with disabilities are more than ever looking for valuable, healthy, fun, and positive activities to fill their days.

Organizations that support people with disabilities are struggling mightily as well during this pandemic. Day programs face the challenge of keeping operations going without being able to have in-person activities. Many day programs have lost large percentages of their participants. Many have had to put up makeshift virtual programming to engage their members, but have struggled with technological challenges and challenges to put quality content together for their virtual participants. Residential programs are struggling as well. Staff of residential homes not only have to keep their residents safe through this terrible pandemic, but also need activities to do with their residents, many of whom will not be allowed to leave their homes for months at a time. Almost a year into the pandemic, and with still, at a minimum, many months of pandemic ahead of them, these organizations need help.

Both people with disabilities and organizations that support people with disabilities need innovative organizations to help them through this challenging time. One such organization is a Maryland-based fitness company called SPIRIT Club. SPIRIT Club is an organization that believes exercise is not only essential to living a happy and healthy life, it is also a human right. Therefore, exercise and fitness should be made accessible to everyone, regardless of their circumstances. SPIRIT Club offers a style of fitness that is created based on the concept of universal design, maintaining that exercise and wellness should be available to ALL. SPIRIT Club works with people with and without disabilities, and its vision is to create an integrated environment where EVERYONE can exercise side by side. SPIRIT Club spreads its fitness philosophy through in-person and virtual group classes and personal training.

During the pandemic SPIRIT Club has adapted its programming to provide virtual fitness and healthy lifestyle classes both to individuals and organizations. SPIRIT Club offers 9 classes per week in the forms of Fitness, Yoga, Zumba, Boxing, Meditation, & Healthy Cooking. At a time when so many people and organizations lack quality content with which to fill their days, SPIRIT Club provides unlimited access to its high-quality and diverse content.

SPIRIT Club’s classes are designed to be as flexible and as accessible as possible so that they can fit the needs of any organization or any person:

· Flexibility: After airing live, SPIRIT Club classes are available on-demand so they can be watched at any time. They are designed without requiring equipment so that they can be taken anywhere, with any sized group. SPIRIT Club has a great assortment of virtual classes so that there is something for everyone, ensuring a variety in daily activities.

· Accessibility: Classes are taught with multiple trainers on screen simultaneously, each leading a different modified form of the same exercise (standing, seated, and advanced). This ensures that at any point, there is a trainer on screen teaching a version of the exercise that is appropriate for anyone. The exercises themselves are explained in simplified 1- or 2-step movements to make them easier to follow for a person with a developmental disability, yet no less valuable in terms of the efficacy of the exercise. Along with physically demonstrating exercises, trainers focus on being as verbally descriptive as possible so that people who are visually impaired or blind can participate. The trainers also integrate certain aspects of American Sign Language into the classes, and give the option for closed captions so that people who are hard of hearing or deaf can participate.

· Certifications: SPIRIT Club Lead Trainers are dual-certified. In addition to being certified personal trainers, they are trained and certified by their state’s developmental disability administration to work with people of all abilities so that they have the proper understanding of how to design classes, how to communicate, and how to motivate so that people with and without disabilities can participate fully.

Since the start of the pandemic, SPIRIT Club has expanded its reach from locally in Maryland to having nearly 100 partnering organizations in over 25 states, supporting 3000+ people with and without disabilities. SPIRIT Club’s classes with their flexibility, accessibility, and high quality, have become a crucial asset for individuals and organizations as they try to safely navigate through what remains of this pandemic. 

Written by David Godoy, SPIRIT Club Co-trainer:

“ My name is David Godoy  I am a Spirit Club member and employee. Born with a disability has been difficult journey. It has its ups down  but it is never impossible to achieve my dreams and goals. With perseverance  and determination I continue doing my best, thriving and seizing each moment, especially if that moment is with my Spirit Club family.   I am extremely happy to have a life just like everyone else, doing things I love to do and passion about what I do, one of them being a member and employee of SPIRIT Club. The main reason being we are all  a family and help each other and support each other. Teamwork unites us all. Now that we are facing a pandemic I continue with the same focus, perseverance, determination, and courage. We are doing things little bit differently but we continue giving our best.

Top Career Paths for those With Severe Physical Disabilities

Having a severe physical disability can make job hunting very difficult. However, 2020 has proven that many careers are actually more accessible than people might think. Reflecting on the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act in light of the current pandemic, Leadership Coordinator at Human Services Research Institute Nicole LeBlanc writes that, "COVID-19 is showing us that many jobs can be done from home when given access to technology and high-speed internet." And this will not be a temporary trend: The percentage of people permanently working from home is already expected to double this year.

All this is why there are more career paths now for you to explore in the coming years. Here are some of the best ones:

Market research analyst

Every company needs someone who can help analyze their sales data to find out what their customers want to buy, who wants to buy their products, and what they're willing to pay to get them. This is the job of a market research analyst. As one of the top careers in data analytics, the demand for market research analysts is higher than ever. In fact, from 2016 to 2026, the profession's growth is projected to rise by 23%. To become a market research analyst, you need a bachelor’s degree in market research or a related mathematics field such as statistics. And as a computer based job that can be easily done at home it is ideal for those with mobility issues.

Online counselor

Your disability gives you a unique perspective that can help other disabled individuals navigate their own hardships. Of course, you can extend your help to those without disabilities, too. As a counselor, you can choose to work in one field, such as family services, mental health, and others. But for some specialties, it helps to have an online MA degree for that area. Enrolling yourself in undergraduate programs in psychology, human services, and other social fields are good places to start your career in counseling.

Software developer

Aside from remote work, 2020 has accelerated the adoption of many tech products, from video conferencing software solutions to CRM. A software developer is in charge of creating these programs. Jobs in the computer science field are always growing, but the ones in software development more than others. In fact, employment in the field is going to grow by 22% from 2019 to 2029. This is much faster than average for most occupations. While a Computer Science degree is advantageous, you don’t need one to start a career in software development. Online certifications from reputable tech organizations like Microsoft, Citrix, and AWS will give you a good chance to get started.

Massage therapist

Massage therapy is a unique career where those who are visually impaired can excel at more than the average person. According to the American Institute of Alternative Medicine (AIAM), these people have “a better sense of touch,” which allows them to provide more effective treatments. Of course, given the current health scare, it might be difficult to put massage skills into practice.

Fortunately, you need all the time to prepare for this career. To become a licensed massage therapist, you need to graduate from a massage course, get at least six months of practical training, and complete the certification exam. For the first two, AIAM offers programs that are tailored for the visually impaired.

It can be challenging to find a career that you can thrive in. But once you do, you’ll find that if you work hard, you can be one of the best professionals in the field. Disability doesn’t have to stop you from succeeding.

 Prepared by: Jessie Boxkin

30th Anniversary ADA Reflection in a Time of Mass Uncertainty

written by: Nicole LeBlanc

Nicole LeBlanc

This year the Disability Community will celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act that was signed into law on July 1990 by President George HW Bush. Upon signing this historic piece of bipartisan legislation he is quoted saying ”Let the Shameful Walls of Finally Come Tumbling down”. This is by far one of my favorite quotes on the successes disability rights activists and their allies have had in the fight for “True Inclusion in all aspects of community life. Many of the dreams and goals of the ADA are at the heart of creating a system of care that is “Truly Person-Centered”.

While the ADA has made advancements in things like physical accessibility, and community integration, however two areas where we as a society continue to fall short in is Integrated employment for adults with developmental disabilities and access to high quality healthcare that meets our needs in a person-centered way. Several studies show people with disabilities are a Medically underserved population.  We often have higher cost and worse health outcomes than the general population. Being declared a MUP by the CDC or congress could allow for more training of medical providers, higher rate of pay for doctors that provide care to us and more focus on prevention and the social determinants of health. DSP’s are the ones best positioned to support us in achieving better outcomes.  It is my hope that the next 30 years that we strive to eliminate health disparities and barriers to employment in the push for a world of true inclusion for all people with disabilities. I dream of a world of no ableism, racism, negative attitudes and stigma.  Given that we are in the thick of a massive Coronavirus pandemic only intensifies the urgent need to make this happen at all levels of government. This pandemic is giving the non-disabled world an idea of what it’s like to be disabled. 

“COVID19 is showing us that many jobs can be done from home when given access to technology and high speed internet. Access to high speed internet is another issue we must address if we are to close the digital accessibility divide. I hope that the new normal is more inclusive of diversity and disability than our old normal.”

The Disability Community is the world’s largest minority group and we have so much further to go in achieving equality and equity for all. Lastly we need to shift the disability benefit system and change attitudes among providers, family members and employers on the benefits of hiring people with disabilities. To support higher rates of employment for people with disabilities we need to eliminate work disincentives in the Social Security benefit system and expand access to supported employment for those without access to home-community based services. Only after we have done these and many other things will we see a societal shift in attitudes about disability.  

Concluding thoughts

It is my hope that when this nightmarish pandemic ends it will ignite an intense focus on addressing health disparities and attitudinal barriers faced by people with disabilities so that we can be valued for who we are and be given equal access to care and support across all settings. 

My Vision, Reflection for a New and Better Normal After COVID & Vision of the Next 30 years of ADA

As we celebrate and reflect on 30 years of the Americans with Disabilities Act & 100 years of Vocational Rehabilitation during a national pandemic, it is especially important to use this down time and crisis to dream of a new and better normal. One that is accessible, accommodating and respects the intersectionality of all social justice movements. As Audrey Lorde once said “There is No Such Thing as Single Issue Struggle Because We Do Not Live Single Issue Lives” We are all impacted by all social justice movements. Ex Climate Justice, Economic Justice , Migrant Justice , Civil Rights, Womens, Workers and Disability Rights are all interconnected  with one another. In times like these the disability community must join forces with non-disability groups and give space for people of color especially to step up and lead the way in achieving the dream of a fully inclusive diverse world where everyone is respected for who they are. A world where no one is discriminated against due to race, gender, disability and so forth in all aspects of society.

Over the next 30 years with the ADA it is my hope that the COVID19 pandemic will provide a greater sense of urgency in the need to create a world that is more inclusive and accessible for all people with disabilities. Some of the ways in which to make this happen include:

1. Declaring people with I/DD a Medically Underserved population and requiring that all healthcare providers receive training on disability awareness , ableism and racism. Doing so will eliminate the poor health outcomes and hopefully increase our life expectancy.

2. End the institutional bias in Medicaid by making access to Home-Community Based Waiver Supports an entitlement. Also get rid of waitlist , IQ limits and needing to be in crisis to get services as part of eligibility criteria.

3. Invest in affordable and accessible housing that is build in areas with robust public transit access. Along with areas where it is easy to get to places with food.

4. Allow anyone with a disability to buy into Medicaid, Medicare and Long Terms Services and Supports.

5. Embrace the social model of disability by training doctors and providers of long term services and supports on the needs, rights, wants of people with disabilities.

6. Train all health, community agencies  and disability providers on cultural competence, implicit bias, ableism classism, and racism to name a few.

7. Embrace flexible work arrangements that allow people with disabilities to work from home. COVID is proof  that many jobs can be done from home. This is one of the easiest ways to eliminate transportation barriers and personal health risks during this and future pandemic outbreaks. It also saves time and money for us. It cuts down on commute time and the annoying headache of poor para-transit and public transit in general.

8. Vocational Rehabilitation can support person-centeredness by supporting folks to achieve dignified work in their prefered interest area. Rather than sticking them in jobs they think are best for us. This is especially important, when it comes to making the case for VR to pay for college classes for an degree to get a job in disability policy.

9. As a society we must eliminate the stigma that comes with seeking help or support from the government and community alike.

10. Tackle poverty among the poor, disability, senior and other minority communities. 

11. All disability and human service systems must embrace being truly person centered.

12. We must move away from Haves vs Have Nots.

13. Disaster preparedness must include the needs of people with disabilities.

Overall COVID19 is giving us a painful lesson in that we are Not immortal. If we all live long enough we will all join the disability club.  On a personal level when I see the reaction from the non-disabled world when it comes to routine disruption and anxiety, I hope they come away with more empathy and patience for all the challenges people like me have had to battle through.

COVID19 is showing the world that we are Not safe in segregated settings. (Examples-Group Homes, Nursing Homes, Day Programs, Sheltered Workshops, and Institutions) We all must work harder to eliminate racism and ableism from all parts of society. COVID19 is only going to make us speed up our state and federal push of moving from a system centered to being truly person-centered. Community is for all, All Means All. Covid19 is telling us we need to live in the moment and not always be in a rush. COVID19 is making it clear we need to change the way we interact with the climate. If not we will have worse virus outbreaks. COVID19 is showing us that many jobs can be done from home when given access to technology and high speed internet. Access to high speed internet is another issue we must address if we are to close the digital accessibility divide. I hope that the new normal is more inclusive of diversity and disability than our old normal.

LEAD ON

- Nicole L.

PlayBall: Smart Game Rehab Ball Takes Physiotherapy To The Next Level

One of the most important factors for the success of neurological or orthopedic rehabilitation is the patient's ability to persevere in therapy and practice. A main barrier for patients is the need to conduct monotonous, boring activities that will often not produce any tangible short-term results.

An innovative, cutting-edge solution which addresses this issue has been developed by the Israeli hi-tech firm, PLAYWORK. By transforming commonly used rehab equipment into a “smart” digital gaming platform, PLAYWORK’s system provides a simple, interactive, challenging and enjoyable recovery experience. In addition to providing immediate, real-time performance feedback, the system also monitors patient development over time.

Designed by PLAYWORK, PlayBall is a smart digital PhysioBall that allows users to engage in a vast number of interactive games while simultaneously performing a wide range of rehabilitative ball exercises. The ball can be used in a number of ways to build up strength and motion aimed to improve upper and lower limb functionality. The games themselves have been created with professional therapists in order to facilitate any customized, personal rehabilitation program, while also helping to develop cognitive and perceptual skills such as motion planning and hand-eye coordination.

Already a source of significant international interest, the system is currently being used successfully by a number of leading rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, geriatric centers, rehabilitation (OT\PT) clinics, child developmental settings, and recovery homes.

The product has recently received European medical CE approval, and PLAYWORK has signed a number of agreements with European and US distribution companies.

In a mutual statement given last week by PLAYWORK’s CEO, Mr. Yani Shachrur, and Mr. Ed Kasanders, CEO of Axtion-Tech (the main US distributor), it was affirmed that "PLAYWORK’s smart therapy and exercise ball is well placed in the market to satisfy an increasing demand for innovative, easy-to-use technological physical therapy products throughout the continent".

To learn more about the smart PlayBall system visit >> www.playwork.me

To watch clips of real patients using the system visit >> PlayBall on YouTube

Promising Assistive Technologies Coming Out of the Emerging Israeli Ecosystem

Those of us who work in the disabilities sector see the large and growing demand for assistive technologies (defined by the United States Assistive Technology Act of 1988 as “any product, device, or equipment, whether acquired commercially, modified or customized, that is used to maintain, increase, or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with a disability”). The United Nations calls persons with disabilities the largest minority group in the world. The World Health Organization says that more than 2 billion people will need at least one assistive technology product by 2030. Coherent Market Insights, forecasts that the global elderly and disabled assistive devices market will surpass $31 billion by 2027. But where will all of these assistive technologies come from? One answer: Israel.

First, Israel, the “Startup Nation”, has solidified its global reputation as second only to Silicon Valley for spawning technology businesses. In some sectors, such as cybersecurity and financial technology, Israel is a world leader. The country is now applying the Startup Nation innovation mentality to the world of accessibility, with over 230 companies producing assistive technology products. 

Second, with numerous top-tier rehabilitation centers and hospitals caring for persons with disabilities and the elderly, Israel’s assistive technology companies have a smooth path to partnering with such facilities to prototype, test and improve their products. In fact, several Israeli rehabilitation facilities now house incubation and innovation centers within their confines. Examples include ALYNnovation at ALYN Pediatric and Adolescent Rehabilitation Hospital in Jerusalem and ARC Innovation Center at Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer. 

Third, with its culture of tikkun olam (literally, repairing the world) Israel is home to several maker communities spurring creativity and development of assistive technology solutions with the potential to be scaled into global businesses. TOM - Tikkun Olam Makers runs global makaeathons that create and disseminate affordable solutions to neglected challenges of people living with disabilities, the elderly and the poor. Carmel 6000 handpicks highly qualified and motivated young Israelis to spend their two years of mandatory National Service developing innovative applications and solutions that benefit disadvantaged populations.

Fourth, there is growing Israeli governmental support specifically for the development of assistive technology. One example is the recently created “Assistive Technology for the Disabled Incentive Program”, a collaboration between the Israel Innovation Authority and the National Insurance Funds to offer up to 900,000 NIS grants (~$250,000) for research and development of technologies that serve groups with physical, mental or cognitive disabilities.

Fifth, my company, the newly formed INLET (the Israeli Network of Life Enhancing Technologies), is working with all the strong ingredients and entities in place in Israel and serving as a bridge to connect the Israeli assistive technology ecosystem to the growing global demand. Among other service areas, INLET is building a network of global relationships with entities such as Disability Cocoon, governmental agencies, insurance companies, hospitals, rehabilitation centers and corporations to streamline the complicated distribution of assistive technology products.  

Let’s look at a small range of the promising assistive technologies coming out of the emerging Israeli ecosystem.

Atvisor is the first digital platform for online assistive technology consultation – helping users and their caregivers find exactly what they need. The AI-based (artificial intelligence) platform enables healthcare professionals and individuals to type in specific limitations or needs and the Atvisor digital platform will instantly suggest assistive technology recommendations that best match that specific user’s needs. Recommended assistive technology products can then be purchased online, on Atvisor’s website, or via local suppliers, according to the user’s location. Atvisor’s innovative matching algorithm integrates decision rule procedures — usually employed by an assistive technology advisor in a lengthy consultation process – and provides more accurate matching results in less time.

RightHear uses tiny, smart beacon sensors to create the world’s most advanced spatial orientation solution for people who are blind or visually impaired.​ When using the free RighHear app in a venue in which the solution is installed (airports, restaurants, hospitals, universities, stores, etc.) the user receives audio cues to navigate him/her around that facility and notifies him/her where there are stairs, elevators, restrooms and more.  

Tongo is a tongue-based operating system that wirelessly controls smartphones, computers, wheelchairs and smart homes using only tongue muscles. For the tens of millions of people worldwide living with SCI, stroke, neurological disorders and a wide variety of other conditions that result in limited control over their fingers and hands, Tongo enables significantly increased independence and productivity.

Tunefork is leveraging the science that every human has a unique “earprint” just as they have unique fingerprints. Both founders have people close to them with hearing disabilities whose struggles with everyday activities, such as phone conversations, watching television and listening to music, motivated the Tunefork team to seek ways to improve the quality of life for people affected in similar ways. Using just a regular smartphone and regular set of headphones, the Tunefork solution enables the user to perform a simple hearing test and grades the user's specific hearing problem. Those test results, paired with sophisticated algorithms to adjust frequencies, create an optimal, custom-made audio experience for the user on their smart devices such as smartphones, smart homes, smart assistants, smart automotive and more, all of which rely on clarity of sound for efficient operation.

UPnRIDE is a wheeled robotic device for wheelchair users and anyone else with difficulty standing or walking. The device offers a safe ride whether going uphill, downhill, lateral slopes or on level surfaces in both standing and sitting positions. The standing position enables the user to have eye-level social interactions, enhancing dignity, self esteem and quality of life.  

by Jon Polin; a serial entrepreneur who previously founded several technology companies, now runs INLET. Just as an inlet is a narrow body of water acting as a conduit connecting a small body of water to a large body of water, INLET (the Israeli network of life enhancing technologies) acts as a conduit to bring the best life-enhancing technologies from Israel to people with disabilities and the elderly around the globe. 

For questions, contact jon@inlet.co.il 

Linking People with Disabilities and Supportive Technology: Ohio’s Road to Becoming a Technology First State

The Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) has committed to increase the use of supportive technology for Ohioans with developmental disabilities, which helps promote independence and connect people with their communities.

The state’s journey to incorporate supportive technology to benefit Ohioans with disabilities began in 2012, when DODD began supplementing behavioral health care funding via telepsychiatry video conferencing. This supported people with developmental disabilities with a co-occurring mental health diagnosis, who also lived in remote areas of the state without access to needed psychiatric care. A person could talk to their psychiatrist over a video feed at a place close to their job or home, promoting consistency of care and eliminating stressful office visits, often far away from a person’s community.

The telepsychiatry project successfully linked hundreds of Ohioans to this health care service, becoming a catalyst for DODD to continue studying ways to expand supportive technology services. In 2013, Ohio then became one of the first states in the nation to get approval from the federal government to add Remote Support services to its home and community-based services (HCBS) waivers.

DODD’s main aim included addressing the growing direct support professional staffing shortage by offering technology services that would provide people with an alternative way to receive in-home care. That would allow fewer providers to serve multiple people with disabilities at the same time from a remote location through video and sensor technologies. This lead to three years of experimentation and modest growth, with a small number of service providers giving technology a try.

During this time, providers started to see the opportunities from incorporating technology into their businesses and began to experiment with the boundaries of modern service delivery. Those early innovators and creators helped DODD understand how technology could streamline service delivery and increase profits. And, importantly, DODD began hearing success stories of people being less reliant on staffing, leading to more independence in their homes.

Starting in 2016, DODD decided to investigate what would be needed to dramatically expand supportive technology in Ohio. In the spring of that year, a joint venture between the department and the Ohio State University Nisonger Center began researching the kinds of technology available to Ohioans, as well as the barriers preventing expansion.

With the Nisonger Center’s nationwide review of existing and emerging technologies, and the expertise of a statewide stakeholder team, the department gained a better understanding of the types of technology available to support Ohioans with disabilities, the advancements in the sector, and where in Ohio technology was flourishing or lacking.

Through this partnership, DODD learned that people enjoyed the freedom that Remote Support and assistive technology provided (Assistive Technology later became an HCBS waiver service in 2019). This created a pivot point for Ohio as Remote Support services transitioned from a cost-savings measure to a gateway toward independence where people live, work, and play.

-Kyle Corbin, Services Development Manager, Ohio Technology Project, Division of Policy and Strategic Direction, Ohio DODD

Missouri’s Technology First Initiative – Year One

Missouri’s Technology First Initiative – Year One

Missouri announced its plan to become a Technology First State for people with developmental disabilities on Valentine’s Day 2019, at the Missouri Mental Health Commission meeting.   Technology First means considering the use of technology for any service need or support.  Missouri encourages the people we serve, their families, support coordinators and providers to determine if there is a technology solution that can improve quality of life, independence and privacy. 

People with Missouri’s home and community-based services and supports have had access to both assistive technology and remote support options since 2012.  Although the service was available, there was little promotion of the use of the service, or more importantly, the value of the service.  Following Ohio’s lead, Missouri developed a communication and training plan to get the word out about this well-kept secret. 

The first step is getting organized.  The Division of Developmental Disabilities created a committee of central office, regional office and contracted staff to identify areas for improvement in technology service utilization as well as communication.  Once this plan was developed, it was important for the Division to get buy-in from Missouri Governor Mike Parson, the Missouri Mental Health Commission, members of the Missouri General Assembly, other state agencies and our individual, family and provider stakeholder and advocacy groups.  While the Department of Mental Health and Division of Developmental Disabilities were educating key stakeholders, other Division staff were creating training and success story videos, a web-page, podcasts and webinar tools to help facilitate opportunities for those interested in learning more. 

A soft launch of the Technology First effort occurred with the first Tech Fest in Jefferson City.  Following the Valentine’s Day announcement, the Division took the communication and education effort on the road by hosting 10 Tech Fests across the state between January and October.  These Tech Fests reached over 1,000 people, including self-advocates, families, guardians, support coordinators, provider staff, and various state agency staff. 

With Tech Fests in motion, the Division developed benchmarks to measure the utilization of technology services, provider capacity and provider (both service and support coordination) success in supporting implementation.  Below are two examples of these benchmarks.

Benchmark #1 – 1,658 people receiving Medicaid Waiver funded supports will have supported technology authorized in their annual plan by December 31, 2021.

Benchmark #2 – All 115 counties will access Medicaid funding for at least one person for a) Remote Support and/or b) Assistive Technology. 

42% of Counties are accessing technology as of end of 2019.

Since then, the Division has been working with Disability Cocoon and other Technology First states to continue to develop/discuss how to truly implement and measure success of the Technology First effort.  Next steps include the development of an assessment tool and utilizing the NCI survey process in an effort to gather data on utilization, satisfaction and the impact of technology.

- Valerie Huhn, Director, Division of Developmental Disabilities & Wanda Crocker, Provider Relations State Lead & Technology First Coordinator Division of Developmental Disabilities

HRST and Technology's Place Mitigating Risk

The regulatory environment in which we find ourselves, with its emphasis on cost-effectiveness, necessitates more efficient spending on the part of service providers who draw money from the state. In the I/DD world, these cost savings are often difficult to achieve without sacrificing quality of care. Technology has emerged as a way to avoid this dilemma. Using sophisticated algorithms, the Health Risk Screening Tool (HRST) is able to identify at-risk groups within a provider’s population. This means dollars can be spent in prevention of health problems, as opposed to treatment of them down the line. But just identifying the at-risk populations and detailing what they are at risk for does not itself prevent health issues from occurring. Technology has provided solutions here as well. By taking a look at some of the categories of the HRST (as told by HRS President Dr. Craig Escude), we’ll survey assistive technology solutions already working toward addressing those issues.

In a Tech:Huddle with Disability Cocoon, Dr. Escude spoke about the particular categories HRST looks at, one of which was “Frequency of Service.” This included “professional healthcare services, ER visits, and hospitalizations.” People have already created technology systems to address this aspect of care. For example, StationMD allows doctors to visit a patient remotely in order to determine whether an ER visit is really necessary for a given health event. Providers who use StationMD report cost savings due to reduced hospitalizations and ER/Urgent Care visits. The potential combined efficacy of implementing both the HRST and StationMD to address any identified “Frequency of Service” risks is astounding and demonstrates how technology can operate on many different levels to address the needs of people with disabilities. 

Another HRST category was “Functional Status” which included the subcategories “Eating, Ambulation, Transfer, Toileting, Clinical Issues.” To aid with eating, there are AliMed’s Freedom Plates and Bowls (https://www.alimed.com/freedom-suction-plates-and-bowls.html?pid=67801&gclid=Cj0KCQjw5MLrBRClARIsAPG0WGyPDv1PYV6HihrdAuNjviY-r0uf47-iY783mKGrVSBX2PxXfLLFRHgaAmVsEALw_wcB) and comparable plate-ware that resist spills, tipping, and sliding. There are even more complex tools such as Liftware spoons like the Level, which keeps the bowl of the spoon steady even when the handle is turned at odd angles (https://www.liftware.com/level/). To take another subcategory from “Functional Status” Transfer is another area in which technology has begun to address needs. Lifts like the Drive Medical Auto Bath Lifter (https://www.drivemedical.com/us/en/products/bathroom-safety/bath-lifts/bellavita-auto-bath-lifter/p/445-1) and the LiftUp Raizer (https://www.liftup.us/products/raizer/) allow for more independence for the individuals but preserve and enhance safety at the same time. Just another demonstration of how effective screening combined with ingenious preventative measures can improve quality of life and reduce unnecessary costs. 

A third category in the HRST, “Safety,” is concerned with Falls and Injury. Tech systems like SafelyYou (https://www.safely-you.com/) are designed to lower fall rates and reduce the need for emergency services. Their system uses AI to determine whether a fall has occurred based solely on a two-dimensional representation (the video) of the event.

Finally, we would also be remiss if we did not at least mention the indirect benefits of improving health and increasing independence, happiness. The ability to be more independent thanks to a piece of technology improves well-being beyond what is commonly quantified. It could mean a little pep in their step, or more smiling during the day. The possibility they could feel more autonomous and self-actualized with a life-improving technological solution should be recognized as part of its important benefits. 

All in all, HRST can help identify risk-areas in populations,  and assistive technology can be a hefty part of the toolkit when it comes to addressing those risks to effectively manage health.

ElliQ Shows There's Much To Love About Aging Tech

Why is some technology considered assistive, adaptive, or enabling, and some isn’t? If we’re splitting hairs, all technology possesses at least one of these attributes. So why is it that in the world of disability services, people take such a narrow approach when drawing those lines? That is the question that has been on my mind lately: What makes a piece of technology properly “assistive technology?” I don’t have an answer to that question, but being aware of the fuzziness of the boundaries between regular technology and assistive technology provokes us to widen our consideration of what could be assistive to the people we serve.

Part of opening our minds to new technology possibilities includes recognizing the similarities and differences between ours and another industry, the aging assistive technology market. While the needs of the two populations are varied, the technology designed to serve them may not be as different as they appear. For this article, in order to compare and contrast these technologies, I will examine the ElliQ robotic companion. After going through its features, I will discuss how they are poised to serve similar needs in the population of people with disabilities. Following this, I will talk about how ElliQ could be changed to better suit the needs of people with disabilities. Altogether, I believe exploring ElliQ and its potential in the disability technology area will disrupt previously held notions about what constitutes assistive technology and encourage exploring solutions on the basis of the needs they serve and not who they are marketed to. 

To begin, what is ElliQ? ElliQ is the creation of Intuition Robotics, an Isreal-based company formed in 2016. Their team of roboticists, industrial designers, developers, gerontologists, and machine-learning experts worked together to create this flagship product. ElliQ won the 2018 CES Best of Innovation Award. The device itself is small, opaque white robot with a large, expressive head and an attached screen. ElliQ responds to voice commands but can also be interacted with via the screen. Similarly, ElliQ can talk but also uses the screen to display information. This combination of audial and visual representation provides accessibility for the hard of hearing or visually impaired. However, it should be noted that for many people with disabilities, standard speech patterns aren’t the norm. It is possible that the speech recognition software could have trouble understanding speech-divergent individuals. Form aside, what is ElliQ’s purpose? ElliQ was created to serve as a helpful companion. It combines the connective features of modern technology with added utility features such as reminders. Users can play music, video chat with loved ones, and even play trivia. What’s more, ElliQ is equipped with machine learning, which means that it can get to know the specific person who is using it. 

The possibilities of machine learning are dizzying in and of themselves, but how does machine learning and all of ElliQ’s other features serve the needs within the I/DD world? First and foremost, I believe that fundamentally ElliQ would serve a unique social role in the individual’s home. ElliQ’s ability to give reminders, for instance, could be equipped to prompt the individual to take their medication. Med reminders are not unique to ElliQ, lots of other technologies and people (staff, parents) can give them. What makes ElliQ unique in this situation is it’s social role in the home. The reminder is not being given by a parent or by a caregiver. It’s not a nag, it’s not impertinent. It’s more like a pet, without as many responsibilities. What’s more, it’s connectedness, the ability to video chat with loved ones, brings it closer to a family friend. The power that sort of companion could have for a person with disabilities is great. 

Additionally, and somewhat paradoxically, it increases independence. I say paradoxically because adding an entity to give reminders, etc. is not typically thought of as independence-increasing. ElliQ is not a person. ElliQ is an AI companion. Truly, with its modular expressions and soothing (albeit somewhat flat) voice, it presents itself with person-like qualities. Though ElliQ isn’t used to replace human relationships, but rather to supplement them. ElliQ can give people with disabilities true independence, provided they possess a certain ability level. I’m not sure that the utility of ElliQ is yet fully understood (especially regarding the machine-learning potential), but it’s connectivity potential and reminders options already make it something that addresses some needs of some people with disabilities. 

Which brings me to my final thoughts on ElliQ: the future possibilities. As we move toward a world of greater accessibility through technology, I think it would be nice to see Intuition Robotics introduce more integration with other systems. For example, can ElliQ call emergency services if the individual falls and is unable to get up? Do they have plans in the future for ElliQ to be able to turn lights on/off? To turn the TV on/off? I think these features are essential to creating a lasting impact on the world of disability/aging technology as the industry moves toward greater integration. Also, an interesting development could be a companion that people with disabilities could talk to, someone they could share details about their day with and get feedback. I don’t know how sophisticated the machine learning would have to be to create something that works well for people with disabilities, but it definitely presents an opportunity. It would also be interesting to see if there would be any utility (like working on responsibility or empathy) in creating an artificial “need” ElliQ has. It could be instructive, in terms of responsibility, to require that ElliQ be “fed.” Something that would require that you be nice to ElliQ could also be instructive on the empathy side. Creating something that “requires” a bit more effort on the part of the user may help habilitate people with disabilities to the notion that if certain needs are met, the reward is companionship. 

Altogether, I think ElliQ is an interesting development in the world of assistive technology. While I don’t claim that it would be great for every person with a disability as it currently is, I do think that it should be explored. I hope that the features of ElliQ and how they could serve people with disabilities has moved you a little on the question of what is AT. With technology developing rapidly and clear possibilities for where it could go in the future, I would expect that more products like ElliQ will be coming out soon. It’s our responsibility to evaluate them, criticize them, and celebrate them. We are all part of this disability technology movement. You, me, ElliQ, the industry, and the people they serve together form the future of compassionate care. 

"Uber type" Platform for Prequalified I/DD Professional Sitters

Synapse Sitters provides real solutions and opportunities to underserved and under recognized markets. Specifically families of children with special needs and those qualified to care for them. 

The Beginning: 

In 2016, Marie Maher’s 3 year old son was diagnosed with autism. Also at that time she founded and was running an online babysitting network (Lullaby Sitters)  that served the Indianapolis area. After her son’s diagnosis, her needs for a sitter drastically changed. She needed someone that understood his behaviors but also knew he was still a child. She quickly realized that she couldn’t use the very network of 500+ sitters she had spent 2 years growing. She tried to look elsewhere and found that there was no national online childcare network that was DEDICATED to the special needs community. So Maher decided to create it.

The Solution:

Mid 2017 Maher decided to pivot and become Synapse Sitters and focus on recruiting a very specific type of sitter and serving families in the special needs community. Synapse Sitters requires and verifies  each sitter member have either education or employment within human services. This gives families a better pool of sitters to begin connecting with and hiring. By setting this requirement and focusing only on children with developmental disabilities, parents do not have to worry or stress about their child’s diagnosis being a deterrent to finding a sitter. Parents also have the peace of mind that their child is with someone that understands and knows how to address any behaviors or concerns while they are away. 

Synapse Sitters also provides opportunities for those that want to continue helping within the special needs community. By highlighting the education, employment, and training the sitters have obtained, sitters can ask for and receive a higher hourly rate versus a “typical sitter”.  Synapse Sitters is also looking to bridge the gap between families, DSPs, and service providers. The beta test for this is currently happening. 

Synapse Sitters is currently a web based app with plans to develop a mobile app to aid in becoming a nationwide resource. 

Differentiating Enabling Technology, Assistive Technology, & Remote Supports

After reading this please leave your thoughts in the comments. Thanks

Last week’s newsletter email listing 12 Remote Support providers available in the United States had lots of feedback and questions.  People are wondering how we defined Remote Supports compared to Assistive Technology and Enabling Technology. This is our attempt to help clarify and describe a few key differences and similarities.  This is meant to be the start of a conversation that needs to happen, and is not intended to be the “final word” on this subject.

There are many amazing technology solutions available to support people with varying abilities.  These low-tech and high-tech solutions are all classified as Enabling Technologies. There are many technology vendors - each vendor is slightly different than the next and offer varying services using different and similar technologies.

This article is our attempt to: Define the difference between Enabling Technologies (ET), Remote Support (RS), and Assistive Technology (AT).

Definitions

Enabling Technology:  “Enabling Technology (ET) is the use of various forms of devices and tech to support a person with disabilities to live as independently as possible.  These types of technologies include sensors, mobile applications, remote support systems, and other smart devices. Enabling Technology can support a person in navigating their jobs and communities, gain more control of their environment, and provide remote support and reminders to assist a person in independent living.” -TN DIDD

Assistive Technology:  “Assistive Technology (AT) is any item, piece of equipment, software program, or product system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of persons with disabilities.” -ATiA

Remote Supports:  “Remote support (RS) means the provision of supports by staff of an agency provider at a remote location who are engaged with an individual through equipment with the capability for live two-way communication. Equipment used to meet this requirement shall include one or more of the following components……” -Ohio Administrative Code 5123-9-35

In looking at these three definitions a few key differences jump out:

• Enabling Technologies encompass both AT and RS

• AT is an item, hardware, equipment, software, and/or a product system.  These terms make me think of something someone uses.

• RS are supports by a remote caregiver.  RS are a human to human service that use technology to facilitate caregiver support.  The person receiving the support doesn’t necessarily have to “use” any of the technology.

• AT does not require live two-way communication and is very broad in what qualifies (low-tech and high-tech).  RS require that the individual can communicate through two-way communication.

There are other key differences between RS and AT in many states’ Waiver service definitions, but for purposes of simplification I’m proposing we simply define the difference as:

Remote Supports are the provision of a caregiving service where the individual can interact in real-time with an offsite caregiver using Enabling Technologies.  AT (which is also ET) assists a person in improving functional capabilities without a live caregiver involved.

How are they the same:  RS and AT are both a form of Enabling Technologies that are assistive to the person (aren’t all technologies assistive by nature?).  RS are a form of ET, in that this remote method of support helps the person improve functional capabilities (but that’s also the definition of AT).  Are we having fun yet???

The fundamental difference of the presence of a caregiver in Remote Supports are why most states are creating new service definitions independent of AT (not many states recognize the term ET yet).  However, some states are not making this distinction and have included remote supports (remote caregivers) in their AT service definitions. (Tennessee has coined the term Enabling Technology to lump RS and AT together under one umbrella term.)

Ohio is a great example the need for different service definitions related to RS and AT.  In 2011 they amended Waivers that included a new service definition for RS (called Remote Monitoring at that time).  In late 2018 they realized that they wanted to fund/regulate other technologies that didn’t fit in the RS service definition because of the lack of caregiver involvement in these other techs (AT/ET).  They created a new service definition for AT that includes the equipment/hardware used when RS is being provided. However, the RS service (the caregiving part) was left as its own service definition. (Both of these separate service definitions could be grouped together under a new future service definition called Enabling Technologies.)

This is a perfect example of how the RS service is not AT, but the RS equipment/hardware kind of is AT; but is better defined as ET.

Clear as mud?  Please don’t get bogged down in these details.  All of these technologies have their place and are often used side-by-side or in succession, as a person’s capabilities and preferences change.

Summary:

• Remote Supports are caregiver supports facilitated by technology

• AT is technology used by the person that improves functional capabilities

• ET is both AT and RS (we need more acronyms don’t we)

• Many ET vendors offer a form of RS and AT that can be independent from one another or blended together.

In all situations, start by looking at the person’s goals, desired outcomes, and preference - then find the best form of Enabling Technology that meets their needs – then, if necessary, figure out if the tech should be defined as RS and/or AT.

Up Next

Disability Cocoon will put together a new list of Remote Support providers that distinguishes between 1) RS providers that have their own support center (staff with their employees as remote caregivers), and 2) RS providers that have platforms that allow other entities to provide the support themselves with their own paid staff and/or natural supports.

We will also put together a list of the other Enabling Technology vendors we have interacted with.  As you know, AT has been around for decades and it isn’t possible to list all ET/AT vendors.

Until then….I hope this helps. Please leave your thoughts below.

Explore WayAround Using Aira - 2 Cutting Edge Low Vision Solutions

This blog post focuses on two technology-based assistive devices that are designed to help individuals with vision impairments, WayAround and Aira (eye-ruh). These two products accomplish different goals, but both are proving to be of immense help to the individuals who have them.

            WayAround is a digital tagging system that allows individuals with vision impairment to place a physical tag on an item in their home. This tag is then scanned with the individual’s phone (without any use of the camera). Then, the individual can dictate notes about the particular item that will be saved on that particular tag. To illustrate, imagine you loved the feel of a particular shirt so much that you bought three in different colors. Well, with WayAround saving information about their color is easier than ever. When you go back to the shirts in your closet you can scan the tag to find out what color shirt you want.

            But that isn’t the extent of the uses for WayAround. They recommend using their tags for nutritional facts and expiration dates on food, tagging storage containers to be able to know their contents quickly and easily, and tagging items with directions (like face wash or a drain cleaner) to be able to use them effectively. Having WayAround allows you to quickly access information about any item at any time. Additionally, their tags don’t use batteries and they don’t need charged. The tags even come in four different forms: stickers, buttons, magnets, and clips. That way you have the right tag for anything you might need to remember something about.

            While WayAround assists individuals with storing certain information about items around the house or office, Aira is primarily for quickly getting helpful visual information about your environment in real time. Their device is a pair of glasses that are in conjunction with an app to get their “Explorers” (as they call their users) information quickly. The glasses contain a camera, microphone, and speakers. The Explorer puts on their glasses and, when they want to know something about their environment, can contact a live person at Aira who receives the live video feed from the glasses. Then the individual at Aira describes the Explorer’s visual settings in real time, allowing them to choose between different fruits at the supermarket or help their child as they learn to read.

            What’s impressive about Aira is the versatility. Explorers can call someone at any time, 24/7, to learn about any environment. Imagine being able to go on a safari, smelling the savannahs and listening to the wonderful sounds of the birds and other animals and then quickly getting in contact with someone who can describe what it all looks like to you as well. But it’s not solely for the adventurous, Aira can help someone browse a local store or watch a fireworks display. Additionally, the use of live people to describe the visual features of an environment allows the two individuals, Explorer and Aira contact, the opportunity to share in an experience. That aspect of preserving the human connection while taking advantage of technology fits right in with us at Disability Cocoon.

            Together, WayAround and Aira prove to be a powerhouse duo that works to assist individuals with visual impairments. It goes to show how many different applications there are for simple and effective technological solutions. We at Disability Cocoon hope you’ve found this information helpful and invite you to continue checking up on our blog to stay up to date on the latest developments in assistive technology.

How Can Alexa Understand People with Speech Difficulties?

Enter Voiceitt to the Rescue

Most of us have experienced the occasional “Sorry, I didn’t get that” response from our Alexa enabled devices. In her article “When Alexa Can’t Hear You” for Slate Magazine, Moira Corcoran points out an often unseen problem with the rise in smart-home technology, particularly voice-based technology like Alexa or Cortana (thanks to ARRM Technology Resource Center in MN for bringing this article to our attention). For many people with non-standard speech patterns due to illness, traumatic injury, or disability, getting these devices to understand what they’re saying proves difficult. That’s because systems like Alexa use machine learning to teach their software how to understand spoken words by feeding it data from thousands of users. Most of the users that systems like Alexa get their data from have standard speech patterns. But when these systems are only programmed to recognize these common patterns, they aren’t able to understand non-standard speech patterns of people with speech disabilities.

Corcoran also mentions a company working toward a solution for this problem, Voiceitt. They’re developing software that recognizes irregular speech patterns and pronunciation so that individuals who don’t pronounce words the same way as most people can still get all the benefits from their smart devices (video how it work). Disability Cocoon’s Dustin Wright sat down for an interview with Voiceitt’s Danny Weissberg during which he broke down Voiceitt’s plan to make this technology more accessible.

They are currently beta-testing (think soft-open of a store or restaurant) the first generation of their app, which works on smartphones and tablets. The first generation of technology requires users to record words/commands they wish to use on their device so the device can respond to each individual’s specific speech. Sometimes it takes a while to get the commands recorded, but training Voiceitt to understand one individual’s pattern of speech means that it doesn’t matter what language you speak, Voiceitt simply listens to the sounds and executes the command. Additionally, even individuals with speech patterns that are far from standard can use their smart devices with this generation of Voiceitt.

The second generation of Voiceitt is already being developed. This generation only requires that users record a sample of their speech reading certain sentences. After a user reads these sentences to Voiceitt, the app will be able to understand other words or commands that aren’t part of those sentences. It will learn how the individual speaks. This means no more training the app to respond to every command.

Their third generation, though still in the distant future, will use the data collected from Voiceitt users to generate software that understands common types of non-standard speech among certain populations. For example, if many people with Down Syndrome use Voiceitt, the app will be able to see if there are any common ways those people pronounce words and phrases. That way it will already have some understanding of how people with Down Syndrome speak, removing the need for users to train the app themselves.

To sum it up, the growth of technology and the convenience that comes with it is exciting, but we need to remember that when it comes to technology, if we’re not doing all we can to make it accessible to people with disabilities, injury, or any other condition, then we’re not doing enough. That’s what inspires us about the people over at Voiceitt, they’re working to make sure everyone can enjoy the convenience of voice-based technology.

For people who want to see what Voiceitt is doing now, take a look at their page here. If you or someone you know is looking for a way to make Alexa or similar voice-recognition devices more accessible to people with non-standard speech patterns, let us know! Voiceitt will be expanding their beta-testing in the future and Disability Cocoon would love to try to get you in on it.

AI Virtual Phone "Check-Ins" with KareCall

We at Disability Cocoon like to highlight new and exciting technologies that work to help the lives of individuals with disabilities, the elderly, or people who just need some assistance in their day-to-day lives. While our last blog post looked at TechLab and their low-cost alternatives to potentially expensive assistive technology, this post takes a look at the people of KareCall and how their virtual calls are allowing individuals with health concerns to maintain or increase their independence. Some individuals need to answer questions about medical concerns on a daily basis so that their loved ones and caregivers can keep up with their health. While traditionally this required a caregiver to travel to the client’s home or the client to go to a care facility, KareCall calls the patient with a virtual caregiver to ask these questions.

            There are a number of benefits for both the provider and the client to having a virtual caregiver, instead of an in-person caregiver, ask about a client’s health. Providers no longer have to spend the time or money sending staff to clients’ homes just to ask a series of questions about their health. They no longer have to work around staff schedule. Additionally, in-person conversations are limited by physical distance. If your client is in a small town, hours away from the provider office, it can be costly sending staff that far for a few questions. Of course, any provider would gladly do that for their client, but now they don’t have to. KareCall offers an inexpensive alternative. It isn’t limited by distance, because it works over the internet. Providers set up the questions they need asked and the virtual caregiver makes the call at the scheduled time, every time.

            For the client, the benefits are even greater. Now there is no need to invite someone into your home just to ask a few questions. The KareCall virtual caregiver doesn’t require any small talk, doesn’t ask any questions other than the ones set up by the provider, and doesn’t linger in your home after your done. One quick call, that’s it. There’s no longer a need to make sure the house is always ready for visitors, you could answer in your bathrobe if you wanted to. KareCall allows individuals who aren’t ready for in-home staff to keep their freedom and allows concerned parties to stay up-to-date on the client’s health at the same time.

            KareCall is another example of what technology can do when it is harnessed with an aim to cut costs and improve care for individuals with health concerns. They represent the better parts of growing old in the twenty-first century. Technology should work for you, and that’s why we at Disability Cocoon will continue to highlight these new products and services that aim to improve the lives of individuals who require a little help.

DIY TEC Lab

Often, people who don’t experience mobility issues or don’t have intellectual or physical disabilities take for granted the simple daily tasks we’re able to accomplish with relative ease. For others these tasks can be more difficult, even impossible without assistance. While a variety of technological solutions are being offered for these problems, the price tag may be a barrier when it comes to getting your hands on them.

            Connie Melvin and Richard Harrington at the Trinity Services TEC Lab in Joilet, IL are tackling that issue head on. They understand that technology doesn’t always need to come with a hefty price tag and fancy screens, sometimes all that’s needed are simple solutions to simple problems. TEC Lab produces DIY solutions for these daily adversities by using low-cost materials in creative ways. When Disability Cocoon’s own Dustin Wright took a tour of their facility, they showed a food/drink holder for wheelchair users with a long, flexible, semi-rigid straw for individuals who may find it difficult to grasp utensils or lift cups. What’s astonishing about this product is that TEC Lab manufactures it for nearly a tenth of the cost of comparable items on the market. As Connie says, that’s the power of DIY.

            Additionally, the folks at TEC Lab understand that it’s not just about making a product that’s cheaper, it’s about understanding the individual’s specific needs and fulfilling them. Some companies produce items that could be useful, but there’s usually one thing about it that’s just not quite right. If only it could be tweaked a little, then it would be perfect. TEC Lab gets this as well, they evaluate each individual’s unique needs in the development process to ensure that the finished product does exactly what they need it to do. They even offer classes in DIY, so that you, a caregiver, or family member can, you guessed it, do it yourself.

            We’re inspired by the people at TechLab who are working to break down the financial barriers between individuals and assistive technology. They recognize that everyone, especially individuals with mobility issues, physical or intellectual disabilities, or other impairments, deserves access to affordable assistive technology solutions. That fits right in with what Disability Cocoon is all about, sharing the great things people are doing with technology to help people improve their lives.