Assistive Technology

Learn about assistive technology options, including iPad apps and braillers, for children who are blind or visually impaired, as well as funding and grant opportunities.

Man wearing headgear-like glasses

Assistive Technology, Visual Impairment

Cool New Glasses to Help The Blind See

University of Oxford and RNIB have teamed up to create glasses that can help those with even a small amount of vision to identify objects and images. They're planning a...

boy in a wheelchair playing on a computer

Assistive Technology

EasySwitch Helps Kids Access Computer Games

EasySwitch gives young children and those with learning disabilities easier ability to play computer games with switch access. You can even get these switches in a wireless version!

CAP screenshot

Assistive Technology

Pentagon Program Offers Assistive Technologies to People with Disabilities in the Workplace

The Pentagon contracts with CAP to offer assistive technology that makes the workplace more accessible to federal employees with disabilities.

child with handheld CCTV

Assistive Technology, Visual Impairment

Assistive Technology Grants for the Blind

The Association of Blind Citizens is accepting grant applications for funding assistance with assistive technology and software.

Google's self-driving car is rounded with no mirrors or other protrusions.

Assistive Technology

Self-Driving Car from Google

Google is creating a self-driving car that can go 25 mph and carry two people. It's currently in prototype testing but they hope to have it on the road this...

Smartphone over printed text, showing larger.

Assistive Technology, Orientation and Mobility

Verizon Creates Navigational Tools to Promote Independence for Blind Users

Being blind means giving up a lot of independence; this new technology from Verizon gives blind people real-time information about their environment, including colors, textures, nav cues, and more, using...

3D printer creating an image

Assistive Technology, Math and Science

3D Printed Pictures of Space

Astronomers at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore are working on a project creating 3D images of photos taken by the Hubble Telescope for people who are visually impaired.

FingerReader in use

Assistive Technology

FingerReader from MIT (and other text-to-speech readers)

Devices like the FingerReader from MIT or OrCam allow people with visual impairments to point to text and hear it read back to them. Is this an advancement in accessibility...

Welcome to Orlando Florida

Assistive Technology, Special Needs

ATIA 2014 Orlando: News from the assistive tech conference

Catherine Rose reports from the ATIA assistive technology conference in Orlando Florida. She write about the LightAide and learning about assistive tech for communication as well as when is the...

Cici using LightAide

Assistive Technology, Special Needs

Funding Opportunities for the LightAide

Assistive technology devices can be so beneficial to your child... but they can also be very expensive! Catherine gives advice on how to raise money to cover these devices, like...

hand touching a map

Assistive Technology

Disney Creates Touch Screens with Tactile Feedback

Disney is working on creating touch screens that can actually give users the virtual feel of items displayed on the screen by producing friction and vibrations that mimic the textures...

Blind Square

Assistive Technology, Orientation and Mobility, Visual Impairment

Getting Around Using Assistive Technology when You’re Blind

Getting around keeps getting easier for blind travelers thanks to new assisistive technology. Find out about a new O&M iPhone app and an UltraBike!

Man trying out the robotic exoskeleton

Assistive Technology

Wheelchair or Robotic Exoskeleton?

A Japanese company is working on a robotic exoskeleton that could, in theory, replace wheelchairs and allow for much more natural movement.

braille smart phone

Assistive Technology, Braille and Literacy

Accessible Braille Smart Phones

Smart phones and tablets have many accessibility features but are still basically smooth surfaces. Two new technologies try to change this by making tablets with tactile output or phones with...

Adapted Innovation

Assistive Technology, Visual Impairment

Adapted Innovation: Technology Resources for Kids Who are Blind

Julie Johnson is a Teacher of the Visually Impaired and an Assistive Technology Specialist. She writes about technology resources for all children with visual impairments and all other disabilities on...

Video Description for Blind Viewers

Assistive Technology, Visual Impairment

Audio Description for Blind Viewers

Video description for blind children: What is it? Where can I find it? What are the benefits?

Carroll Center

Assistive Technology

Carroll Tech Online Assistive Technology Courses

The Carroll Center offers training and educational support for children and adults who are blind in Massachusetts, but did you know that they also offer some very informative online training...

A man using a brailler

Assistive Technology, Eye Conditions and Syndromes

National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program

The idea behind the National Deafblind Equipment Distribution Program (NDBEDP) is that people with combined hearing and vision loss should have access to modern telecommunication tools (and the training necessary...

Lizzie using 3D Glasses

Assistive Technology

Here Comes the Future… and it’s in Three Dimensions!

Mary McDonach writes about how her daughter, Elizabeth, who has albinism and very low vision, was able to watch (and see!) a 3D film in the movie theater! They were...

A man using EyeMusic reaches for an apple

Assistive Technology, Visual Impairment

EyeMusic: Seeing with Sound

EyeMusic is a sensory substitution device that turns visual data into music so that blind users can hear what's around them. Users of EyeMusic wear glasses with a small video...

blind user using GPS

Assistive Technology, Orientation and Mobility

GPS and mobility educational equipment

GPS and talking map software allows the blind traveler to keep the taxi driver honest, enjoy hearing about the sites and businesses being passed or know independently when to get...

AFB

Assistive Technology, Visual Impairment

AccessWorld: Technology and People Who Are Visually Impaired

AccessWorld is a monthly online publication. Hear from experts in the field as they write informative and enlightening articles on topics such as leadership, technology, education and rehabilitation.

Ivan and dad with Ivan's gait trainer

Assistive Technology, Special Needs, Support

Pass it On: Free Medical Equipment and Assistive Technology

Pass it On recycles used but useable medical equipment and provides it to disabled children in Massachusetts.

Perkins Products screenshot

Assistive Technology

Perkins Assistive Technology Store

Perkins Assistive Technology Store has expanded its focus to include a broad spectrum of high- and low-tech devices for individuals who are blind.