Author Archive

Sara’s New Hearing Aids Help Her on the Job

A printing press.

Sara works as a printing and production clerk in the Lower Mainland. She was born deaf, and has worn hearing aids since she was a child. Through WorkBC Assistive Technology Services, she received funding for a new set of hearing aids that she needs on the job.

How to: Enable and Use Chromebook Accessibility Tools

A teacher helps a student using a laptop in a classroom.

Chromebooks are great educational tools due to their small size, low price, and general ease of use. They also come packed with accessibility features. In this guide, we’re going to look at how to enable and use these features, as well as provide users with some handy keyboard shortcuts.

SymbolStix Prime: An AAC App by Everway

An adult woman holding up a child as they use an augmentative and alternative communication device.

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) apps are great tools for students with speech, language, and communication difficulties, autism, as well as for students with a variety of mobility challenges. These apps have also become much more common in recent years, where 10 years ago dedicated AAC hardware was much more common. Among the growing number of AAC apps available today, SymbolStix Prime stands out for its focus on symbol-supported communication and accessible language supports.

New Hearing Aids Help Laura Communicate With Her Clients

Laura

Laura (name changed to protect privacy) has her own house cleaning business. She has hearing loss and tinnitus, and this can make communicating with her clients difficult, particularly when they are soft-spoken. “I have troubles hearing precisely what they are talking about,” she shares.

News2you: An Accessible News App

Teacher leaning over to assist a student working on a laptop in a bright classroom setting.

For many students with diverse learning needs, traditional news sources can present significant barriers. News2you, developed by Everway, addresses this challenge by delivering accessible, curriculum-connected news content designed specifically for students who benefit from additional literacy and communication supports.

WorkBC Assistive Technology Services Helps Scott as He Grows His Business

A person measures a board of wood with a tape measurer.

Scott is a self-employed handyman contractor in the Okanagan. He does maintenance and small renovation projects for rental property owners and homeowners, as well as work as a subcontractor. New to the industry, he’s in the early stages of building his client base.

“I’m half deaf in one ear due to injury,” he shares. “This has negatively impacted client relations and safety in the workplace where communication prevents accidents.”

“I Am Able to Work Faster and Am Making Fewer Mistakes”

Debbie at her workstation, using a large curved monitor in addition to her laptop.

Debbie is a media and marketing strategist, and the founder of her own company, which provides contract work to about 20 other freelancers across BC and beyond. Much of her job involves work on the computer — including doing spreadsheets, analyzing data, writing reports, drafting proposals, and engaging with the ad accounts of her clients social channels.

“I have a visual impairment that has made it very difficult to see fine detail on the screen,” she shares. “It slows down my work which limits how many clients I can bring on and how much work I can generate for my partners.”

“These Accommodations Allowed Me to Regain My Independence”

Patricia, in a wheelchair, in front of her wheelchair accessible van with a ramp leading into it.

Last May, after many years of volunteering in her community, Lynn began working her first paid job in 23 years as a library assistant at the local library in Fort St James. She has a spinal cord injury and uses a wheelchair, needing an accessible vehicle to commute to and from work.

“Earlier that year, my accessible vehicle was involved in an accident, which significantly impacted my independence. Without reliable transportation, everyday activities — including volunteering — became difficult and unsustainable,” she says. “I knew I needed to return to work in order to purchase a new accessible vehicle and regain my independence.”

Neil Squire Society logo
Solutions logo
400 – 3999 Henning Drive
Burnaby, BC V5C 6P9
604 473 9360 | 1 877 673 4636
solutions@neilsquire.ca
Refer today

 

Hearing Solutions logo
400 – 3999 Henning Drive
Burnaby, BC V5C 6P9
778 945 1215
hearingsolutions@neilsquire.ca
Refer today