Members of our team from across Canada are at ATIA 2023 in Orlando, Florida connecting with assistive technology professionals and learning lots!

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Susan’s job at a school in Kelowna requires effective communication with students and teachers.

“I have hearing loss which affects my communication abilities with staff and students. I need to hear comments, instructions while directing students and reporting to teachers,” she says.

Her audiologist at Lakeside Hearing recommended she apply to WorkBC Assistive Technology Services for funding for new hearing aids. She applied and was quickly approved, receiving new Signia hearing aids.

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On today’s episode of “We Have Solutions,” we’re joined by Occupational Therapist Alain Desir. Tune in as we explore all things OT, including case studies, tips for good ergonomics, success stories, and more.

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Mary is a stylist working at a salon in Sechelt.

“My hearing was effecting how I communicated with clients,” she explains.

Her audiologist recommended her a new set of hearing aids, and to cover the cost, he referred her to WorkBC Assistive Technology Services.

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We’ve looked at quite a few reading apps in the past, and most of the apps that we’ve looked at provide users with an impressive suite of useful reading options from highlighting text to reading it out loud. And while those apps are incredibly useful, especially for learners who already understand how to read, they’re not usually designed to dive too far into the fundamentals of writing. The app that we are looking at today is designed for learners who are just starting to read, and don’t yet require the additional features that we’ve mentioned above.

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Lynda is an executive assistant and office manager at a non-profit in Vancouver. She has virus-caused progressive hearing loss in both ears.

“I have worn hearing aids for the last 20 years. It has not been easy, but I have managed in the workplace,” she explains. “In the last three years, capacity for hearing on the phone has changed since my workplace replaced actual office phones with a software program called Teams — so when someone calls it comes through my laptop, difficult to hear.

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AAC apps and devices tend to be highly specialized and expensive pieces of hardware, which is probably why we haven’t spent that much time talking about them. These devices also tend to be recommended by speech language pathologists, so we would always recommend first meeting with a member of the New Brunswick Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists if you or someone you know might benefit from this type of technology.

However, the app that we are looking at today is a fraction of the cost of a typical piece of AAC hardware, and rather than having to buy a new piece of standalone technology, TD Snap harnesses the power of iOS to transform an iPad into an AAC device. This also means that persons with disabilities have even more customization and accessibility options due to iOS’s built-in features. Thanks to those built-in accessibility features, the app can be accessed via touch, voice commands, eye gaze, and switch.

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Word processing apps have evolved dramatically since the advent of the internet. In the early days of computing, word processing apps were expensive, tedious, and often required extensive training to use. Then, Microsoft Word streamlined the genre and made it more accessible and easier to use. Then, with the popularity of smartphones came a flood of mobile-based word processing and grammar apps designed to help users write while on the go.

Today we are going to look at one of the most popular (certainly the most widely known) app in that category, Grammarly. The app is free, but there is also a premium version with even more features. We’re going to take a closer look at those features today and do a bit of comparing between the two versions of the app.

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Edgardo works at a care home in Vancouver, ensuring the care of the seniors living there.

“With my hearing loss, I find it difficult to interact with my co-workers and residents. Especially the residents mostly in soft-spoken voices,” he explains.

His audiologist referred him to the WorkBC Assistive Technology Services program.

Through WorkBC Assistive Technology Services, he received funding for a new hearing aid.

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