With over 20 years of experience, Troy’s career as a chef saw him traveling the world and operating a successful catering business in Vancouver and later Ottawa, where he now lives. And there were some nice perks.

“I worked quite a bit, and I loved it,” he says. “There were so many times, where it was like, ‘Hey Troy, come up to the cottage for the weekend and you can do all the cooking,’ and I’m like, ‘Sure, why not?’ Vacation and get paid, all right.”

However, about four years ago he began having seizures, losing his balance, and eventually becoming unable to walk. After a long process, he was diagnosed with ataxia, a rare neurological degenerative disorder which affects the body’s motor skills, causing difficulty in speech and movement.

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On episode 8, we are joined once again by AT researcher and life-long assistive technology user Nakia Singh. In this episode, we talk about some of our favorite back to school apps, making friends with AI, apps for math, and Seaver’s recent experiences in joining the partially sighted community.

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Anchor, Spotify, or Google Podcasts.

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We’ve looked at a couple math calculator and equation breakdown apps in the past, but today we are going to look at a math app that instead focuses on building mathematical foundations. Montessori Numbers is a visual math app designed for children aged 3-7, and it offers a wide range of guided math activities that are designed to conform to common core standards.

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Harry is currently looking for employment with the help of WorkBC Employment Services in Osoyoos. He has severe hearing loss.

“[It] was extremely difficult to communicate with people in many situations,” he explains.

Harry was referred to WorkBC Assistive Technology Services, where he received funding for a new set of hearing aids. The hearing aids have made a big difference in the job search process for Harry.

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Text-to-speech apps allow users to quickly absorb articles, documents, emails, and virtually anything else found online. Of course, students and professionals aren’t the only ones who benefit from text-to-speech applications. Persons with disabilities including those with dyslexia, dysgraphia, visual impairments, and more, can all benefit from this alternative approach to reading.

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Michelle is a bank teller and account manager at a financial institution in Squamish.

“I am hearing impaired and have needed hearing aids since 2019. With COVID and people wearing masks and plexiglass between us, this created a roadblock in my job. It created anxiety for me as I have to be very accurate,” she explains.

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Imagine you’re a highly visual learner, and your math instructor’s teaching style isn’t working for you. You’ve gone for extra help, but you just can’t wrap your brain around these new concepts. Many of us have been there, but the good news is there are now plenty of apps available that are designed to provide alternative means of instruction.

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Freeman works as a church organist in Nanaimo. He is hearing impaired, and it was beginning to make his work understandably difficult.

The Island Deaf and Hard of Hearing Centre referred Freeman to WorkBC Assistive Technology Services for funding for hearing aids.

“[WorkBC Assistive Technology Services] provided the specialized hearing aids I needed and which I couldn’t afford to buy from retail outlets,” he explains.

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In 2022, if you want to stay informed and connected to the outside world, being digitally literate is essential. This is especially true for those who are still participating in the work force, as most job opportunities, work environments, and means of companywide communication is online. And while Neil Squire offers free digital literacy training for persons with disabilities, there are also other free options available right now that shouldn’t be ignored. These resources are well-crafted, searchable, and have been used by millions of users.

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