Taking notes manually can be a frustrating and imperfect process. It’s often difficult to keep up with the speaker, and most serious note-taking sessions result in cramped hands and hastily-written, hard to read notes.Now, with advent of digital note-taking technology, the process of taking notes can be much simpler, not to mention easier on the wrists. Anyone with a smartphone has access to digital note-taking technology; users simply need to go to their respective app store and choose from any number of free audio recording apps. Now imagine taking that audio recording a step further by adding typed or dictated notes, supplementary images, and color codes to your recording.

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Tech expert Avery Swartz showed off the LipSync on CTV’s Your Morning today. Watch it here:

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Neil Squire Society to Empower Students with Disabilities through Assistive Technology in Fort Qu’Appelle, Saskatchewan

Neil Squire Solutions will be providing assistive technology support to students and teachers at the File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council in Fort Qu’Appelle, Saskatchewan, with a focus on helping students with disabilities transition from school to post-secondary education/training or employment.

Solutions will be reviewing and assessing the current teaching strategies at six schools in the region, with an eye to improving learning for students with disabilities. They will assist teachers in investigating and demonstrating the use of assistive technology in their classrooms, and they will support students with disabilities in the use of technological supports to maximize their learning. Solutions will provide professional development training in the use of text-to speech software, word prediction software, and organizational tools.

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Need to quickly have a handout or an article read aloud? It can be as simple as taking a picture with your iPad/iPhone with the PrizmoGo.

Why we love it:

• Text to speech function is free
• Ease of use
• Has built in OCR, no WiFi required!

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Nikki Langdon, BPas(Kin), RRP, CVP 

Solutions Departmental Specialist / Regional Manager, Director of Consultation and Assessment

Nikki joined the Neil Squire Society in 2003 and holds a degree in Kinesiology, where she graduated with Great Distinction. She also holds the Certified Vocational Professional standing from College of Vocational Professionals and the Registered Rehabilitation Designation from VRA Canada. She heads up a technology and education program for SK with the Ministry of Education with the goal to build Assistive Technology capacity with students, parents, educators, and decision makers. Most notably, the focus is on helping students transition from school to post-secondary education/training or employment, as well as, the use of UDL:  Universal Design for Learning as it supports inclusive schools.

Visit Nikki Langdon’s profile page on LinkedIn.

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Charles Levasseur, ATACP, LSLD/ATLD, LDGC

Solutions Departmental Specialist / Regional Manager / Assistive Technology and Learning Disability Specialist / Spécialiste départemental des Solutions / Directeur Régional / Spécialiste en technologie d’assistance et en troubles d’apprentissage

Charles started at the Neil Squire Society in 2002 and since 2013 has developed the Department of Education and Early Childhood Education (NB) highly successful plan to increase Assistive Technology (AT) supports throughout the educational system. He also developed the AT Help Desk, a 24/7 technology help line for NB students. He is a bilingual Certified Assistive Technology Specialist (California State University, Northridge) with an Applied Learning Disability Specialist certification LSLD/ATLD (LDED) from Cambrian College in Ontario. He also holds a Diploma from CCNB-Edmundston, and has completed the Online Teacher/Trainer Certificate program from Conestoga College, Kitchener, ON. He came to the Neil Squire Society from the private sector in the information technology/e-learning industry as a Chief Technology Officer and holds various Microsoft certifications.

Visit Charles Levasseur’s profile page on LinkedIn.

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Harry Lew, P.Eng., CUA

Solutions Departmental Specialist / Manager of Research and Development

Harry Lew joined the Neil Squire Society’s Research and Development Group in 1985 as an Electrical Engineer. He has over 26 years of experience in developing products for the unique needs of persons with disabilities using user centered design techniques. He also has experience in designing electronics devices from prototype to pre-production. As Manager of Research and Development, Harry is in charge of a robust engineering team that can develop specialized technology solutions for clients, all in house. He also is responsible for the development of new research and product initiatives in addition to creating and executing heuristic reviews and focus groups of products and services for accessibility and usability

Visit Harry Lew’s profile page on LinkedIn.

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The Neil Squire Society is proud to launch our new Neil Squire Solutions website focused on assistive technology and ergonomic assessments. We’re a Canadian not-for-profit organization that has been empowering Canadians with disabilities for over 30 years. Our vision is a world with economic and social inclusiveness for all people with disabilities. Having served over 30,000 people since 1984, we help clients remove barriers to independent-living, allowing them to be active members of society.

Our headquarters are in Burnaby, British Columbia, but you can also find us at our research and development (R&D) laboratories in both Burnaby and Vancouver, British Columbia where we’re testing out the latest in assistive technology and ergonomics. If you’re elsewhere in Canada, we have regional offices in Regina, Saskatchewan; Ottawa, Ontario; and Fredericton and Moncton, New Brunswick.

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Brock believed that a new desk chair could be the solution to his serious back and neck issues. But without the help of an occupational therapist, he had a hard time finding one that actually helped out.

“So my job really involves sitting at a desk all day,” Brock explains. “When I work from home, in the past, I’ve just had to lie in bed or on the floor, or whatever is comfortable, because I have some really bad issues in my neck and back.”

He had heard about the Neil Squire Society’s Technology@Work program from his mother, who was pleased with her experience as a client.

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When Liana started a new position as a facilitator and community teacher, a role in which she helps people find employment, she wasn’t used to long hours sitting down at a desk.

“When I first moved into this role, I was spending quite a lot of my time, probably about 80 – 90% developing curriculum or writing workbooks,” she explains. “[Previously], my position involved a lot of going from client to client on the computer helping them with resumes or job searches. So, I never really spent a lot of time sitting at a desk for great periods of time – it was always up down, up down.”

Liana had injured her shoulder and back in a car accident a number of years ago, which has lingering effects to this day.

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