A Message From Executive Director Dr. Gary Birch: The Importance of Client Centred Solutions
It’s hard for me to believe that we are 40 years in and counting. In some ways, it doesn’t seem that long ago that I was working with Neil as he was learning Morse code with his state-of-the-art Apple IIe computer — it had 64 KB of memory, and believe it or not, that was considered massive for a personal computer. (Compare that with the memory on your smart phone right now just to put it into perspective).
As we celebrate 40 years of impact, it had me reflecting on my early days working with Neil even before the organization was formally founded, and one particularly important lesson I learned early on.
Epic: A Digital Library for Kids
Summer vacation is fast approaching, and you may be wondering how to keep your child engaged in reading and learning over break. And while trips to the library are a great way to do that, not everyone lives close to a library, and, for some learners with learning disabilities, printed text can be difficult to work with.
That’s what makes Epic so appealing. The app features over forty thousand books and audiobooks for kids aged three to twelve, and it’s designed to be as accessible as possible. Besides being integrated with users’ built-in accessibility features such as VoiceOver, Be My Eyes, and Live Transcribe, Epic also provides their own built-in features such as speech-to-text, audiobooks, and even their own unique approach to storytelling called Read-To-Me books. Read-To-Me books are professionally narrated books that automatically turn the pages and highlight words are they are being read.
We Have Solutions! – Episode 26: Google IO, Gemini, and AI as AT
Today we are joined once again by Nakia Singh. On today’s episode we talk about the recent Google I/O conference on AI, why it just might be worth paying the subscription fee for Gemini Pro, and finally, we talk about the specific ways in which AI can be used as assistive technology.
Perplexity.ai
AI chatbots like Chat GPT, Gemini and CO Pilot are becoming increasingly common every day. They can be used for all sorts of tasks including research, writing, general communication, and more. These open-source AI tools are (mostly) free, but they typically offer a premium version of the software with increased functionality and limitless conversations for an additional fee.
Today we are going to do a brief overview of one of our favorite AI chatbots, and as we do, we’ll try to show a few scenarios where this software might be especially useful.
WorkBC Assistive Technology Services In the Spotlight
As part of National AccessAbility Week, WorkBC Assistive Technology Services was featured in the most recent edition of WorkBC’s “In the Spotlight” feature.
You can also read an article by WorkBC on National AccessAbility Week and WorkBC Assistive Technology Services.
Brighterly Online Math Tutoring
When it comes to learning, everyone is different, and what works for one student may not always work for another! Math apps are a great way to tackle this issue but sometimes students need something a little more hands-on. In-person tutoring is one way to tackle this issue, but depending on where you live, that may or may not be possible. So then that begs the question, what do you do when you need tutoring in math but there’s no one in your area who is available or qualified?
Enter Brighterly, an online tutoring service for students who are struggling in math. The service is designed for students from grades one to grade eight. Subjects include algebra, fractions, geometry, measurement, money, times table, number sense, numbers to word, and more.
40 Years of Impact: Come Celebrate With Us This June
We are thrilled to announce that our organization is celebrating its 40th anniversary this coming June.
Four decades of technology, knowledge, and passion. From humble beginnings to impactful programs, we’ve come a long way, thanks to your unwavering support.
Please join us in commemorating this milestone throughout the month of June by celebrating with us at one of our free regional events across Canada taking place in Burnaby, Regina, Ottawa, Fredericton, and Calgary. Details are below for each event.
Lazarillo Accessible GPS
When you’re blind or low vision, finding your way around unassisted can be an intimidating and sometimes be a downright dangerous task. Some cities are built to be more accessibility-friendly than others, but even within relatively accessible cities, there are still bound to be areas that are difficult to navigate. And while we’ve looked at a few apps that are designed to assist low-vision users with tasks such as shopping, identifying faces, reading descriptions, etc., but we haven’t seen many apps that do a decent job of assisting with navigation (at least none that have good information about navigating within New Brunswick).
We Have Solutions! – Episode 25: Rabbit R-1, AT News, and Ten Tips for Adopting AT
On the latest episode, Nakia and Seaver will be looking at the new AI-powered pocket companion called the Rabbit R1. Then we talk a bit about what’s new in the world of AT, and finally, we list our top ten tips for adopting AT.
Ten Tips for Adopting Assistive Technology
To celebrate the AT Help Desk’s 10th anniversary, we’ve compiled a list of our top ten tips for adopting assistive technology. If you’re someone who has recently been recommended assistive technology, or if you’ve been using AT for years but you’re wondering how to use it as effectively as possible, then this list is for you!