Posts Tagged ‘assistive technology’

Hearing Aids “Allowed Me to Move Forward With My Training and Employment Plan”

A person uses a laptop.

Sandra is looking for part-time work as an online ESL tutor. She has been receiving training through WorkBC Employment Services and is volunteering to get some experience in the field.

Recently, Sandra, who is in her 60’s and has multiple disabilities, found she was having a hard time hearing people on her computer during online courses, although she initially attributed it to technical issues. Eventually, a hearing test revealed that she has hearing loss, and she was referred to WorkBC Assistive Technology Services for hearing aids to help her in her training and employment goals.

We Have Solutions! – Episode 32: Cephable App Review

"We Have Solutions!" logo

In this episode, we are focused on one topic: Cephable. Cephable is an accessible control app designed for individuals with physical disabilities, and it’s completely free for personal use. The app uses a combination of voice control, head motion, facial expressions, and virtual buttons to give you unprecedented control over your PC.

Stephanie’s New Hearing Aids Removes Barriers at Work

Stephanie's set of hearing aids.

Stephanie works in pediatrics, supporting children with serious illnesses.

“I have moderate to severe hearing loss which made my workday challenging,” she shares. “I rely on lip-reading, and when we are to wear masks at work, not only is the sound of speech muffled, but I am also unable to lip-read.”

Cephable – An Accessible Control App

A woman in a wheelchair uses a laptop at a table, sitting close to a man also using a laptop.

Typically, when we review higher-tech software, the biggest barrier we see for potential consumers is the high cost of purchase. Of course, many of these apps (such as the previously mentioned Dragon Dictation) offer life-changing features that ultimately make the purchase worth it for persons with disabilities. Sometimes however, we are introduced to an app that is both life-changing for persons with disabilities, as well as being affordable.

Cephable is an accessible control app designed for individuals with physical disabilities, and it’s completely free for personal use. The app uses a combination of voice control, head motion, facial expressions, and virtual buttons to give you unprecedented control over all of your devices, including Mac, PC, Android, and iOS.

New Hearing Aids Helps Colin Participate in Meetings at Work

A hard hat sitting on a set of plans, along with keys and a level.

Colin’s work involves a lot of meetings, taking place online, over the phone, and in-person on construction sites. However, he has hearing loss in both ears, which was affecting his ability to communicate during meetings.

His audiologist referred him to WorkBC Assistive Technology Services for help funding the hearing aids he needed for work.

VoiceComputer for Dragon

A woman wearing a headset uses a laptop.

When it comes to speech recognition software, Dragon is widely considered to be the best. However, this software is highly specialized, and it requires much more training and troubleshooting than your average piece of assistive technology software.

VoiceComputer is an add-on for Dragon that was designed to alleviate some of the problems associated with using such a specialized piece of software. With VoiceComputer, items on your computer screen become numbered, and to access them, all you have to do is say “task 4” or “task 1” and the associated task or function will open.

WorkBC Assistive Technology Services Helps Gloria on Her Way to a New Career

A woman goes on the phone while writing code on her laptop

Gloria is studying web development and design, learning everything from coding to Photoshop as she looks to pursue a career in the field.

“I have profound hearing loss due to work related conditions,” she shares. “As I’m unable to properly hear individuals in surroundings with competing noise, it’s important that I’m able to be self-sufficient with a career that allows me to do much of my work and communication online and remotely.”

CELA: An Online Library for Canadians with Print Disabilities

A father smiles as he watches his son use a tablet.

For persons with print disabilities, using a traditional library could be a difficult if not impossible task. And, depending on the degree of your disability, a library might not offer enough content that you can meaningfully access. Thankfully, with the advent of the internet, there are services available online to help fill that gap, and today, we are going to explore one of such services.

The Centre for Equitable Library Access or CELA is an online library for Canadians which provides alternative and accessible reading formats to over a million titles. With an emphasis on Canadian titles and authors, the library includes bestsellers, award winning titles, a range of fiction and non-fiction, and plenty of choices for children and teens. As of right now the library also offers access to around 45 newspapers and 150 DAISY (Digital Audiobook) magazines.

New Hearing Aids Help Neel Be More Productive at Work

A man in a suit holding a pen and paper talks to a client.

Neel is employed in the insurance industry as a Disability Claim Consultant. His job involves coaching and mentoring new case managers once they complete their formal training.

“My hearing loss made it difficult to interact with clients professionally,” he shares. “It was difficult to understand what they were saying to me.”

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Solutions logo
400 – 3999 Henning Drive
Burnaby, BC V5C 6P9
604 473 9360 | 1 877 673 4636
solutions@neilsquire.ca
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Hearing Solutions logo
400 – 3999 Henning Drive
Burnaby, BC V5C 6P9
778 945 1215
hearingsolutions@neilsquire.ca
Refer today