Accessibility: Unlocking Our Potential

[John Locke]

This month, the EIT accessibility committee would like to first highlight
the different physical disabilities. Then, in our next installment, we will
showcase a few of the many successful people who have overcome the
challenges their disabilities cause.

*It's an all-too-common misconception* that persons with disabilities
cannot lead a full and productive life. The facts tell a different story:
persons with disabilities are capable of fully participating in community
life.

Scientists, athletes, movie stars, teachers, friends, and colleagues may
live with physical disabilities of various kinds. No matter how smart,
strong, or talented, a traumatic injury or illness can change one's life. The
challenge is to focus on a person’s ability while accommodating their
limitations.
Some common physical disabilities

   - *Quadriplegia *refers to the loss of function to arms, legs, and
   trunk. Students with quadriplegia have limited or no use of their arms and
   hands and often use motorized wheelchairs.
   - *Paraplegia* refers to the loss of function to the lower extremities
   and the lower trunk.
   - *Cerebral palsy* is the result of damage to the brain prior to or
   shortly after birth. It can prevent or inhibit walking, and cause a lack of
   muscle coordination, spasms, and speech difficulty.
   - *Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or ALS, more commonly known as Lou
   Gehrig’s disease,* is a terminal and progressive motor neuron disease.
   ALS specifically targets and kills the motor neurons responsible for
   controlling the vast majority of skeletal muscles in the human body, which
   eventually leads to respiratory failure and death.
   - *Multiple sclerosis *is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous
   system, which includes the brain and spinal cord. The symptoms of
   multiple sclerosis can be quite extreme, including fatigue, coordination
   difficulty, weakness, tingling, inflicted sensation, vision issues, bladder
   problems, impairment to cognition and mood shifts.

Assistive Technology
In the US, about 74.6 million people have some type of physical disability;
this means assistive technology is vital to more than a third of people
with disabilities. Thankfully, new tech advancements have added greatly to
what is available to the physically disabled community.

   - *Voice recognition and speech generation* are other assistive
   technologies useful for those people with physical disabilities who cannot
   interact with keyboards or touch screens. Voice transcription software can
   be used for conveying data or instructions to a computer, and this
   allows persons with different abilities to use their computer or mobile
   devices efficiently by talking to them.
   - *Sip-and-puff systems* are useful for individuals with paralysis or
   diminished fine motor skills. With these, users can operate a computer, a
   mobile device or even a wheelchair with their mouths. The sip-and-puff
   system behaves like a joystick that is moved in any direction with the
   mouth. These systems can even respond to the users' breath. These automated
   directions allow the user to interact with an on-screen keyboard, giving
   them the same access as anyone else.
   - *Smart Home Technology such as Google Home or Amazon Echo* help
   persons with limited use of their arms and hands to be able to easily
   use their computer or phone. These devices can perform an array of routine
   tasks, such as making appointments, playing music, reporting the
   weather, making movie recommendations, and responding to basic questions
   expressed aloud by the user about events, persons, or data available on
   the Internet.

*Trivia Question of the Month*
*What type(s) of accommodations are required by the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA)?*

   1. Physical accommodations, such as handicapped parking spaces and
   accessible facilities.
   2. ATM accommodations, such as meeting height and reach requirements and
   providing speech output.
   3. Communication accommodations, for example, acceptance of calls
   through relay services and accessible websites.
   4. All of the above

Watch for our next "Accessibility: Unlocking Our Potential" post, including
the answer to this week’s  trivia question in the Friday, April 15 Student
Digest.

Regards,

Bailey Dell'Erba
TEL Intern
Majors in TV Video Production and Digital Media
Minor in Public Relations

John Locke, Ph.D.
EIT Accessibility Officer
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