The Journey to Assistive Technology
In the months ahead, I will be sharing information and tips concerning all aspects of assistive technology. It is important to keep in mind that finding and implementing assistive devices is a process, not a one-time event. This process has several steps:
- identification of needs,
- assessment of skills,
- evaluation of possible devices,
- location of funding sources,
- implementation, and
- follow-up.
Each of these stages is critical in insuring that individuals with disabilities enjoy the benefits of assistive technology. It is a journey to independence, productivity, and contribution, one that may take months or even years to complete.
Since the journey is so time-consuming and often frustrating, discouragement often clouds our vision, making it difficulty to keep going. One way to battle this discouragement is to keep in mind that many people have traveled the road to assistive technology before and have survived. Not only have they survived, but many are also flourishing!
To encourage you in your own journey, I share here my own story and guide you to the accounts of others, so that you can know that there is a way and that you can find it!
My Story
I was born with cerebral palsy, a condition that affects muscle control. From fourth grade until my junior year in college, I completed my work by holding a stick with both hands and punching keys on a typewriter, an extremely slow and exhausting process. I typed only eight words per minute. At this speed, a three-page book report required three hours to type and an hour essay exam took me five hours. I worked seven days a week, eight hours a day, to keep up with my assignments, frequently developing blisters on my hands from holding my typing stick so long.
As I progressed through college, I knew that the time was approaching when I would not be able to keep up, no matter how many hours I worked. Many people encouraged me to get a computer. I tried using a computer in my college writing class in high school, but with my typing stick, I could not perform certain keystrokes, such as pushing two buttons simultaneously, which many programs require. For years, I had heard about adaptations that could make computers accessible to people with disabilities. I sent for information about these products, but, never having used a computer, I was not certain of my needs. My mother contacted a center which was supposed to assess individuals' need for assistive technology, but they were not helpful at all.
My life filled with hopelessness. At this rate, I would never make it through college or be employed in a job that interested me. Then I learned
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