Microsoft Adaptive Accessories As an ATP working with persons with a variety of different physical disabilities, the Microsoft Adaptive Accessories is a recent and exciting new development, offering a tool kit of mouse accessories. Working with individuals with CP, MD, hemiparesis, limb deficiencies or upper extremity injuries requires finding different input methods as well as unique positioning for access to achieve independent and efficient use. Microsoft has created a new Adaptive Mouse system with interchangeable components and a wireless hub for customization to a client’s unique needs ..read more

ElderTech Looking for tech as a Boomer, for your aging parents or patients? Joan Green, Speech-Language Pathology and owner of Innovative Speech, offers a free webinar on ElderTech available on demand. The hour-long webinar provides information on services, devices, and apps to keep older adults connected. The webinar was well worth the time and free! In addition to her ElderTech webinar, Joan has a variety of services offered from her expertise as a speech-language pathologist including assistive technology tools to support the clients she works with. Check out her website, Innovative Speech ..read more

Echo 2 Pen News from Livescribe, com announced the Echo 2 pen is available for pre order at a price of $149.95.   Unavailable for more than a year, it appears it will be coming hopefully soon. It’s great news for individuals looking for assistive note taking options! The Livescribe Echo pen for more than a decade has been a recommended assistive pen used for note-taking for both students and employees. The Echo pen is a rechargeable pen (with USB cable) that scans handwritten notes while voice recording and synchronizing both recording and handwriting information using specialized do ..read more

Adaptive Grill Tongs from Quadtools.com Easterseals Crossroads Indata Project curates all things AT. I admire their team that scours and reviews AT with the full spectrum of disabilities in mind. A recent post featuring Quadtools.com reviews an American-Made business that customizes tools for quadriplegics. Check out the Crossroads Quadtools post and Quadtools website for the inspirational story and the customized tools available – it will be well worth your visit. H/T to Easterseals Crossroads Indata Project. Thank you for your expert, shared information on everything AT. Carol – from OT’s wi ..read more

Voice Dream Reader Suite Apps Congratulations to Winston Chen for receiving the 2021 Apple Design Award. Well deserved for his continued development of Voice Dream Reader apps supporting persons with reading disabilities since inception in 2011. Winston through the years has developed and improved his apps, listening to the needs of individuals with disabilities to make information accessible. He is commended for his dedication to supporting individuals with reading challenges for the past decade. Since Voice Dream Reader App(s) debut, they have been my recommended app for clients benefitting ..read more

Neo Reco recording device for use with Neo smart pens and paper Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve written about different Neo smartpens.  In addition to a variety of smartpens, Neo also offers the Neo Smartpen RECO, which is the “world’s first intuitive voice recorder.” Further, Neo Smartpen RECO is the voice recorder that keeps track of notes written on paper.  20 more words Neo Smartpen RECO — Assistive Technology at Easter Seals Crossroads For years the Livescribe Echo Pen and notebook paper was my go to handwritten assistive note taking tool. It currently is not available ..read more

Optelec Compact 6 HD with Speech Magnifier Handheld video magnifiers come in a variety sizes from 5-6 inch pocket size to larger magnifiers with 10–12-inch screen. This offers users devices for spot magnification using a portable device to devices that can present more enlarged print with the larger 10-12 inch screens. An additional feature being offered in the past year or two is text to speech capabilities along with magnification on a dedicated device. A recent client evaluated for her AT needs with low vision and a reading disability required support to complete continuing education ..read more

Scanmarker Air Pen The Scanmarker Air pen is a wireless, OCR scanning pen. With scanning lines of print, the pen completes optical character recognition and transfers it to another source. Companion software installed on a computer (Mac or Windows) or iOS or Android tablet or smartphone offers features of text to speech, transcription or a bar code reader. When using a computer scanned text can be transferred direct into documents. The Scanmarker Air is the wireless digital highlighter pen whereas the standard Scanmarker Pen transfers text using a USB wired connection. The Scanmarker pen has b ..read more

Continuing Education for Assistive Technology If you are a therapist or assistive technology specialist, keeping up to date with new equipment, current issues regarding AT services as well as completing required continuing education for certifications requires finding online learning resources due during the COVID Pandemic. With the demand for remote learning, many continuing education webinars and conferences are on line with some free and some offering CEU’s typically with live on line sessions. Listed below are a few continuing education resources that might help you with updating your skil ..read more

Voice Dream At Home Bundle Sale Voice Dream Reader app (iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad; Android) has been a long-standing favorite reading app offering text to speech and many customization settings to support individuals with a disability. As a mobile reading app, its advanced and customized settings make it a versatile e-learning tool, managing a variety of document formats, high quality text to speech voices and customization of the size, color, font and spacing of the print. The developer, Winston Chen has continually upgraded Voice Dream Reader to support the needs of individuals with readin ..read more