Where It's AT – Assistive Technology Blog

If you haven’t already done so, check out MDTAP’s online equipment exchange website, www.equipmentlink.org to see some of the most recent AT and DME posted. Equipment Link is an online marketplace for individuals to buy, sell and search for AT in one easy place. It includes access to some of our regional partner sites as well, including equipment being sold in Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Here’s a sneak peek of some of the items listed in the past few day:

• Round About Scooter, FREE, in MD
• Hoyer Lift, $125, in DE
• E-motion Wheels, $1500, in PA

If you’d like more information on Equipment Link, contact MDTAP at 1-800-832-4827 or email mdtap@mdtap.org.

AT in the news for the week of 12/3 – 12/7

Vantage Automation Helps Paralyzed Homeowner

Free Online Full Day Training on Low Tech AT Solutions begins at 9am.

AT at the Movies – Regal Entertainment Group makes great strides in movie accessibility

Project a touchscreen anywhere with the LuminAR device from the Media Lab!

NFB to Take Protest to Amazon, Denouncing School Kindle Use as Discriminatory to Blind Students

Large university system tackles online accessibility for students and employees

Technology allows blind student to ‘feel’ images

Does the 21st Century Communications & Video Accessibility Act apply to web based media players?

Accessibility in Mobile Devices webinar will be hosted on Tuesday December 11th, 2012 from 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm ET

Musician Uses Assistive Technology to Continue His Passion

15 Holiday Survival Tips | Children with Disabilities

iPad Apps List for Dyslexia: University of Michigan

A friendly tricycle for the disabled, courtesy IIT-M

Eye-controlled functionality coming soon to smartphones and tablets

Apple puts eye into iDevices

News in library accessibility

Using Mobile Apps for Memory Management after a Brain Injury

Adapted Puzzles

Contributed by Lori Markland, Director of Communications, MDTAP

Puzzles are a staple of childhood past times. In our house, they can be a mellow reprieve or a family activity. And almost always, they’re a quiet break from the seemingly constant noise and bustle. Whether they’re 12, 24, or 100 pieces, my kids always enjoy the challenge of fitting shapes and pictures to make something larger and more magnificent than the parts. Regardless of a child’s abilities, puzzles are integral to helping with hand-eye coordination, critical thinking, understanding patterns, and logic and spatial skills. For kids with disabilities, puzzles can sometimes be harder to access, more difficult to manipulate or lack feedback for a child who is engaged by sound or motion. For the kids who can’t or don’t interact with conventional puzzles, here are a few options to make them easier to access and more engaging.

AbleData provides a comprehensive database of D.I.Y projects, including this one for adapting a puzzle for a child with fine motor and grip challenges – Adapting Puzzles

Adapted puzzles can also be purchased directly from a variety of toy and AT speciality companies, including switch-adapted puzzles like this Farm Animal Shape Puzzle for $59.99 or simple knob puzzles for easier gripping like these found at Beyond Play, ranging from $11.95 to $19.95.

And for the child who loves to have an auditory response to putting a puzzle piece in the correct spot, sound puzzles can provide just that needed feedback. Sound puzzles can be found in almost any toy store or online, like this variety on Amazon’s website. From fire truck to vowel sounds, these sound puzzles can provide tons of engagement for a small price, typically $10 and up.

Happy shopping and happy puzzle time with all the little ones in your life!

WCAG 2.0 and Text Sizes

WCAG 2.0 does not specify a minimum text size—1 pixel font would be compliant, though obviously inaccessible to all sighted users. Font sizes should generally be at least 10 pixels.

WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.4.4 (Level AA) requires that content must remain readable and functional when text size or page zoom is set to at least 200% or twice the default size. This can be tested by selecting Control + (or Command + on a Mac) in your web browser or by increasing the text size under the View menu. The 200% text sizing requirement can be very difficult to meet on many pages. However, it is very uncommon for end users to need text sizing this big. Any user requirements over around 150% would necessitate page zooming or a dedicated screen enlarger. While supporting 200% text sizing ensures significant flexibility for end user text sizing, effort may best be spent achieving a more reasonable requirement of 150% text sizing.

AT Stocking Stuffers, Week 2

Contributed by Joel Zimba, Special Projects Coordinator, MDTAP

It’s the most wonderful time of the year.  To celebrate, here are a few more gift suggestions to help stuff all the stockings on your list.

My favorite item this week is the Pot Minder.  As the name suggests, it will keep your pots from boiling over.  There you are preparing the big family dinner, when suddenly, you take a call from that long-winded great aunt.  All thoughts of stirring and watching the stove fly from your head as you tell about the adorable disaster brought about by your offspring in the middle of the school Christmas play.  Rather than making a mess of your stove top, the Pot Minder will keep everything under control.  These little guys are inexpensive and anyone could benefit from having one around.

One of the most popular items at the bountiful MDTAP Exhibit Table is the large, brightly colored keyboard.  Everyone wants one.  Assistive Technology can just make your life easier.  It doesn’t have to be just for the use of people with disabilities.  If the little keys on the new Macbook Santa brought you are too small to see well, or you’re just too ham-handed to type easily, this is for you.  The Big Bright Keyboard will set you right up (although there are dozens of brands like this).  The USB connection should work on any modern computer. Although this is the least expensive one we could find, there are many varieties available, and they’re all quite affordable. And keep in mind that with the purchase of $50.00 or more at Independent Living Aids, you get free ground shipping.

Stay tuned for more great stocking stuffer ideas next week!

It’s that time of year when parents scour stores and the Internet for the best deals on the toys their little ones are begging to have. But for the parents and families of children with special needs, finding the right toy can be a much larger challenge. Physical, cognitive and developmental disabilities can pose challenges for how a child interacts with a toy. Sometimes it’s a puzzle with auditory feedback that can make all the engagement difference for a child with autism, or a switch attached to a battery-operated toy so the kid who can’t manually operate the race car can now make it go “vroom” all on his own.

For those who are facing these challenges, we’d like to share some great resources on how to switch-adapt and D.I.Y those presents for all the little wonders in their lives!

This great and informative video “How to Make Your Own Adapted Switch Toys” is an excellent how-to for the everyday parent hoping to make a toy more engaging.

For the parent willing to get a little wet this holiday season, here are step-by-step instructions on a D.I.Y. Switch Adapted Water Blaster.

And for more generalized information on D.I.Y AT, including many toys, check out this Pinterest page for a ton of ideas.

Happy holidays and happy D.I.Y’ing!