The amazing ways accessible tech has helped people with disabilities
Designed for everyone
Can you imagine being the lead singer, drummer and PR manager for a metal band without the help of your sight? Carlos Vasquez, who lost his eyesight to Glaucoma when he was a child, is doing it. With the help of VoiceOver with Screen Curtain on his iPhone, he can capture band photos, hail a ride to practice and spread the word about his band, Distartica, through ReverbNation.
He is not the only one who has found ways to customise his tech to help him do what he loves. There’s 15-year-old Meera Phillips who has a passion for soccer and most things in life. She’s opinionated and she has Schizencephaly. It impacts her motor control and speech so she can’t fully utilise her natural voice but that doesn’t stop her from speaking her mind. Her tech partner is TouchChat on her iPad. Meera uses it to talk to her friends and family, order food and even tell jokes.
There are so many ways tech can help everyone in both small and big tasks. It just needs to be designed for everyone. May 18 is Global Accessibility Awareness Day and to commemorate the importance of accessible tech and design, Apple has released seven powerful films to showcase the impact accessible tech has on people’s lives. After all, one in seven people, or a billion people in the world are living with some sort of disability, according to World Health Organisation.
Watch all seven powerful stories below:
In addition, the App Store is featuring an Accessibility collection with the best tried-and-tested apps that can help improve the lives of those affected by vision, hearing, physical, learning and speech disabilities. Find it via a Quick Link at the bottom of the main featured page.
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