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When Spring Didn’t Come
This spring, it seems like winter is never going to let go! As I sit here using my lightbox, I wonder when can I start tapering off using it each morning? I use the light box to help keep my circadian rhythm in tune with the rest of the world. Otherwise, especially in Winter with…
Read MoreTelehealth: More Access to What We Need
By Jen Mullins, BS, CTRS, MATP Staff Earlier this year, I had an experience that I think many of us have had: I was home sick with a cold/virus/etc. and couldn’t get an appointment with my regular doctor (not that I really felt up to leaving my home to drive to the doctor & sit…
Read MoreUniversal Design in Learning
by MATP Staffer Laura Hall The term “universal design” has been around for quite some time. Universal design refers to the idea that if structures are built to accommodate a particular group, say, people with disabilities, they also accommodate the rest of the population. Power doors, for example, help people with disabilities navigate entryways, but…
Read MoreSmart 911: Your Path to Safety in a Disaster
One of the enduring problems for people with disabilities who find themselves in an emergency or a disaster is the inability of the systems of emergency response to actually help them with the problems and threats they face. Once the emergency has occurred, it is too late to go through the complexities of your personal…
Read MoreAre You Spring Cleaning? Consider using the ATXchange.org!
While the weather in this part of Michigan continues the long cold winter, there are some subtle signs of Spring, despite the snow coming the next few days! We were woken from a deep sleep last night at about 3 AM by an encompassing awful (!) aroma of skunk. I’ll take daffodils any day over that…
Read MoreMy Driverless Car!
Post Foreword: Driverless cars seem to be in the news more and more these days. The recent, tragic accident raises concerns and the potential benefits for people who can’t drive due to a disability. Guest blogger, Cathy McAdam shares her desire for a driverless car in this blog post. By Guest Blogger Cathy McAdam Yes, I want one: Self-driving car,…
Read MorePanic Attack? There’s an app for that!
I had my first panic attack exactly 3 years ago, outside my doctor’s office. I’ve also had some PTSD flare ups recently so wanted to share this older blog post about my first panic attack as a reminder to myself and hopefully a help for others who have panic attacks. In 2015, stress from recent…
Read MoreTransitioning from School to Life: AT Considerations
By Laura Hall, MATP Staffer Transitioning from school to life is an exciting time for any student. Yet, accessing assistive technology once out of school can be a much different process. In K-12, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that assistive technology be considered for all students during the IEP process. If AT is…
Read MoreThe Little Joys of Text Browsers
Modern browsers are gigantic affairs, designed to manage the remarkable variety of content available online, but also designed to do many more things, using a wide diversity of add-ons, scripting systems, plugins, revenue enhancement tools, and so on, ad infinitum. Now that wide bandwidth is more the rule than the exception, this makes some sense.…
Read MoreA Personal Emergency Response Alternative?
After the sudden death of her husband on New Year’s Eve, a friend was really in a daze. She has a lifelong hearing loss and now has arthritis that can flare up in times of stress. She also had a stroke a few years ago and has fallen at home before. Her family and friends…
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