“There are many companies whose products provide a benefit to people with disabilities,” says Janger.   “As a deaf person, I have benefited from these products, some of which have made a major difference in my life.  I can relate to other people with disabilities when they describe some of the technologies that improve their quality of life and enable them to be functionally equivalent to their non-disabled peers.  Like them, I am always seeking out new technologies that have the potential to further improve my quality of life and help me communicate better with hearing people.  I derive much satisfaction out of working with companies that develop and market assistive technologies — knowing that I can help them improve their competitive position and ultimately, improve consumer choice for people with disabilities.”

We asked Michael about the Internet and social media and how these growing forms of interaction and network building have influenced his life. “The Internet made possible the existence of video relay services — which has made the most significant impact in my quality-of-life, by enabling me to carry on normal conversations with anyone around the world over the telephone.  I have always liked to socialize and keep in touch with people, professionally and personally. Not being able to use the telephone independently has always been a source of frustration for me.”

“I don’t know if social media itself has made an impact on my life in the context of my deafness. However, that said, it has certainly reconnected me with childhood friends that I have not heard from in 30 years; it has also helped me stay in closer contact with my current friends and associates.”

“Since my disability tends to have its greatest impact on communication, my deaf friends and I have always been very industrious in utilizing technologies and devices that improve communication, not only with hearing people, but also between deaf and hard-of-hearing people.  Before Facebook came along, we always kept in touch via pagers and text messaging.  Facebook is just another layer of communication above all the other devices that we have been using to communicate.  We already had a social network before Facebook.”

When we asked Michael about staying focused and motivated on professional goals, particularly when the economy is rough and opportunities are scarce, he advises others with disabilities not to lose sight of the goal that they have set for themselves.  ”It may sound simple and cliched, but in my experience it always helps.  When you feel discouraged or frustrated, it can be easy to forget about the goals you have worked hard for, and focus on what you cannot do.  That can be debilitating.  Only when you regain focus on the goals you work passionately for, then you can visualize solutions to help navigate the barriers that keep you from achieving those objectives.  When you shift from thinking about what you cannot do, to thinking about what you CAN do to deal with an obstacle, that makes a real difference in how you can achieve success.”

Rudy created the DRE social network as a place to discuss disability issues and exchange resources, ideas and support. The network seeks to bring together all those interested in disability issues to foster a spirit of cooperation and education. Active since 2009, the group has already helped close to 1,000 people.
We talked to Rudy about the milestones that led up to his creation of the DisabilityResourceExchange.com.

“As a child with physical and learning disabilities, I started my education in a special school for disabled children and then fought to stay in my local public school system,” said Rudy. “I think my greatest accomplishment was fighting to attend Teaneck public high school as its first disabled student, which made it more accessible to future generations of kids with special needs.”

According to Rudy, the creation of the DisabilityResourceExchange.com web site and his blog, www.copingwithdisability.com, was driven by his own chronic pain and isolation. “Running these web sites gives me a sense of purpose. And aiding others in dealing with disabilities helps me to cope with my own disability,” says Rudy. He says, when coping with disability, he feels it’s important to keep your situation in perspective. “Social networking allows you to see that you aren’t alone — other people deal with it, too.”

With more than 4,000 followers on Twitter, Rudy has learned to effectively leverage social media to raise awareness for disability issues. He is ranked among the top five Tweeters on Disability issues on Listorious.com.

“I come from a technological background. My father worked for Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) and taught me about computers and technology from a very early age. My goal has always been to use technology to raise disability awareness and connect people in the disabled community. I feel this is a new field to be explored and a new way for advances in disability advocacy.”

Rudy’s advice for others with Cerebral Palsy or similar special needs is to ask for help when you need it and to establish a good support system – be it family, a support group or a psychologist. “I think it is important to be open to new ideas about coping with a disability effectively. I would also want to tell others to try and be positive and smile, because smiling rubs off on the people around you.”

Alex is the visionary behind the Adaptive Design Association AdaptiveDesign.org, a non-profit group that she founded in 1998. Based on a successful program model she developed for the Perkins School for the Blind, the Adaptive Design Association ensures that children with disabilities obtain the customized equipment they need to thrive in home, school, and community life. To this end, Adaptive Design offers training in adaptive design, builds customized equipment, and promotes a broad-based expansion of adaptive design services and education in schools, hospitals, and communities.

“When I was asked to take on this initiative, the challenge was tremendous,” said Alex.  “Sustaining a non-profit is difficult in New York, but children everywhere need customized adaptive solutions — and this agency is all about inspiring people to take notice.”

When asked about her organization’s most noteworthy achievements, Alex lists many, including:
• Adaptive Design has created customized equipment for hundreds of children with unique positioning, health, and/or developmental needs
• The association has provided hands-on classes for teachers and therapists working in public and private schools throughout New York City
• They maintain a “Never Say No” policy, so children get equipment, as soon as the Adaptive Design Association can make and deliver it, or teachers can take classes, even when reimbursement is doubtful or impossible
• 126 women in transition have completed work-readiness internships, gaining transferable workplace skills
• They have introduced undergraduate and graduate students in Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy to adaptive-design technologies through internships and fieldwork experiences
• The Adaptive Design Association uses eco-responsible materials – one of their favorites is three-layered corrugated cardboard and wooden nails.

“The children we create equipment for and their families are obvious beneficiaries, but the people who design, build, and decorate the equipment, as well as the classmates, and the wider community, also benefit immeasurably,” added Alex.

For more information on the Adaptive Design Association, please visit their website at: www.adaptivedesign.org.

Among The Giants from Adaptive Design on Vimeo.

PossAbilities All-Star: Richard Ellenson, Creator of the Tango and Chief Vision Officer, Dynavox & Mayer-Johnson

Richard Ellenson’s innovative work and continued dedication to the special needs community is fueled by his son, Thomas Ellenson. Tom, now 12 years old, was born with Cerebral Palsy. Intellectually and emotionally on par with his peers, Tom is limited in his ability to verbally communicate, and cannot get around without his wheelchair.

As a former ad executive, Ellenson’s perspective of the world is hyper-oriented around communications. From his viewpoint, everything from breakfast cereals to people, carry their own brand identity. And, as the father of a child with special needs, he is acutely aware of the differences in how people react to and perceive individuals with disabilities versus the mainstream population.

“When I created Tango for my son, it was not only about creating a simple mode of communication, it was to help Tom build relationships,” said Ellenson. “I wanted him to have a device that would work even before a conversation started…when he identified a person he was interested in knowing, he could ‘initiate’ contact by ‘saying’ something cool – without initially sounding robotic. Of course synthetic voices have gotten better over the years, but to really get emotional juice into a first impression, it makes sense to work toward the common ground – not start off with something that sounds unfamiliar.”

Richard’s unique way of thinking resulted in an Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) device called the Tango. Introduced in 2006, the Tango has changed the lives of thousands of children and teens around the world. Now merged with AAC leader, Dynavox, the Tango continues to enable multiple modes of communication, so kids can interact more like their peers in diverse social situations – whoopee cushion sound effects included.

Now the chief vision officer of Dynavox, Richard’s mission is two-fold: The first is to help cast aside negative branding associated with disabilities and open eyes to the amazing spirits shared by so many with disabilities. Ellenson seeks to plant the seed of understanding that people with disabilities are different, just different, nothing more. The second piece is to increase awareness of and access to AAC devices and the innovations going on at DynaVox.

“Today only one in 20 people who need an augmentative communication device receive one. We believe that every individual should have a device the day they need it. Equally important, in our view, is getting the right device for the right person for the right reason, and we’re creating new products that honor not only the right of people to communicate, but the need for others to find this sort of interaction less challenging, added Ellenson.”

To learn more about the Tango, or other DynaVox communication products, check out dynavoxtech.com

This video introduces viewers to the concept of augmentative and alternative communication and how speech communication devices can help those challenged by significant speech disabilities to speak their minds.