Mind Maps are great tools for visually laying out complex ideas. They’re especially helpful for visual learners and even for individuals with print-based disabilities because you can add pictures, colour-code certain concepts and paths, and the basic structure of the mind map allows you to better conceptualize connections between ideas. They allow you to plan out concepts in a clean and structured way without being overly “wordy.”

And while most students have probably used a mind map at some point in their lives, the concept of mind mapping is actually relatively new, with the term being officially coined in 1995 by an author and educator named Tony Buzan.

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Terry works as a bus driver, transporting people with disabilities to and from hospital appointments. He loves his job, however, his employer determined that it was unsafe for him to continue driving with his hearing loss.

Looking to continue driving, Terry went to a hearing clinic for help. With the prohibitive cost of hearing aids, his audiologist referred him to WorkBC Assistive Technology Services for help funding the hearing aids he needs for work.

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We’ve talked about AI a few times in the past, especially in the context of how it can be used as assistive technology (AT). We’ve also explored quite a few chatbots, which are AI-based apps that are designed to simulate human conversations. Typically those apps are fairly general in nature, but recently we have learned about some very interesting task-specific chatbots which focus on one particular task rather than serving as a blank conversational canvas.

ChatPDF is a free, browser-based chatbot that focuses specifically on analyzing and summarizing PDFs. This tool can be helpful for students, professionals, researchers, and anyone else who works with PDFs.

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Sandra is looking for part-time work as an online ESL tutor. She has been receiving training through WorkBC Employment Services and is volunteering to get some experience in the field.

Recently, Sandra, who is in her 60’s and has multiple disabilities, found she was having a hard time hearing people on her computer during online courses, although she initially attributed it to technical issues. Eventually, a hearing test revealed that she has hearing loss, and she was referred to WorkBC Assistive Technology Services for hearing aids to help her in her training and employment goals.

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In this episode, we are focused on one topic: Cephable. Cephable is an accessible control app designed for individuals with physical disabilities, and it’s completely free for personal use. The app uses a combination of voice control, head motion, facial expressions, and virtual buttons to give you unprecedented control over your PC.

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Stephanie works in pediatrics, supporting children with serious illnesses.

“I have moderate to severe hearing loss which made my workday challenging,” she shares. “I rely on lip-reading, and when we are to wear masks at work, not only is the sound of speech muffled, but I am also unable to lip-read.”

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Typically, when we review higher-tech software, the biggest barrier we see for potential consumers is the high cost of purchase. Of course, many of these apps (such as the previously mentioned Dragon Dictation) offer life-changing features that ultimately make the purchase worth it for persons with disabilities. Sometimes however, we are introduced to an app that is both life-changing for persons with disabilities, as well as being affordable.

Cephable is an accessible control app designed for individuals with physical disabilities, and it’s completely free for personal use. The app uses a combination of voice control, head motion, facial expressions, and virtual buttons to give you unprecedented control over all of your devices, including Mac, PC, Android, and iOS.

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Colin’s work involves a lot of meetings, taking place online, over the phone, and in-person on construction sites. However, he has hearing loss in both ears, which was affecting his ability to communicate during meetings.

His audiologist referred him to WorkBC Assistive Technology Services for help funding the hearing aids he needed for work.

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Jean-Luc works as a ramp agent at an airport. His job involves loading and unloading planes, and communicating with pilots to dispatch airplanes safely and efficiently.

“I am hard of hearing in both ears,” he shares. “This can make hearing speech in loud environments at the airport difficult.”

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Our team was recently featured on Speak Up, Listen Up, Act Upon on CJSF 90.1 FM, hosted by Charlotte “Sista C” Ferrell. Charlotte is a participant of our Computer Comfort program.

Staff members Nate Toevs, Curtis Larsen, Kakie Wong, and Heather Ritchie discuss our various programs, including Computer Comfort, Creative Employment Options, Hearing Solutions, and WorkBC Assistive Technology Services, all of which are aimed at helping persons with disabilities access assistive technology, employment, and digital literacy.

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