Jo-Ann works as a Specialized Education Assistant for a school district on Vancouver Island. She works with students with behavioural issues, helping them learn self regulation tools and life skills while supporting their academics.

“I have significant hearing loss in both ears,” she shares. “To successfully and safely fulfill my job requirements I need to hear conversations in the school yard, participate in class discussions, and be attentive to speech nuances.”

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When it comes to learning, everyone is different, and what works for one student may not always work for another! Math apps are a great way to tackle this issue but sometimes students need something a little more hands-on. In-person tutoring is one way to tackle this issue, but depending on where you live, that may or may not be possible. So then that begs the question, what do you do when you need tutoring in math but there’s no one in your area who is available or qualified?

Enter Brighterly, an online tutoring service for students who are struggling in math. The service is designed for students from grades one to grade eight. Subjects include algebra, fractions, geometry, measurement, money, times table, number sense, numbers to word, and more.

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Andrew works full-time at a grocery store in Victoria, where his tasks include pulling skids, loading milk trays, stocking fridges, as well as directing other employees. He has post-surgery right arm weakness, as well as right foot drop, making his job difficult at times.

His orthotics provider referred him to WorkBC Assistive Technology Services for funding.

“I received a right foot orthosis, that was much better than my previous one,” he shares.

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Cass is a professional musician, who recently trained to become a technical animator in the film industry. She is currently looking for work as a technical animator, and she is also doing paid gigs as a musician.

“When the pandemic hit and folks were wearing masks, I realized that I had been relying on my ability to read lips to understand people. I was tested in August of 2023, and diagnosed with genetic hearing loss in the lower-to-mid frequencies. It affects my ability to distinguish speech and pitch,” she shares.

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When you’re blind or low vision, finding your way around unassisted can be an intimidating and sometimes be a downright dangerous task. Some cities are built to be more accessibility-friendly than others, but even within relatively accessible cities, there are still bound to be areas that are difficult to navigate. And while we’ve looked at a few apps that are designed to assist low-vision users with tasks such as shopping, identifying faces, reading descriptions, etc., but we haven’t seen many apps that do a decent job of assisting with navigation (at least none that have good information about navigating within New Brunswick).

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Alfred works as a media producer for a supplement company, in charge of all aspects of media production for the company from the concept to filming to post-production. Working with a creative team, as well as liaising with a variety of stakeholders, communication is vital. However, Alfred has sensorineural hearing loss in both ears.

“The hearing loss impacts my ability to communicate with the members of my team,” he shares. “I would often struggle to hear discussions which directly affects my active participation in conversations at the workplace.”

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David is a teacher on Vancouver Island, and he has hearing loss.

Through WorkBC Assistive Technology Services, he received funding for the hearing aids he needs for work.

“The assistance in buying my new hearing aids is a great gift I received, and I wish to express my gratitude,” he shares.

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On the latest episode, Nakia and Seaver will be looking at the new AI-powered pocket companion called the Rabbit R1. Then we talk a bit about what’s new in the world of AT, and finally, we list our top ten tips for adopting AT.

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Jim is self-employed, working online and in-person with clients who require mediation, as well as psychological safety training. He has hearing loss.

“When I’m unable to hear my clients clearly it limits my ability to communicate in a role that is based entirely on effective communication,” he says. “If I miss or mishear what is being shared, this can have a serious outcome.”

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