Whether you’re a student, a teacher, or a working professional in 2020, you’re probably doing at least a bit of writing in your day-to-day life, and you’re probably doing it electronically. For those who struggle with writing, the digital approach opens up so many more possibilities for support, especially since tutoring can be costly, inconvenient, or downright impossible given the current lockdown conditions. And while many apps offer base level writing features such as spelling and even grammar checks, these features often lack context and accuracy, and may not be best suited for users who require a higher level of accessibility and support.

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Melanie is a specialized employment counsellor based in Campbell River. She helps people with disabilities and mental health impacts find sustainable employment.

“I believe with the right fit, technology, and natural supports comes great opportunities for meaningful employment for all people with disabilities,” she explains.

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To start off 2021, we are going took at some new features that have been recently added to Zoom. This free videoconferencing app has proved itself to be more than useful during the recent pandemic, and as we continue to rely on videoconferencing technology to connect with each other, apps like Zoom keep adding more features and improvements along the way.

Recently, Zoom released a series of updates and improvements designed to make the app more accessible, functional, and customizable, so let’s get into some of these new features.

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Dawn recently started a writing business from her home in Vernon, writing complaint letters for clients and focusing on dispute resolution.

She has hand tremors, as well as bipolar disorder, which makes a typical workplace difficult for her.

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Michael works as a courier in the Lower Mainland. His daily duties include handling and processing packages in a depot, and then delivering them to local businesses and residences.

He is hearing impaired, which can be a challenge in a job that involves both dealing with customers and having to be aware of your surroundings.

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Have you ever been on an important phone call, and you missed an essential word or phrase, and you’re left wondering what was said? Most of us have been in this situation at least once, regardless of any medically recognized hearing challenges. And for those who do have documented hearing challenges, there are relay services available for assisted phone calls, but those services are generally quite costly, and require the help of another person. The app that we are going to look at today provides a unique solution to the problems discussed above, and it does so without the need of a third party.

RogerVoice uses real-time transcription technology to caption phone calls as they’re happening. All that’s required is a smartphone and an internet connection. Once you download and register for the app, you’ll be prompted to configure your preferences. Here you can adjust the transcription/ conversation language, voice gender, and text size.

Using the app is simple. To begin a transcribed conversation, open the RogerVoice app and dial the phone number and area code with which you wish to connect. Once the other party answers, the transcription process begins. As the other party talks, their words are instantly transcribed into text, making the phone conversation feel more like a text message conversation. Users can then either respond vocally or type their reply. As the RogerVoice user is typing, the other party will be informed via voice AI that the RogerVoice user is typing a reply. Once the phone call is complete, RogerVoice saves the transcription on your phone, allowing you to revisit the conversation later if necessary.

Note: RogerVoice provides 30 free minutes of service without requiring any credit card information. After the initial 30 minutes, users will then be required to choose a pricing plan and payment method, but, calling other RogerVoice users is always free. To learn more about pricing/plans, click here.

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Karen started a part-time job as an administrator at her church in Vancouver. She oversees office duties, like replying to emails, answering the phones, organizing weekly worship services, and coordinating the weekly newsletter. She also deals with the different rental users of the building.

However, her workday is made harder by her disability. Since birth, Karen has lived with spastic diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy, which affects her speech, coordination, muscle dexterity, balance, and mobility.

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In past e-bulletins, we looked at text to speech options that allow users to dictate text into their phones, tablets, and PCs. Voice Access takes that concept to the next level by allowing users to fully control their device using only their voice. This feature is especially helpful for users with mobility or vision challenges who may struggle with gestures and other physical interactions.

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Zeina has operated a successful project management consulting business for over a decade. Currently working from her home in Burnaby, she spends much of her time on the computer and in conference calls with various clients.

However, the work takes a toll on Zeina.

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2020 has seen a huge shift in how classroom content is created, taught, and corrected. And while we were perhaps headed in that direction anyways, the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly accelerated the need to establish remote learning tools in the classroom. The good news is there are lots of great options available, and most of them are free, or offer limited free functionality.

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