intact sketchpad

inTACT Tactile Graphics

Earlier this year, I wrote about a museum exhibit featuring tactile paintings for individuals who are blind or visually impaired.  Now, a company called E.A.S.Y. Tactile Graphics is painting a new canvas of possibilities for individuals with vision impairments. The company’s mission statement states: “We firmly believe that drawing is not reserved solely for the sighted, and […]

Claria Zoom app for Android

Individuals who have macular degeneration, glaucoma, etc., commonly experience low vision.  Smartphones offer a myriad of benefits to their users, but individuals with visual impairments may be limited to its functions.  Claria Zoom is an award-winning app making these smartphones more accessible and easier-to-read for individuals with low vision. Claria Zoom is an Android app with a large character […]

CrowdViz: an app designed to assist blind and visually impaired

Several months ago, I wrote about the Be My Eyes app and even hosted a podcast on this app.  If you’re not familiar with this app, Be My Eyes was designed to connect individuals who are blind with volunteer helpers around the globe via live video chat.  By pairing individuals with visual impairments with sighted volunteers, […]

Exploring Braille with Madilyn and Ruff

For young children with visual impairments, there are additional challenges in terms of child development.  Many experts believe that children with visual impairments develop more slowly than their peers, but now research proves there is just as much “variability in terms of when they acquire a skill.”  As is the case with other children, practicing skills as […]

StepPad: cognitive support tool for multi-step tasks

The new StepPad may be a great resource for individuals who have difficulty completing multiple step tasks by themselves.  With the StepPad, directions that are recorded are played back in a sequence, one step at a time, to prompt the user on what to do next.  The device functions well as both a short-term teaching tool […]

11 Blindfold games for the visually impaired

Confession: I love playing games—board games, video games, word games, you name it!  My iPhone has so conveniently brought the world of games to the palms of my hands.  Playing games is a fun way for me to pass the time when I’m waiting for the bus, or sitting in a waiting room at the doctor.  Even after a […]