Signily: iOS keyboard allows you to communicate in sign language

While communicating may be easier on mobile phones for the general population, communication tends to be more limited for individuals who are deaf.  For instance, said individuals often communicate using sign language, but using sign language isn’t really an option, unless using video messages.  This is about to change with the release of Signily, a sign language […]

The Dot: Smartwatch that displays text in Braille

By now, I’m certain a majority of you have heard of many smart devices available on the market, especially Apple’s flagship wearable, the Apple Watch.  While this smartwatch offers several accessibility features (e.g. VoiceOver), it doesn’t offer the same tactile benefits as Braille. A Korean startup company has thus developed The Dot, a smartwatch featuring active Braille technology. The Dot is a wearable […]

Pain Management Apps for Children

For children and adults with special needs, (e.g. nonverbal, developmental delays, autism, and more), expressing their desires and thoughts can be challenging, if not impossible.  Fortunately, there are several apps available to assist with this communication. While all communication is arguably important, the ability to express and manage one’s pain is especially important.  Here is […]

Mother from Indianapolis develops Lectio, an app for dyslexia

“Have you ever heard the expression, ‘Necessity is the mother of all invention?’ Well, it’s true,” says Kris Parmelee.  Parmelee is an Indianapolis mother of a son with dyslexia, a learning disorder affecting at least 10-15% of the nation’s population.  After several years of watching her son struggle with reading, Parmelee founded and developed Lectio, an app […]

6 Empathy-teaching apps

For several children, understanding and learning empathy is very challenging.  However, by learning about empathy, children will ultimately improve their social skills, learn coping strategies, work on positive behavior, and more.  While learning empathy is difficult for many children, it is especially challenging for individuals with autism and other special needs.  Here is a list of six different apps, categorized by age group, which […]

The Mercury Handheld Magnifier & StandScan

If you or a loved one are in the market for a portable magnifier and OCR, perhaps you should consider the Mercury Handheld Magnifier and OCR.  The Mercury Handheld Magnifier and OCR is a touch-based live magnification device that can perform accurate full page OCR.  The magnifier features a wide 5.5 inch display screen with […]