ATU547 – Mason Metzger

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Your weekly dose of information that keeps you up to date on the latest developments in the field of technology designed to assist people with disabilities and special needs.

Special Guest:

Mason Metzger – Keynote Speaker and Accessibility Advocate

Website: https://www.masonmetzger.com/

Go Fund Me: https://gofund.me/85cdcaf7

—– Transcript Starts Here —–

Mason Metzger:
Hi, this is Mason Metzger and I’m the keynote speaker and accessibility advocate at MasonMetzger.com, and this is your Assistive Technology Update.

Josh Anderson:
Hello, and welcome to your Assistive Technology Update, a weekly dose of information that keeps you up to date on the latest developments in the field of technology designed to assist individuals with disabilities and special needs. I’m your host, Josh Anderson with the In Data project at Easterseals Crossroads in beautiful Indianapolis, Indiana. Welcomed episode 547 of Assistive Technology Update. It’s scheduled to be released on November 19th, 2021. On today’s show, we’re super excited to have Assistive Technology advocate and speaker Mason Metzger on to talk about his life and all the great things that he’s doing. Don’t forget, you can always reach out to us at tech@eastersealscrossroads.org, call our listener line at (317) 721-7124 or hit us up on Twitter @InDataProject. A transcript of today’s show is also available at eastersealstech.com and they’re generously sponsored by InTRAC. You can find out more about InTRAC at indianarelay.com.

Josh Anderson:
Now let’s go ahead and get on with the interview. Listeners, I’m not going to spend a lot of time introducing our guest today. I’m going to let him do most of the introduction himself. Mason Metzger is a motivational keynote speaker, accessibility advocate, college student, AT user and so much more. And I’m very excited to have him on the show today to talk to us about his AT journey and just all the great thing that he does. Mason, welcome to the show.

Mason Metzger:
Hello. Thank you for having me.

Josh Anderson:
Yeah, I’m really excited to get to spend some time talking with you today. So I think I’ll start off with maybe the biggest question of all. Can you start off by just telling our listeners about yourself?

Mason Metzger:
Yeah. So I am 22 years old. At one year of age, doctors diagnosed me with spastic cerebral palsy. For those that do not know, spastic cerebral palsy is a neurological condition that results in stiff muscles and impaired mobility. A power wheelchair provides me the gift of mobility and there’s even some assistive technology built into my wheelchair, such as the ability to stand. And also, my wheelchair has a mouse built into it. So if I needed to, I can control my computer with my wheelchair joystick. So it’s really cool to see how technology allows me to live life to the fullest. And I’m the type of person that doesn’t let their limitations dictate their reality. And assistive technology helps to bridge some of the gaps that exist if it wasn’t for assistive technology in my life. So, yeah.

Josh Anderson:
Excellent. Excellent. Well Mason, as we start talking about you and your journey, when did you really make the decision to use your special gifts for the good of others?

Mason Metzger:
So I’ve been using my disability as a gift to make a positive impact in the lives of others ever since I can remember. It started early on in elementary school. I didn’t really realize I was different from other kids. I would always run around with them in my wheelchair and chase them around. And I always made sure I was included. But in fourth grade was when I was first exposed to assistive technology.

Mason Metzger:
So back in the day, Dragon wasn’t as advance as it is now. But I started using Dragon all the way back in fourth grade to create Jeopardy games, to help my classmates review for their tests and quizzes, because third grade was a hard year for me. I was actually placed into a special needs, full-time, just for that year. And during that year, I got to work with assistive technology for the first time. And I also started working on skills to promote my independence level, such as opening packages, undoing the straps on my foot plates on my wheelchair and learning how to eat with utensils. Fourth grade was really when I got to start experimenting with assistive technology.

Josh Anderson:
Mason, when did you decide to start doing the public speaking and keynotes? What brought you on to want to do that?

Mason Metzger:
Awesome. So what made my dream to become a motivational took flight was back in eighth grade, I was listening to a presentation by a person who is now the current superintendent of Warsaw Community Schools where I received my K through 12 education. And someone, who is now my mentor, her name is Lorinda Klein, and they were at my middle school that day, talking about the corporation’s new mission statement at the time. And when they were talking about the corporation’s mission, that night, I began to understand what my mission in life was. So fast forward just a little bit, and Lorinda took me under her wing and really helped me begin to develop a public speaking platform. And so throughout the rest of middle school and high school, I traveled all over the State of Indiana sharing story. That’s what really started my public speaking journey.

Mason Metzger:
But I would say that the seed was planted, in terms of my love of public speaking, all the way back in fourth grade when I was creating those Jeopardy games to help my classmates review. So it’s really cool to see how things work together for the good of people.

Josh Anderson:
And Mason, what are some of the topics that you cover in your keynotes and your public speaking engagements?

Mason Metzger:
So a couple of my topics that I speak on most frequently are overcoming obstacles, teamwork, universal design, leadership. And diversity and inclusion is a huge topic within organizations right now. Diversity and inclusion issues are what I get called upon within organizations most of the time. But those are just some of the topics I speak about. And I’m able to make customizations based upon the needs of the audience and the purpose of their event.

Mason Metzger:
But maybe we can talk a little bit about universal design at some point in this interview, because I really think that that’s a crucial piece of assistive technology. And just on that topic, briefly for now, I would say that one of the most frequent clients that I work with are colleges and universities, helping education majors understand assistive technology and how to universally design their lesson plans so that when a student runs into an obstacle, they don’t have to go back and retrofit their lesson plans. So universal design is really one of my favorite topics to speak about because it encompasses so much.

Josh Anderson:
Mason, where in your life have you encountered, I don’t know what the word is, but poor universal design? Mason, you mentioned colleges and universal design. Where is somewhere else where maybe you’ve found universal design is really lacking, where things aren’t designed to include everyone?

Mason Metzger:
Yeah. So I would say that the areas where universal design is lacking, I would say that most of the time organizations and individuals focus on the universal design of the built environment. And sometimes they forget about designing policies and procedures in a universal designed way. But also in the built environment, that’s where most people run into obstacles. And so it’s really important for people who have influence within organizations to consider how to universally design environments, policies and experiences so that everyone is able to benefit from those experiences. So it begins by asking your organization’s stakeholders what they need, and also what barriers they’ve identified. Because when you begin to understand the unique lens of your organizational stakeholders, it helps to create environments where everyone can thrive. And so that’s my biggest piece of advice for better applying universal design in environments and in terms of the design of policies and overall experiences. But it really just begins with engaging in conversations like this one and asking people what they need and then moving forward together.

Josh Anderson:
I really could not agree more. Mason, to get back to assistive technology just a little bit, you talked about using Dragon. Besides Dragon, which of course has improved over time, where have you seen great improvements in assistive technology? Be it something you use or maybe something that you’ve just seen or had experience with?

Mason Metzger:
One of the most outstanding improvements in assistive technology, in my opinion and based on my experiences with assistive technology, would be how some companies are beginning to utilize the power of artificial intelligence to design software programs. And then one of the other tools that I find very useful is a trackball mouse because it allows me to navigate the computer without experiencing a lot of fatigue. And my particular trackball mouse that I have is surrounded by four large programmable buttons. And so I’m to advance slides or scroll down a document when I’m sitting at my desk. It’s really cool to see how technology, both on the hardware side and the software side, has progressed to eliminate barriers for people with disabilities. And I think we also see that non-disabled persons are starting to experience the benefits of assistive technology because we’re seeing large companies, such as Microsoft and Apple and Google, integrate things like dictation software and screen readers and magnification into their products. And dictation software is something that non-disabled people also use. So people are experiencing the benefits of products being designed in a universal way.

Josh Anderson:
Sure. You bring up a great point there. When I have conversations with people about assistive technology, especially folks who don’t know what it is, I can usually just say, “Have you ever dictated a text on your phone?” And when they say yes, I’m like, “Well, you were using assistive technology.” Used to be that was something that had to be aftermarket. It was very specialized. And you even kind of mentioned it in your trackball, that having those programmable buttons means that it is a great accommodation for more people because those buttons can be programmed for different needs and for different uses. Yeah, I think you bring up a great point of using AI and other things to make AT really more beneficial to all individuals.

Mason Metzger:
Yeah. I totally agree. And I would just add to what I said earlier by saying that assistive technology really promotes autonomy for individuals with disabilities. And finding ways to increase people’s autonomy is crucial for their development. Not only as individuals, but also individuals going into the workplace. And so that’s another crucial benefit of assistive technology that I think is important for people to learn about if they’re not able to experience the doors that assistive technology can open in their own life.

Josh Anderson:
Yeah. I could not have said that any better myself. Now Mason, you also do some podcasting. Can you tell us a little bit about that?

Mason Metzger:
Yeah. I started a mini series, which is kind of a podcast. I call it a podcast. It’s a mini series that’s on YouTube right now, because I can’t really figure out how to get it on the podcast out yet because that’s not my area of expertise. But in my podcast, Motivational Moments, I talk about life and leadership and overcoming obstacles with a disability. And also not just talking about the disability piece, but one of the topics I covered in one of the episodes I published is how to live a healthy lifestyle. And in another episode, I talked about how to create your personal mission.

Mason Metzger:
So it’s a way of sharing the content I share in my speaking engagements from a conceptual level. And then in my speaking engagement, I’m able to go deeper into the content. But I’ve really enjoyed creating that content and being able to engage with people through that way. And it’s an honor to be able to share on your podcast today as well, because it helps me to be able to give voice to my story and be able to help other people as they go through their life experiences.

Josh Anderson:
Well the honor and the pleasure is actually all mine Mason, but I do really appreciate that. And you reach a lot of people through your advocacy, your speaking, your podcast, and other means. But for many of our listeners, this may be the first time that they’ve ever actually been able to hear you. If you could give them all just one piece of advice, what would that be?

Mason Metzger:
If I was to give your listeners one piece of advice, it would be that the Americans with Disabilities Act, although it provides access to people with disabilities, in my view, it doesn’t fully account for the variation in terms of ability. And so I think my main piece of advice would be, wherever you find yourself today, just focus on adding value within your spheres of influence. Because is when you focus on adding value in your spheres of influence, the positive impact of your life and your leadership are unstoppable, even when you come across obstacles. Because you’re focused on adding value, advocating for other people, it allows you to stay focused on your mission and have a growth mindset, which is a crucial piece of the puzzle.

Josh Anderson:
It definitely is. It definitely is. Mason, what does the future hold for you?

Mason Metzger:
In terms of my future plans, I haven’t cemented what I want to do post graduation yet. I’m considering either attending graduate school to become a professor or to just add value to my knowledge and gain more life experiences. The other option I’m considering is to pursue full-time employment, and that would likely involve joining a thriving business or creating a business. But I really haven’t decided yet. I would say that the sky is the limit in terms of what I choose to do. But I will say that I’ll just allow God to open doors and see where He takes me and allow Him to lead the way, because when God is in the driver’s seat of my life, I know that things turn out the way that they’re designed to be.

Mason Metzger:
But another one of my future goals, I’m currently working on obtaining my driver’s license and utilizing assistive technology to be able to drive. And so for me, I just obtained my learners permit a couple of weeks ago. And so now I’m currently fundraising for the vehicle, which has been awesome. But in terms of the assistive technology that will be in the vehicle that will allow me to drive, it will be equipped with hand controls and a ramp so that I can operate the vehicle safely and I will drive from my wheelchair. That’s going to be a really cool experience and I’m excited to be able to serve people and organizations more effectively through the use of the vehicle and through the increased independence. One of the crucial pieces to engaging in the community is access to the community. And I live in a relatively rural community. So public transportation isn’t readily available. So that’s one of the primary reasons why I’m so excited to make driving a goal to work toward.

Mason Metzger:
Initially, I wasn’t sure if I would be able to drive. But back in March of 2020, when the pandemic hit, I actually started studying. I’m doing my coursework from home for my undergraduate work. And so during my studying from home, I was able to have better access to physical and occupational therapy. And so because of the increased access to physical and occupational therapy, I began to notice improvements. And so that’s what sparked my interest to make driving a goal to work toward. And it’s been a process, that’s for sure, but it’s really cool to see what the possibilities are in terms of driving and being able to serve others.

Mason Metzger:
So in terms of where I’m at in the process now, I’m waiting till the spring to actually do the 50 hours of driver’s training. But after the driver’s training is complete, then I’ll have the vehicle modification assessment and then I’ll get my license. It’s going to be a really busy season of my life, but a really awesome season as well, because I’ll be finishing up at Indiana Wesleyan in the spring. So it’s a super exciting time.

Josh Anderson:
Mason, if our listeners want to find out more about you, about your podcast, you’re speaking, anything like that, how would they go about doing that?

Mason Metzger:
Yeah. So to connect with me, you can visit my website, MasonMetzger.com. On my website, you’ll find links to my social media platforms, and you’ll also find a list of the most common speaking topics I speak about. I also do some consulting and I’m starting to get into coaching. And so you can find all of the information about me and my life on my website. And if there’s anything I can do for any of you, please feel free to reach out to me.

Josh Anderson:
Excellent. We will definitely put that right down in the show notes so that folks can easily find that. Well, Mason Metzger, thank you so much for coming on today for talking about your life, your journey, using AT, and then just the amazing work you do to get out there and get universal design, assistive technology and inclusiveness in the front of mind for the folks that get to hear you.

Mason Metzger:
Thank you so much for having me. It’s been an honor to share my story with your listeners.

Josh Anderson:
Do you have a question about assistive technology? Do you have a suggestion for someone we should interview on an Assistive Technology Update? If so, call our listener line at (317) 721-7124. Send us an email at tech@eastersealscrossroads.org, or shoot us an note on Twitter, @InDataProject. Our captions in transcripts for the show are sponsored by the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation, or InTRAC. You can find out more about InTRAC at relayindiana.com. A special thanks to Nicole Prieto for scheduling our amazing guests and making a mess of my schedule. Today’s show was produced, edited, hosted, and fraught over by yours truly. The opinions expressed by our guest are their own and may or may not reflect those of the In Data Project, Easterseals Crossroads, are supporting partners or this host. This was your Assistive Technology Update. And I’m Josh Anderson with the In Data Project at Easterseals Crossroads in beautiful Indianapolis, Indiana. We look forward to seeing you next time. Bye-bye.