Assistive technology … good for business!

by Beth Finke

After writing that blog post last week singing praises to Apple for creating products that include assistive technology as standard features, I read a story in the Wall Street Journal about Samsung trying to get an injunction to block Apple from selling devices that come with VoiceOver.

VoiceOver is the function that blind people like me use with iPhones — we get a description of what the iPhone is showing by touching its screen. VoiceOver describes text and icons — including audio descriptions of the battery level and the network signal — and it comes free of charge when you buy an iPhone. Turns out Samsung holds a patent on a feature that allows users to touch a button to make devices read text aloud, and they said VoiceOver infringed on its patent. The judge did not grant the injunction, and I found it so interesting to look (so to speak) at the case from a business point of view in Reporter John Paczkowski’s Wall Street Journal article:

Samsung has now identified itself as a company willing to accept the loss of accessibility for the vision-impaired as collateral damage in its battle with Apple. It has made a big public move to make it more difficult for the blind to use computers. That’s just foolish — more so, now that the judge presiding over the case has stayed the suit.

How refreshing to think that including assistive technology is more than a “do-gooder” thing to do — it can be good for business too. As John Paczkowskiwrites, “Leaving aside the ethics of asserting a patent against a feature designed to help the blind, this is unwise … it’s the PR equivalent of punching yourself in the face.”

What we’re reading at Easter Seals

by Patricia Wright

A few weeks ago I found myself talking with Erik Cook, one of my colleagues here at Easter Seals, about the books we are reading, and book clubs we belong to now or have belonged to in the past.

Erik and I agreed that having shared experiences around text is a wonderful way to connect with people and develop shared background experience. An article in The Guardian suggests book-reading groups could do this at a workplace, too:

For many people the biggest plus of working in an office — salary aside — is the chance to chat, exchange ideas and form friendships with those around you.

But if you’ve grown tired of office discussions revolving around negative equity and who said what on Paris Hilton’s British Best Friend, it might be time to make a dash for the cultural high ground — so why not start a book club?

Erik and I got to thinking. Maybe a book group at work would help us know more about our colleagues. We might even learn things from their life experiences to draw on in future collaborative work.

And so, Erik and I have launched the Easter Seals Book Reading Group. Interested readers will read the same book around the same time. We’ll start by reading My Lobotomy, a memoir by Howard Dully and co-authored by Charles Fleming.

Howard Dully is one of the youngest recipients of the transorbital lobotomy, a procedure performed on him when he was 12 years old. The book is about his experiences as a child, the effect of the procedure on his life, his efforts as an adult to discover why the medically-unnecessary procedure was performed on him, and the effect of a National Public Radio broadcast about all this that aired in 2005 on All Things Considered — that’s where I first heard of him, on NPR.

Depending on the interests of others in the reading group, we’ll have a sit-down discussion of the book, or we can just use the book to help build a background of shared experiences. We’ll be reading this first book in April and May, and if any of you blog readers have tried something similar in the workplace, please do leave a comment here. Erik and I are open to any suggestions or ideas that might help make our new Easter Seals reading group a success. Thanks!

Watch My Gimpy Life and learn about disability etiquette

by Rachel Talen

Here’s my intern Kelly Zatlin with another guest blog post.

And her first name is my favorite color, too

by Kelly Zatlin

Teal Sherer is an actor in Hollywood, and she’s trying to make an impact, just like everyone else. She has one thing most actors don’t, though: a wheelchair.

Some might think a wheelchair is a disadvantage in the world of showbiz, but Teal doesn’t let it stop her. She’s a great actor, volunteer, and dance teacher for children with disabilities, and she stars in a five-episode YouTube show called My Gimpy Life. The quirky sitcom documents and highlights the daily awkwardness an actor in a wheelchair goes through while rolling around Hollywood, meeting new people and going new places.

What I like about the show is how real it is. Despite some seemingly humorous exaggeration, I think it’s probably spot-on with what Teal deals with on a daily basis and how she is treated by others once they notice her hot wheels. I can’t claim to be an expert reviewer or anything, but I could see this turning into the next Parks and Recreation or The Office. It has that real-life, documentary feel, with the added eccentric humor and hilarious monotony of everyday life.

One of the aspects of the show that stands out to us here at Easter Seals is that of disability etiquette when it comes to interacting with a person who uses a wheelchair. While the show pokes fun at some of the ways others may act, it also drives across the point in a very effective and humorous way. Here’s an example: when it comes to disability etiquette, you shouldn’t make people with disabilities out to be a hero or a victim. While Teal is auditioning for a play in episode three, the directors unnecessarily applaud her after every single line. In addition to applauding her, one of the directors tells her how “inspirational” her performance was, patting her on the forehead as she leaves. That is a disability etiquette no-no if I ever saw one!

Overall, I think this show is quirky, real, and has a lot to say about disability etiquette, just in an unlikely way. The show may not be appropriate for children — Teal uses some strong language at times — but she and the producers do a great job of showing how life really is for someone who uses wheels instead of legs.

In addition to her role on My Gimpy Life, Teal was cast as the lead role in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play PROOF. She performed in the Emmy Award-winning movie Warm Springs. She also did a commercial for Liberty Mutual that was directed by Laurence Dunmore.

It isn’t Teal’s wheelchair that got her noticed and put her on the map; it was her talent and drive to be a great actor and volunteer in the community. She’s a successful actor who doesn’t define herself by her disability AND her name is my favorite color. I definitely hope to see more of Teal Sherer on screen in the future.

Try using your iPhone with your eyes closed

by Beth Finke

A lot of devices have to be adapted before I can use them. I had to add Braille labels to our microwave, oven and washer/dryer at home so I’d know which button does what. I buy specially-made watches and clocks that say the time out loud for me. And we had to equip my laptop computer at home and my PC at work with a computer program called JAWS to read the text on my screen out loud. That’s how I’m able to read your comments here and write and edit blog posts.

Assistive technology is wonderful, but it gets tiresome — and expensive — to special order it and then wait to have it delivered and installed. So I was pretty excited when iPhone 3GS came out — it was the first touch-screen device that blind people like me could take out of the box and use right away. Turns out a lot of Apple products include assistive technology as standard features at no additional cost to users. From Apple’s Accessibility page:

For example, iPhone, iPad, iPod, and OS X include screen magnification and VoiceOver for the blind and visually impaired. To assist those with cognitive and learning disabilities, every Mac includes an alternative, simplified user interface that rewards exploration and learning. And, for those who find it difficult to use a mouse, every Mac computer includes Mouse Keys, Slow Keys, and Sticky Keys, which adapt the computer to the user’s needs and capabilities.

The Apple store on Michigan Avenue here in Chicago has a full-time associate (they don’t like to call them salespeople) who is blind. Ryan served as a role model when it came to learning how to use a touch-screen without being able to see.

The simplest way for you sighted iPhone users to understand how VoiceOver works is to give it a try yourself. Here’s how you turn VoiceOver on :

• Go to Settings.
• Choose General.
• Choose Accessibility.
• Choose VoiceOver.
• Turn it on.

Still with me? Okay. Now press the home key. Slide your finger around the screen, and Voice Over will call out the icon you’ve touched. Don’t worry, it won’t select that icon, it will just call it out so you’ll know where you are on the screen. Hold the iPhone so that the earpiece is facing up, toward the ceiling. If you touch the left edge of the screen about an inch below the earpiece, you’re likely to land on the top left icon. VoiceOver will call out what that is. Flick one finger right to select the next one. If you flick your finger four times to the right, you’ll get to the first app on the second row of apps. If you come across an app you want to open, tap the screen twice, and … voila! Note: If you open an app BY MISTAKE, just press the Home button and you’ll return to the home screen.

Is your head spinning? Then you can imagine what a dither I was in when I first started working with VoiceOver to listen to voice mail, Google, send and receive email using my iPhone. I can get into all that in a future blog post if you are really interested, but I’m guessing that all you sighted blog readers out there want to do right now is learn how to turn the #)@%! VoiceOver off. If you follow the bulleted directions above, below the heading at the top of the VoiceOver screen you’ll hear a button labeled “VoiceOver on.” Notice that VoiceOver gives you a hint out loud by saying, “double-tap to toggle setting.” When you hear that, go ahead and double-tap to turn VoiceOver off.

I use my iPhone pretty regularly now to check what time it is, and I’m starting to get more comfortable sending and reading text messages. Who knows, maybe soon I’ll publish a blog post here using my iPhone. I know I still have a ways to go, but it’s good to know I’m OMW. TTYL!

A “one-of-a-kind kid”

by Kristen Barnfield

The story below was featured in our March eNewsletter. We love sharing Easter Seals stories like this, so if you’d like to receive our eNews every month, sign up here.

Easter Seals 2013 Youth Representative Auburn Smith is a nationally ranked tennis player and aspiring musician who enjoys riding her adapted bicycle and loves to travel. This active high school sophomore doesn’t let a disability get in her way.

There was a time when her doctors couldn’t imagine Auburn doing what she does today. Born with spina bifida and clubfoot, she was just a day old when she had her first surgery. Her parents were told she would likely never walk — something no one in the family accepted.

As she’s grown and faced new challenges, Easter Seals has been there. Auburn’s teachers say she projects a calm confidence and that she is wise beyond her years. Her ceramics teacher says she’s a rock star and “a one of a kind kid.” You can read more about Auburn’s story here.

Is Your Child at Risk? Auburn and her parents attribute much of her success to the treatment she got early in life. The first five years are critical in a child’s life. How is your child doing? You only need 10-20 minutes to check via a free, online screening tool: the Ages & Stages Questionnaires®. Your results will help you see if your child’s developmental progress is on time and alert you to concerns that you can talk over with your health care provider.

Falling in love with Easter Seals

by Rachel Talen

My post last week described what it was like to be in the studio to hear Maurice Snell telling his story on Chicago Public Radio (WBEZ-FM). Maurice is an adult living with autism, and after the interview he took me and my intern Kelly Zatlin on a tour of Easter Seals Therapeutic School and Center for Autism Research where he works as an administrative assistant and helps with the music therapy program.

We saw so many different classrooms and accommodations for kids with autism — everything from an art therapy room to a calming room where kids can go to chill out and refocus. As Maurice led us to a school store where students work to stock items and cashier, he explained that the school doesn’t use fluorescent lights in the classrooms, and no patterned carpet, either. “It can be distracting for kids with autism,” he said.

I thought it was really cool that Maurice is a huge rockstar — everywhere he went, people were calling out his name and high-fiving him. He is a walking piece of encouragement and inspiration to other families living with autism, and it is so great to see him thrive.

Last Wednesday was one of those days when I know why I’m at Easter Seals and everything just makes sense. The combination of a little PR radio interview thrill and seeing the autism services which are impacted by the work at Easter Seals headquarters was extremely fulfilling.

At one point Kelly turned to me and gushed, “I’m becoming such a huge Easter Seals … fan!” I have to agree. Something about this organization just grows on you and makes you fall in love!

Join the JobRaising challenge

by Debbie Smith

I am pleased to introduce David Dreith as a guest blogger today. David is executive vice president at Easter Seals TriState and oversees our Social Enterprise operations here.

Easter Seals Tristate needs your help

by David Dreith

Easter Seals TriState is in the top 10 out of 74 nonprofits in a national JobRaising Challenge that features top nonprofits who are determined to put Americans back to work. Help us by donating a minimum of $10 to our JobRaising page. Your support can put us in the top three and help us win a share of $250,000!

This fundraising challenge is sponsored by the Huffington Post, The Skoll Foundation, Crowdrise, and McKinsey & Company, and it gives Easter Seals exposure for our transitional employment efforts. Did you know there are currently more than 700 positions open in the manufacturing industry in the greater Cincinnati region alone? This number is only expected to grow in the coming years. Yet, we have an unemployment rate close to 7%. How does this make sense? This is where we come in.

At Easter Seals TriState, we believe everyone should have the opportunity to experience the thrill of success. When an unemployed or displaced worker gains skills and entry into the workforce, our entire community benefits. Our advanced manufacturing transitional employment program helps find people who don’t have the qualifications but want to work in the advanced manufacturing industry, trains them, and connects them to employers in the region who are looking for a skilled workforce.

Interested? Good, we need your help! Everyone is needed to get us up in the ranks to be eligible for a prize. The top three nonprofits receive cash prizes:

• First place: $150,000
• Second place:- $50,000
• Third place: $30,000

However, if we are in the top 5, we receive a feature story on the FRONT PAGE of The Huffington Post, which would be great exposure for everyone associated with Easter Seals.

I am proud of the work we do in our local community, and in the work of Easter Seals throughout the country. We need your help to further our cause and gain greater exposure through this fundraising challenge. How can you help? Join us in showing the nation that Easter Seals stands united in all the work we do for people with disabilities and disadvantages! This challenge also highlights Easter Seals as a whole and the great things the people we serve accomplish. Now through March 1, go to our JobRaising page and donate! Every little bit helps and is greatly appreciated. We also need you to share our story. With your help, Easter Seals TriState can do more to solve the job crisis facing so many people today.

What does the fiscal cliff matter to people with disabilities?

by Denise Rozell

The “fiscal cliff” deal on New Year’s Day postponed many of the very hard decisions on stabilizing the nation’s fiscal situation, but there are still two outstanding matters that will come before Congress in the next few weeks.

The first is the across-the-board cut to most disability programs and the other is the federal fiscal year 2013 appropriations bills. Here’s a summary of the debate ahead in March:

• March 1, 2013: Across-the-board cuts (or sequester) to almost all federal programs goes into effect. Nearly all programs — including early intervention and special education — will be cut equally by approximately 5%. Unless Congress and the president reach an agreement within the next three weeks, these cuts will be implemented.
• Mid-March: The president will release a proposed budget for fiscal year 2014 and both the House and Senate have agreed to pass budgets this year. These activities are aligned with the standard federal budget process. The budgets do not have the force of law but do allow the president and Congress to establish their priorities.
• March 27, 2013: The current funding law expires on March 27, 2013 and
  Congress must take action to continue to fund the federal government through September 30, 2013. If Congress does not act by March 27, the federal government must shut down.

At every stage of the debate, Easter Seals is working with other advocates to convince Congress to take a more thoughtful and needs-based approach to reaching long-term financial security that does not disproportionately harm children and adults with disabilities and their families. TAKE ACTION: Urge Congress to vote to STOP the across-the-board cuts set for March 1 and preserve critical funding for the life-changing programs that support families with disabilities!

Maurice Snell … rockstar!

by Rachel Talen

Maurice Snell is a charmer. He’s friendly, articulate and quite the comedian! But more importantly, Maurice is a man living with autism who has found his niche in life.

You might remember Maurice from his year as Easter Seals’ national adult representative in 2007. He spent that year telling his story here on the Easter Seals blog and across the U.S.

Maurice is 29 years old now, and he was back in action again yesterday telling his story on Chicago Public Radio (WBEZ-FM).

The interview was live, and my intern Kelly and I were honored to be there to watch — and hear — Maurice talk to the interviewer about what it’s like to live with autism. Maurice was joined by a parent of an adult child with autism and Cassie Walker Burke, who just wrote an article in Chicago Magazine about people with autism transitioning into adulthood. They chatted about some of the hurdles for adults with autism :

• Finding accommodating employers who will pay fair wages
• Transportation to and from work
• Communicating with peers
• The lack of supports when they turn 21
• Opportunities for higher education

Maurice received services at Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago when he was little, and although he faced many struggles because of his autism, he went on to graduate from college and hopes to go back for his Master’s degree. In the interview, Maurice said the hardest part for him was finding a job. He now works as an administrative assistant at Easter Seals Therapeutic School and Center for Autism Research and helps with the music therapy program there, too. Maurice plays keyboard and does vocals for His band, The Naturals, and they practice together every week.

It was really fun to be there for the interview, and Maurice was a huge hit! I was so proud of him. He took us to the autism school to give us a tour after the radio show. You’ll have to stay tuned for my next post to find out more about all that, but I can tell you this much right now: Maurice is a rock star wherever he goes!

Three cheers for 3-year-old McKale

by Erin Rogers

An article and video on CentralIllinoisProud.com features 3-year-old McKale Marquis, who has been thriving thanks to services and therapists here at Easter Seals in Bloomington. McKale has Down syndrome and she’s been receiving physical, developmental and speech therapies in her home and child care center since she was 9 months old.

In the article her father says, “It means everything to see her achieve things she doesn’t even understand she’s achieving,” and he expresses his thanks to Easter Seals for making therapy more fun than work for their daughter:

The family says with the help of Easter Seals, they look forward to watching McKale grow and amaze them every step of the way. She provides them with a little “twinkle” in their life.

McKale’s progress truly has been amazing. Her ability to speak and understand language is what we would expect for a typically developing child, and her motor skills are strong as well. She continues to work on her speech so that others can understand her, and she is also working on following simple directions and the self-care activities one would expect of a young 3-year-old.

McKale is a perfect example of the possibilities when parents and caregivers are actively involved in promoting progress through quality early intervention services like those at Easter Seals. We at Easter Seals thank them for their willingness to share their story, and for giving us the privilege of working with their wonderful family!