Independent Living

Wow!  The KNFB Reader app for the Apple iPhone could be a life changer for people who are blind or visually impaired.  Just take a photo of any item–say a restaurant menu–and instantly listen to a high-quality audio read-back of the printed words captured by the camera.  Alternatively, it can translate directly into braille for use with a refreshable braille display.  It even recognizes …

Frank Lloyd Wright considered the Laurent House in Rockford, IL, one of the most significant buildings he ever designed, calling it “my little gem”.  Decades before the enactment of the Americans with Disability’s Act (ADA), Wright designed a fully accessible home for Kenneth Laurent, a paraplegic, and his wife Phyllis. “Ken Laurent always said that the house allowed him to focus …

Statistics show that mobility-impaired and visually-impaired people are more often targeted by muggers, who assume they are an easy mark.  You can help reduce the likelihood of getting mugged by following these safety tips put together by Marsha Saxton of the World Institute on Disability (WID): Avoid isolated areas, uninhabited parks, parking lots, garages, and alleyways; stick to well-lit, high traffic areas. Be aware.  …

(Sigh.)  Here we are 27 years since the Air Carrier Access Act was passed in 1986, and they’re still doing stuff like this. How an airline can smash up a $26,000 wheelchair, return it to the owner in pieces, claim they’re not responsible and then leave the person sitting there with their broken wheelchair is beyond me.  But that’s precisely what …

Through the Looking Glass is conducting a national survey of mothers with physical disabilities who have at least one child 36 months of age or younger.  They state the purpose for the survey like this: There is very little research to find out how mothers with physical disabilities manage routine child care tasks. Are certain child care tasks more challenging because of a …

Come and celebrate the Grand Opening of THE SHOP at the Center for Independent Living on May 4 from 4:00 – 7:00 pm with demonstrations of assistive technology, information about The Shop, refreshments, and door prizes. The Shop provides wheelchair repairs and distributes donated assistive technologies and durable medical equipment.  They also provide information about assistive technology and referrals. The Shop is located at 2539 …

Once you’ve established the goal of getting a degree, what are the best first steps to take? What type of degree do you need for the type of job you want?  How do you pick the right school for you?  How can you pay for it?  How do you manage your disability while you are in school?  There is a …

ARPCT's mission is to promote communication and support among programs designed to train and place people with disabilities in areas related to computer technology and information processing.

The mission of the World Institute on Disability (WID) in communities and nations worldwide is to eliminate barriers to full social integration and increase employment, economic security and health care for persons with disabilities.

At Whirlwind we work to make it possible for every person in the developing world who needs a wheelchair to obtain one that will lead to maximum personal independence and integration into society.