Amazing apps for people with a disability

The World Health Org. has estimated that of the approximately seven billion people in the world, over one billion people experience a disability. That’s a billion great reasons to keep improving the products and services available to help people with disabilities to maintain a quality independent lifestyle.

Technology is proving life changing for people with a disability. Mobility aids and handy daily living gadgets are one thing; but communication and increased freedom is also coming along in leaps and bounds through phone and tablet apps.

Many apps are free and you don’t need to be a technology whizz to use them. We’ve composed a short list of just a few of the fantastic apps that are proving to be invaluable companions for people with a disability.

Be My Eyes

This app connects users to a global network of volunteers that assist people who are visually impaired. Using video chat and the smartphone camera, over 320,000 assistants can help you by seeing what you can’t. Whether you’ve found yourself on an unknown street, or if you need help with a product, near blind or even completely blind users can contact these helpful volunteers using an iPhone’s VoiceOver feature.

Look at me

Look at me has been developed by Samsung to assist kids with autism to enhance their social skills.
By turning daily interactions into a game, kids learn about reading moods, recalling faces and utilising facial expressions and poses. One study on a group of users over eight weeks, found that using the app for only fifteen minutes per day resulted in improvements as high as 60% in identifying facial expressions and making eye contact.

Dragon Dictation

This free app is a great friend for those who are hearing impaired, especially when you’re not adept at lip reading or if you’re trying to communicate with people who don’t know sign language. Rather than having to type out long lines of text on a tiny phone keyboard, this easy to use app converts speech to text quickly and efficiently.

RIDBC Auslan Tutor: Key Signs

Everyone should try and learn Australian Sign Language (Auslan). This Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children (RIDBC) Auslan Tutor uses video and photo tutorials to coach users on 150 practical, common signs for basic conversation as well as the Auslan alphabet.

There is also a full paid version, which features a comprehensive collection of over 500 signs and is a particularly useful tool for families to improve on communication with young children who have hearing difficulties.

Red Panic Button

Having the ability to immediately and urgently notify a number of contacts of your whereabouts can be hugely beneficial to those with a disability.  

One tap of the red button will send alerts to your contacts via text, email, Facebook and Twitter. They will receive a Google Maps link with your location.

You can also send a photo attachment or record a 10 second voice message. Many features are free to both Android and iOS users; but there is also a paid upgrade option. People are gaining more independence and security with this handy and easy to use app.

Smartphones and tablets have revolutionised daily life for everyone, it’s fantastic to see what people are coming up with that can make what used to seem impossible, possible again and most importantly…affordable.