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Latest news and stories
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Product Spotlight: Tobii EyeMobile & I-Series
Tobii ATI, a leader in AAC and assistive technology devices and solutions, has kicked it up a notch. We’ve watched eagerly in recent years as they applied their eye-gaze technology to laptops and video games. But, now—virtual drum roll, please—we see the debut of the Tobii EyeMobile, uber-cool tech that gives you eye-only control of your Windows 8 tablet.…
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People Making a Difference: Andrew Skinner and Triumph Foundation
People Making a Difference: Andrew Skinner and Triumph Foundation Christmas, 2004 was supposed to be the pinnacle celebration to an exceptional year for Andrew Skinner. That year, he had met Kirsten, the girl of his dreams, graduated with his BS in Business, and landed a well-paying job. Life was good. But… Instead of celebrating around the sparkling…
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Taking Control of Your Travel Experience
By Debra Kerper, Easy Access Travel/Cruise Planners Franchise Traveling always has the potential of being a frustrating, stressful situation as it encompasses many variables and unknowns. Add to this mix traveling with a disability and it can appear to be somewhat daunting. I am here to tell you that this need not be the case…
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Angela Madsen vs. the Pacific Ocean
By Angela Madsen, Paralympian and Guinness World Record Holder for Rowing I am often asked, “Aren’t you afraid” and “Do you have fears about whether you will be able to make such a journey?” YOU BET! I have fears and doubts every time I set out to row an ocean. The prospect of rowing for…
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A Broken System Makes It Hard to Get the Right Wheelchair
By Ann Eubank, UsersFirst I attend every Abilities Expo because it is the number one expo for people with disabilities and people who love people with disabilities. They have everything there: accessible vans and cars, the latest styles of wheelchairs, very cool accessories and lots of non-profit organizations offering advice and connection. If you can…
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Criptaedo Inspires Confidence and Independence
By Paul Brailer, Criptaedo My name is Paul Brailer. I am a black-belt from the Art of Karate in Barberton, Ohio and the creator of Criptaedo, a new martial art designed to educate the community of people with disabilities on self-defense and fitness. I haven’t always had high self-esteem and confidence. Being born with spina-bifida, growing…
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Making a Difference: Annie Hopkins’ Story and Vision for the World
By Chris Rohan, Abilities Expo Ambassador and Former Publisher of Disabled Dealer Magazine Annie Marie Hopkins took the world by storm during her short stay on earth. She made her presence felt when she was here, and her legacy and vision—embodied in her company 3E Love—continue to touch many lives throughout the world. What Annie may have…
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The Life and Times of Chris Rohan
What do you do when your whole life changes in an instant? How do you cope? What about your sense of self when everything is changing? Where can you turn? Ask Chris Rohan. She knows, because it has happened to her again and again. Just look; she has the stubborn grin to prove it. “I…
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Blindness and Cerebral Palsy Can’t Keep Teenaged Filmmaker from her Hollywood Dream
Fifteen-year-old Elizabeth Harrington has a vision. Born with anophthalmia—without eyes—her vision does not depend on her ability to see. It is not hindered by her cerebral palsy or her eye prosthetics. Instead, this vision is what drives her to fulfill her Hollywood dreams and what caught the attention of award-winning independent filmmaker Tim Greene. Elizabeth’s current film project,…
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En Garde!
By John Martin, Fencing Star Academy One of the first sports to be included in the Paralympic program, Wheelchair Fencing made its debut in England in 1953 in the Stoke Mandeville Games, a competition especially for war veterans. The first countries to develop the sport were precisely those with a tradition in world fencing: England,…
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A Mother’s Journey Affirms There is No Limit to a Mother’s Love
What started off as an ordinary day in the life of Lisa Brodeur in November of 1997 took a turn for the devastating when a drunk driver claimed the life of her husband and paralyzed her 10-year-old son, Kyle. When that split second of impact inexorably changed the Brodeur family’s life, it set in motion…
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Partially Blind Skier with MS Set for 2014 Paralympic Games
By David Block Danelle Umstead of Park City Utah will be a key U.S. skier to watch for at the Paralympics in March in Sochi, Russia. The sight impaired Umstead left her mark at the 2010 Paralympic Games in Vancouver, Canada, when she and her fully sighted guide/husband Rob Umstead won two bronze medals in skiing;…