Technology

Technology and Access

Communication with Non Speaking Clients in Adult Settings: Strategies for Success: Low Tech, Mid-Tech and High Tech Options
Presenters: Ruzhena Sikarova, M.S.. CCC-SLP
Corrine Sullivan, M.S.. CCC-SLP
Meghan McGowan, ATP
Campus School at Boston College

Do you have non-speaking clients in your program? Would you like to learn strategies to help them understand and express themselves? This presentation focuses on practical suggestions for facilitating communication with your clients using low-tech, mid-tech and high-tech tools.
Recorded at the "Focus" Conference on October 7, 2025.
CEUs: None available; Certificate of Attendance by request
Length: 48 minutes
If ASL Interpretation is needed, please contact [email protected].
Resources:
REGISTER to view this free session. Please Note: The date you will see when registering for the "Focus" Talk is the date that the presentation was recorded. All "Focus" Talks are available for viewing immediately after registration.

Assistive Technology for Vision Loss
Presenter: Melissa Pepin, MS, ATP
Director of Assistive Technology and Therapy Services
Lifestream, Inc.

This talk highlights low to high tech assistive technology devices demonstrating their functionality and sharing valuable resources. The goal is to empower and increase skills for the blind and low vision community ensuring that everyone can access the tools needed to lead fulfilling, independent lives.
Recorded at the "Focus" Conference on October 7, 2025
CEUs: None available; Certificate of Attendance by request
Length: 47 minutes
If ASL Interpretation is needed, please contact [email protected].
Resources:
REGISTER to view this free session. Please Note: The date you will see when registering for the "Focus" Talk is the date that the presentation was recorded. All "Focus" Talks are available for viewing immediately after registration.

Leveraging Mainstream Consumer Technology for Consumers with Visual Impairments
Presenter: Alexander Pooler, MPA
Director of Assistive Technology and Consumer Database Information
Massachusetts Commission for the Blind

While dedicated assistive technology has been the primary go-to for deployment to visually impaired consumers, there has been a shift to leveraging mainstream consumer technology that can be rendered accessible for those in need. From built-in accessible options in iOS devices and add-ons to smart phone technology, to working with identifying tasks that smart speakers can help our consumers with, Assistive Technology professionals are able to use more mainstream consumer technology every year to maintain, and in many cases, improve community independence with easy-to-learn and easy-to-use technology that many of us already have at home.
Recorded at the "Focus" Conference on October 3, 2023
CEUs: None available; Certificate of Attendance by request
Length: 55 minutes
Resources:
- iOS Voiceover Gestures and Navigation (PDF)
- Personal Power (electronic book to learn Voiceover and functions of iPhone). This is a book in the public domain written by a user of this technology who is blind, offers great context for what consumers may be dealing with when learning this technology.
- Hadley IOS training videos - a series of videos from Hadley that cover a variety of devices and how to access the accessibility features of those.
REGISTER to view this free session. Please Note: The date you will see when registering for the "Focus" Talk is the date that the presentation was recorded. All "Focus" Talks are available for viewing immediately after registration.

Intro to Assistive Technology Assessments

Presenters: Kate Kutalak, M.Ed., TVI and HuyenTran Vo, M.Ed., TVI, COMS, CVRT, CATIS, Perkins School for the Blind
This session is an introduction to how Assistive Technology Assessments for people who are Blind/Visually Impaired are conducted. There will be an overview of current technology available including high tech, low tech, and cost effective tools. There will also be discussion of the decision making process of finding the right tool(s) to meet the needs of students/clients.
Recorded at "Focus" Conference March 13, 2019
CEUS: None available; Certificate of Attendance by request
Length: 47 minutes
Resources:
- Assistive Technology Assessment: Tips, Tools and Resources from Perkins eLearning
- Assistive Technology from Georgia AT Project
- Assistive Technology Assessment from Teaching Visually Impaired
- Assistive Technology Consideration to Assessment free publications from Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative
- Access World - from American Foundation for the Blind
- AppleVis
- Apple Accessibility
Register to view this free session. Please Note: The date you will see when registering for the "Focus" Talk is the date that the presentation was recorded. All "Focus" Talks are available for viewing immediately after registration.

Talking Information Center
- Presenter: Anna Dunbar, Executive Director
- This presentation gives an overview of the mission of the Talking Information Center (TIC) and the free service TIC provides for individuals who are blind, living with low vision, or a print impairment. Executive Director, Anna Dunbar, explains how TIC’s services can best be utilized to make the printed word accessible to those who need it.
- Recorded for "Focus" Talks on May 27. 2022
- Length: 20 minutes
- CEUS: None available; Certificate of Attendance by request
- Resources:
  - Talking Information Center: The Radio Reading Network
- Register to view this free session. Please Note: The date you will see when registering for the "Focus" Talk is the date that the presentation was recorded. All "Focus" Talks are available for viewing immediately after registration.