Image courtesy of Unsplash
Article by: Lance Cody-Valdez
According to the CDC, one in four adults lives with some kind of disability. The CDC also reports that the percentage of disabled adults increases as income decreases. If you were just to go off these stats, it’s easy to assume that a disability means that you can’t find the same professional success as someone without a disability.
But this is just not the case. People with disabilities are no less capable than those without, and for some, it may mean doing things a different way, or getting help from an adaptive device. Thankfully, there are tech tools and gadgets galore to help. Read on for a few highlights from Business E Suites.
The right tool for the job
Whether you’re looking for a new job or trying to advance in your current job, having the right tools for the job is key. In the professional field, this means having a high quality, up-to-date phone, and some are more helpful to those with disabilities than others.
As an example, Apple explains all iPhones are loaded with helpful accessibility features, such as hearing assistance and voice controlled navigation. The iPhone 12 Pro Max even has ultra quick facial recognition to unlock your phone, a big, crystal-clear display, and all the power, memory, and battery life you require to run helpful apps. For Android lovers,Tom’s Guide notes the Google Pixel 4 XL has a large screen, making it easier to see small text, and it has motion detection to help you unlock it.
Contemplate what features will be useful, then load your phone up with the appropriate apps to help you reach your goals.
A reliable charger is as important as the phone itself. Even better, wireless charging offers several benefits over the traditional plug-ins. Some of the reasons wireless chargers have grown in popularity include the ability to “drop and go” – instead of fumbling with cords and adaptors, users simply set their cell on the charger’s surface. There’s also the added safety factor: The risk of electric shock is eliminated, as is the chance of data piracy by not needing to plug into public USB chargers.
Apps that help you see
If you are blind or have poor vision, there are many apps that can help you learn more about your surroundings. Read on to learn more.
Seeing AI
Seeing AI is an app designed by Microsoft. It’s an incredibly advanced app that helps people who are visually impaired. Unlike some apps that can only read texts, Seeing AI can read documents, identify currency, and even recognize faces. But there’s more. Seeing AI can describe color, brightness, and the scene around you.
Be My Eyes
Be My Eyes is similar to Seeing AI, except this app relies on seeing volunteers. What this means is you can take a video and ask the Be My Eyes community to tell you what they see or how to complete a task. For example, if you need to change the settings on your printer or reset your router, all you have to do is take a video and have the volunteers you guide you through your task.
Apps that help you communicate
Communication is an essential component of being successful in the workplace. But for someone who is hearing impaired or has difficulty speaking, communication can be a challenge. These apps can help.
Dragon Anywhere
Dragon Anywhere is a great app for people who have difficulty hearing, as it’s an efficient, easy-to-use dictation app. The way it works is, your phone listens to what it hears, and translates the audio into written text. The app is great for one-on-one communication. Because it is not specifically designed as a communication tool, it can be used for other tasks as well. If you have difficulty typing or seeing, Dragon Anywhere can help you create emails, presentations, or letters.
Ava
Ava is another app that can help people who are hard of hearing. The difference between Ava and Dragon Anywhere is that Ava is specifically designed for accessibility. The great thing about Ava is it works in a group environment. Simply have members of the groups scan the apps QR code and their speech will be dictated into your phone and separated by speaker, allowing you to easily follow the conversation.
Having a disability doesn’t have to limit what you can achieve in the workplace. There are many great apps that are designed to help people see, hear and communicate, and newer phones have features to assist you as well. Thanks to technology, your career can blossom.
Are you working remotely in the Sugar Land area? Business E Suites offers a variety of spaces to accommodate your needs, whether your ideal environment is a co-working area, private office, or meeting workspace. Contact us to learn about our offerings or to schedule a tour!
