5 THINGS YOU USE THAT YOU SHOULD THANK ACCESSIBILITY FOR

Did you know July 26th is National Disability Independence Day? ?? In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law to protect people with disabilities from employment discrimination and to provide solutions to reduce the barriers they face every day, including those in the digital world.

Thanks to the ADA, designers, entrepreneurs, community leaders, and volunteers have made great strides in providing more opportunities for people who need them. But the idea of empowering people is nothing new; in fact, you'd be surprised how much progress we've made over the years?thanks to accessibility.?

These are the 5 inventions you use every day that were originally designed as accessible solutions.

#1 Typewriters

Although there are different opinions about who invented the typewriter, the Italian Pellegrino Turri, who invented the first prototype of typewriters out of love for his fiancée, Countess Carolina Fantoni, stands out. She was blind and found it difficult to write letters to Turri.

#2 Kitchen Utensils

Sam Farber, founder of the OXO cookware brand, noticed that his wife found it difficult to peel vegetables with a knife and invented more convenient tools that adapted to her needs. Today, utensils like vegetable peelers help people with motor disabilities, and many people feel more comfortable using them.

#3 Text messaging

After the invention of the telephone, people with hearing and speech disabilities needed a tool that would allow them to communicate in a similar way. James Marsters, an orthodontist who had lost his hearing as a child, created a device called a TTY that relayed typed conversations through a telephone, which was later used to create text messaging (SMS) for implementation on cell phones.

#4 Subtitles

The purpose of captioning has always been to allow people with hearing disabilities to access audiovisual information such as movies, interviews, and series, but it is also used by people learning a new language, elderly people navigating the web, people in noisy environments or, conversely, in places where extreme silence is required, such as a library.??

#5 Straws

In 1930, Joseph Friedman thought of a way to adapt glasses so that people who were ill or had motor disabilities could drink without difficulty, his invention: straws. It took only 10 years for this invention to become very popular in American hospitals, and thanks to him, they are still very useful today.?

What’s Next?

With advancements in AI, robotics, and wearable tech, the possibilities are endless. Imagine more personalized solutions, greater affordability, and tech that adapts seamlessly to individual needs. Together, we can keep pushing boundaries and making a positive impact.

This National Disability Independence Day, let’s celebrate how far we’ve come and the awesome tech making it all possible. Share stories of empowerment, highlight innovative devices, and amplify voices advocating for inclusivity. Together, we can raise awareness, foster understanding, and create a more accessible world for everyone.

Keep rocking those social feeds with positivity and advocacy. Together, we’re making a difference! ??#DisabilityIndependenceDay #AssistiveTech #InclusionMatters