દિવ્યાંગ સેવાના પૂનિત કાર્ય માટે ભારતના માનનીય રાષ્ટ્રપતિ શ્રી પ્રણબ મુખર્જીના વરદ હસ્તે પૂજ્ય શ્રી પ્રિતેશભાઈ અશોકકુમાર શાહને National Award (રાષ્ટ્રીય એવોર્ડ) એનાયત કરવામાં આવ્યો.

દિવ્યાંગ સેવાના પૂનિત કાર્ય માટે ભારતના માનનીય રાષ્ટ્રપતિ શ્રી પ્રણબ મુખર્જીના વરદ હસ્તે પૂજ્ય શ્રી પ્રિતેશભાઈ અશોકકુમાર શાહને National Award (રાષ્ટ્રીય એવોર્ડ) એનાયત કરવામાં આવ્યો.

दिव्यांग सेवा के पुनीत एवं अच्छे कार्यो के लिए पूज्य श्री प्रितेषभाई अशोककुमार शाह को भारत के माननीय राष्ट्रपति श्री प्रणब मुखर्जी द्धारा "राष्ट्रीय पुरष्कार" (National Award) से सन्मानित किया गया ।

Camp for Differently Abled Person on 2nd Oct 2016

Schemes for Disables Persons

From Paralysis To A Paralympian: The Inspiring Story Of Deepa Malik

For those who have heard of her, Deepa Malik's name is synonymous with grit and courage. Her story is not just another inspirational tale; it will leave even the best of the best biting the dust. 

After being diagnosed with a spinal tumour in 1999, she underwent 3 spinal surgeries and got 183 stitches between her shoulder blades in a period of 14 years. If you think that stopped her, you're grossly mistaken. That only made her stronger and more determined. Here's her incredible story.

Raised in an army family and married to an army officer, she is used to braving difficulties that most of us can't even think of facing. The mother of two was diagnosed with the tumour in while her husband was fighting in the Kargil war and her daughter was unwell. 


It was, of course, a very difficult period for the family. While her husband went on to win the war for India, she won her own battle as well.

She was left paralysed from the waist down and the doctors told her that she would never walk again. What the doctors didn't know is that Deepa Malik wasn't any ordinary woman. Giving up was not her style. She decided to become a swimmer, a biker, an athlete & an adventure junkie. And all this at the age of 36!


Now, aged 45, she is one of India's 19 Paralympians at Rio 2016. 

At an age when most athletes are considering retirement, Deepa was just getting started. She began by joining the Himalayan Motorsports Association and conquered an 8-day 1,700 km bike ride to 18,000 feet in sub-zero temperatures.

She even rode on the TV reality show Roadies, by personal invitation of Raghu & the Roadies crew.

A huge fan of biking, she took up swimming to make her shoulders and arms stronger for the bike rides. But her prowess in the water was just as amazing as on the open road. 


She went on to break multiple records in the sport. 

Deepa has entered the Limca Book of Records 4 times. 

• She completed the longest drive in India (3,278 kms from Chennai to Delhi) in 2013.
• In 2011, she became the first paraplegic woman to drive to Khardunga La pass, the highest motorable pass in the world. 
• She rode a special bike for 58 kms in 2009.
• In 2008, she crossed a 1 km stretch of the Yamuna river against the current.

If you think that's all there is to her story, you're still nowhere close. The woman can also do javelin throws and shot put, an event in which she will be participating at the Rio Paralympics.

She had earlier been shortlisted for India's delegation to the 2012 London Paralympics, but since India had received only 10 spots, an all-male contingent was sent and she missed her chance. 

This time, however, India is sending 19 athletes.

She is 45 years old, or should I say she holds 45 years of experience of fighting spirit and is well in contention of bringing home a medal from Rio.

At the national level, Deepa has won around 54 medals to add to the 13 at international level in javelin throws, shot put & swimming. So the records are on her side and so is her habit of winning.

Her amazing achievements in the world of swimming and her passion to follow her dreams got her an Arjuna Award in 2012.

She maybe confined to a wheelchair, but her heart takes her to places where our legs don't.

Rio Paralympics 2016: India wins historic gold and bronze in high jump

India's Mariyappan Thangavelu and Bhati Varun Singh celebrate their gold and bronze medals. AFP

In a historic moment for India, Mariyappan Thangavelu won the gold medal while compatriot Varun Singh Bhati clinched the bronze in the men's high jump T-42 event on Saturday at the Rio Paralympics.

The 20-year-old Thangavelu made a leap of 1.89m, while Bhati jumped his personal best of 1.86m to finish third. USA's Sam Grewe bagged the silver medal.

India's other medal prospect Sharad Kumar finished at number six.

T-42 is a disability classification in the sport for differently-abled track-and-field athletes with single ‘above the knee’ amputations or a comparable disability.

The event witnessed a fierce contest with six of the 12 athletes clearing the 1.74m mark in their first eight attempts.

But Thangavelu became a part of the leading group after his 10th attempt when he cleared the 1.77m mark along with Lukasz Mamczarz of Poland, China's Zhiqiang Zhing and Kumar.

He then went into the lead along with Bhati as both managed to clear the 1.83m mark. Kumar however, could not improve his performance and eventually crashed out of medal contention. Grewe pushed Thangavelu and Bhati to the joint second position by clearing 1.86m to grab the top spot.

But both Indians made a strong comeback by equalling the height to share the pole position.

Thangavelu eventually made sure of the gold with an effort of 1.89m in his final attempt while Grewe and Bhati's finished with best efforts of 1.86m.

Thangavelu was injured at the age of five, when a bus accident left him with a permanent disability, according to a report in The Hindu. Bronze medal winner Bhati was diagnosed with polio which lead to a deformity in his legs, according to a NDTV report. 

This is India's first medal at the 2016 Paralympic Games, and with Bhati's bronze, India now has two medals in this edition. Thangavelu also became the first Indian high jumper to win a Paralympics gold.  HN Girisha was the first Indian high-jumper to win a medal, at the 2012 Paralympic Games.

He is also the third Indian to win a gold at Paralympics after Murlikant Petkar, who won in Swimming, at Heidelberg 1972 and Devendra Jhajharia who won at Athens 2004 in Javelin Throw. India's overall medal tally in all Paralympic Games has now stands at 10 – three golds, three silvers and four bronze.

Arunima Sinha became the first woman amputee to scale Everest

Indian mountaineer Arunima Sinha, the first female amputee to summit Mount Everest, demonstrates removing her prosthetic leg near an indoor climbing wall in Kathmandu. 

She became the first woman amputee to scale Everest, and is now setting up a sports academy for poor disabled children

Climbing Mount Everest is one of the hardest things any human can do. But climbing it with an artificial leg? That's what Arunima Sinha did last month, becoming the first woman amputee to scale the mountain, in a climb of 52 days. Two years ago, the 26-year-old lost half her left leg when robbers pushed her out of a train near Lucknow, in northern India, after she refused to hand over a gold chain (local police dispute her crime report). The former national-level volleyball player describes it as her "darkest hour"; yet she began a year-long mountaineering course, trying to "outpace normal people". Everest done, she's now setting up a sports academy for poor disabled children. India is not a disabled-friendly country; even the big cities have hardly any wheelchair ramps, let alone easy-access train stations. "I turned my artificial leg into my strength," says Ms Sinha. In the process, she's provided an object lesson in what strength is.

Disability is no barrier for these high fliers

Karen Cox and Sean Allerton at the Royal International Air Tatoo, near Cirencester

They suffer from severe disabilities, including motor neurone disease and multiple sclerosis, but that has not stopped them taking to the skies.

Eleven profoundly disabled individuals have learnt to fly thanks to a scheme inspired by the exploits of celebrated World War Two fighter pilot Group Captain Sir Douglas Bader, who flew with two prosthetic legs. 

The eleven, who took part in the Flying Scholarships for the Disabled award scheme, have been presented with their flying certificates at the Royal International Air Tattoo, in Gloucestershire, by HRH Prince Faisal of Jordan and the Chief of the Air Staff, Sir Andrew Pulford.

Among them was Karen Cox, 49, from Lossiemouth in Scotland, who lives with fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis, resulting in permanent pain not only in her joints but throughout her whole body.

The condition, which she developed in 2004, also leads to forgetfulness. But thanks to the flying scholarship her confidence is soaring. 

She now has the courage to travel abroad with her family, something that has evaded her for seventeen years.  “First and foremost”, says Karen, “the scholarship has taught me to live – then fly.”

the Flying Scholarship scheme has been running since 1983, the year after Sir Douglas died.  Since then, almost four hundred scholarships have been awarded – each and every one to a disabled person who has confounded the odds to take to the sky; changing many more lives as a result. 

One of the volunteer mentors on the scholarship scheme is former RAF Gunner Sean Allerton, 50, from Leeds, who learnt to fly in 2011, despite being paralysed after breaking his neck in a motorbike crash in 1993. 

He said: “In the Regiment my feet were pretty much firmly on the ground – but because of everything that has happened I have been able to fly.”  

HRH Prince Faisal said: "It is how the scholars define themselves that we realise how life changing this is.  It is their courage and achievement that makes the Flying Scholarships for the Disabled so rewarding.  In a cynical world, this is a good news story to support and celebrate." 

Now, wheelchair avatars for disabled Xbox One gamers

In a move that will make Xbox One avatars significantly more inclusive for gamers, Microsoft is planning to make wheelchair options available. 

The news was confirmed by Xbox head Phil Spencer, who stepped into a conversation between two Twitter users discussing the possibility of creating a petition to bring in a wheelchair option for avatars, stating "no petition needed, we hear you. 

This is something we've already looked at, not far off." Shortly after this, Xbox engineering lead Mike Ybarra tweeted a "sneak peek" of the coming update which showed two Xbox avatars in wheelchairs that were not-sosubtly Xbox-themed. 

It's also been noted that the avatars depicted in Ybarra's sneak peek appear to be visually improved with more detailed faces, leading fans to wonder if there's a more significant upgrade to be announced. 

 It wasn't stated when the updated avatars will be made available but the next major Xbox One and PC update called Anniversary is coming in early August so there's perhaps a chance we'll hear more about these improvements then. 

Planning to include this avatar option is a positive move on the part of Microsoft that will make an important contribution towards improving gamer representation on the Xbox platform. 

As per reports, the tweets that followed Ybarra's post were mostly positive, complementing Microsoft on its move towards diversity, although many commenters had one thing to say: the wheelchairs were old fashioned looking and ugly. "That's like an old person hospital chair," tweeted Xbox Addict, while another person asked Microsoft, "Please don't make us use ugly chairs." 

Microsoft was accused of being "out of touch" with its users in the comments that followed, with Xbox One fans sending pictures of themselves in their wheelchairs to demonstrate what a modern-looking unit looks like.

Making holidays accessible to everyone

Travel is not easy for persons with disabilities and senior citizens

Planning for that big holiday is pleasurable but sometimes a daunting task. For the differently abled, it is a matter of finding all things ‘accessible’ – from the right mode of transport, to the right hotel and even the right restaurant.

For Asha (name changed), finding accessible accommodation when she travels out of the city means staying in a star-category hotel. Being wheelchair-bound, she needs facilities such as wider entrances and railings in the bathroom. And these are not easy to find. “Even visiting temples is a difficult task here, but not so in the USA,” she said.

Many may say small strides are being made towards making travel a more inclusive and an accessible affair. This includes travel aggregator websites, such as UMOJA (literally translated as inclusive in Swahili); helping persons find accessible accommodation, the Adarsh Smarak Scheme for conservation of monuments under which they are made accessible to the differently-abled, among other things; and even online restaurant listing service Zomato including a ‘wheelchair access’ filter as an additional feature.

“It is not like there is zero accessibility. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has made many monuments accessible; some restaurants and malls are accessible. There is some level of improvement, but not at the best rate,” said Shivani Gupta, founder of AccessAbility.

Gouthami, CEO, Travel Another India, which ran ‘Journeys without Barriers’ for six years, offering a ‘barrier-free’ travel for persons with disabilities and senior citizens, said while some tourist destinations may have become accessible, travel and stay remain areas of concern. “Four and five star hotels need to have at least one room that is accessible. But this has been implemented only to an extent; it is accessible to persons on wheelchairs. Accommodation has to be genuinely accessible where no helper is needed,” she said.

The team organised trips to Ladakh, Srinagar and Mussourie. But the trips to Srinagar and Mussourie required the travellers to take the help of those around. Down south, only Goa can be termed disabled-friendly, she said. “Around 82 to 85 per cent are wheel-chair friendly. But there are other cases that should be considered, such as persons with visual and/or hearing impairment and autistic individuals,” Ms. Gouthami added.

Travel options

Though most existing modes of transport have a long way to go as far as accessibility is concerned, the sector is seeing some options in cities. Bengaluru-based KickStart provides vehicles equipped to accommodate people on wheelchairs, persons with disabilities and senior citizens within and outside the city. The pilot phase was launched in 2013. Vidya Ramasubban, founder, KickStart, said they are scaling up operations. “Even if they would like to travel, they cannot. If you find an accessible mode of transport, you need to have accessible restrooms and restaurants on the roads, more so on the highways. And if you are travelling to another place, you need similar facilities once you reach your destination,” she said.

Shravanabelagola to become better accessible soon

Many monuments under the ASI are described as accessible to an extent, having basic facilities such as ramps at entrances, pathways for those on wheel-chairs, and Braille signage at places, including Srirangapatna, Chitradurga fort, Somanathapura and Halebidu. Hampi and Pattadkal are covered under the Adarsh Smarak Scheme. Next in line is Shravanabelagola, which is a non-ticketed monument, ASI officials said.

Brick By Brick, How A Village In Manipur Built A School For Children With Special Needs

In 2005, Mr. Pauzagin Tonsing and Mrs. Dondouching, a young couple in Pearsonmun village, Manipur, were blessed with a baby boy. They called him Malsawn meaning ‘blessed’. As time went by, Pauzagin, realised that his little boy, was born with a sight impairment. He also suspected that Malsawm was autistic. But the nearest special needs school, was an impossibly inconvenient two-hour drive away in the capital city Imphal. So, Pauzagin gathered the community, and it was decided that the villagers would build a fully accessible school, brick by brick, themselves.

It wasn’t easy – Pauzagin sold his land to buy the plot, and the villagers used their own modest wages and some donations, to build the school. In an area where most citizens earn a daily modest wage and there are no other facilities for the disabled, those with disabilities and their families led lives of stress, frustration, and loneliness, as well as the exhausting effects of stigma. The Malsawn Initiative sought to change all of this, and the school was officially opened in 2011.

The village’s act of will soon caught the attention of the United Nations Development Programme. Through UNDP’s volunteer programme, the initiative received a boost, by way of access to specialist staff trained in the areas of physiotherapy needs, speech therapy, special education and school administration.

The school’s aim is to develop the potential of all students, using the most helpful and appropriate methods and to create a caring environment. Malsawn, being a boy who loves music, was taught speech therapy using rhymes and singing. Being sight-impaired, he was also taught through tactile information, using an aid as simple as a few strings glued to a card (watch the video below, to see how children learn, here).

While the school has become a wonderful place for children to blossom, not all can make it to school. Which is why the initiative also offers home-based care for those, too physically impaired to leave their homes. It also provides an open door service for those children who have not yet been able to register for proper classes at the school, due to a shortage of resources. All of this is continually developed and managed by the Centre for Community Initiative, set up by Pauzagin and his wife Mrs. Dondouching, to help leverage the power of communities, and in particular, focus on persons with special needs. They describe themselves as ‘part of a puzzle, where everyone fits!’

Today, 30 students attend the school while 40 have registered for the open door service. Sadly, Malsawm is no longer one of them. On April 23rd, this year, he passed away. But though he did not see a thing or speak a word in his short life span, his life inspired a village to come together and build something of great value. The Malsawn Initiative has come to be a beacon of hope around the world, to those innocents in society who are often marked by stigma.

These Indian startups are building products for those with disabilities

Looking for love or the right clothing? While most startups bypass those who are disabled, a clutch of entrepreneurs have set aside cash and raised funds to build apps and devices for them. Loaded with voice commands & gesture control, they help autistic children communicate and aid adults in finding partners

Year & place of founding: 2014, Kochi

What they do: Has developed Android apps that helps visually challenged and elderly users. Its Kuluk is an app that helps users to make calls to specific people through gesture control. For instance, with one shake it could call the user's mother and with two quick shakes it could call the father. Its `item-seeker' helps users to tag different things at home or office so that they can be found easily. The MapSeeker app is a road navigation aid to find the nearest ATMs, police stations and bus stops. A blind Android developer is a part of the team that developed the product.

Why did they start it: Mathew believes that technology must be made 'accessible' and inclusive. He has been working with visually challenged people for more than one and half decades through an NGO and coaches the national visually challenged football team. His NGO also gives training to make visually challenged people employable.

Funding source and amount: Funded by Mathew who also runs an IT company Systica that is profitable.

Challenges: Has found it difficult to raise money because there is no revenue model as of now. "The challenge is greater because most visually challenged people fall in the low income group and hence cannot pay up," says Mathew.

Most rewarding moment: When the company won the mBillionth South Asia Award for inclusive solution.

Year & place of founding: June 2015, Pune

Funding source and amount: Rs 90 lakh, Anoop Hingorani and Indian Angel Network

What they do: Have developed a wheel chair that allows senior citizens and those with limited mobility to access shower and commode in a secure and convenient manner. It has a tool-free height adjuster and replaceable biodegradable seat that ensures hygiene. It even has an Android app control.

Why did they start it: At an annual college festival competition organized by an NGO, Sonawane and friends designed a bathroom-friendly wheel chair. After college, Sonawane took up a corporate job. "But then the NGO got in touch with me and asked if I was interested in building the product," he says. He took up the offer.

Challenges: Faced cash crunches several times. "Conventional VCs think we are a social enterprise while the social funds think we are a for-profit that is making a costly product for the middle and upper classes," Sonawane says.

Most rewarding moment: "It gives us a feeling that we are doing some good to society even as we look to make profits. When our first customer told us how the product changed his life after a spinal injury restricted his free movement, it was bliss," Sonawane says.

Disabled can park with senses, touch with braille

HOSHANGABAD: A spirit to connect people with disabilities to nature and common people around them took a step ahead at Hoshangabad district recently with the inauguration of Divyang Anubhuti Park whose makers claim it is the first of its kind in India.

The park is based on the idea to make physically challenged people aware about the things around them through sensation, smell, sound, and vision. The park was inaugurated on July 8. "The park seems to be like a dream come true for us. This was just an idea to give them a beautiful world where they can observe and understand whatever is happening around them," said Hoshangabad collector Sanket Bhondve. Right from the entrance it begins with a slope along with a railing having braille direction inscribed on them at turning points.

The park has been decorated with 42 different kinds of plants from all over the world, depicting their botanical names, roman names and their description in braille. These include both ornamental and medicinal plants.

Ashish Chatterji, a social activist and one of the brains behind park, said, "Right from the entrance to the garden the park has been made properly accessible to every kind of people. Natural music plays all the time to keep the ambience soulful. Environment here is close to nature to help in sensory stimulation. A German xylophone has been placed in park to make people with autism or other disabilities to get a sensation through music."

"I myself have witnessed the problems faced by disabled and so it was easier for me to create a list of what is required for the people coming here. We sat together and this was the result. We are really happy for it," said Chatterji while talking to TOI. The wall around the park has been used to create awareness about differently abled people with different pictorial descriptions of their life. A sensory section has been created with the help of pebbles, gravels, sand and acupressure space. The park is under surveillance 24x7. A section to spread awareness about modern equipment in market for people with disabilities has also been created.

By Making Music For The Deaf, Coke Studio Just Made History

"One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain," Bob Marley once said.

Coke Studio, known for bringing musicians from far-flung areas of Pakistan into the mainstream, is doing just that. Making sure that when the music hits, you feel no pain. And, now at long last that applies to people who can't hear too.

For its upcoming Season 9, Coke Studio Pakistan decided to take its music to everyone. In a Facebook post, they announced their new show, called, 'Coke Studio For the Deaf'.

This is their attempt to make the musical experience accessible to the deaf community of Pakistan.

"Nine million people in Pakistan have some sort of hearing impairment. They can experience the rhythm of music through touch and sight, and we believe music is a feeling everyone should experience," Coke Studio wrote in its Facebook post.

So, the makers prepared a studio set using a combination of lights and vibrations.

They called a bunch of people who are hard of hearing to their set.

Watch the video here:

Special Benefits for Persons with Disabilities

Included here is a description of the help provided by statutory services for persons with disabilities. Watching Several ministries/departments of the Government of India provide various concessions and facilities that include:

Concession on railways

Railways allow persons with disability to travel at concession fares up to 75% in the first and second classes. Escorts accompanying blind, orthopedically and mentally handicapped persons are also eligible to 75% concession in the basic fare.

Air travel concessions

Indian Airlines allow 50% concession fares to blind persons on single journeys.

Postage

Payment of postage, both inland and foreign, for transmission by post of ‘Blind Literature’ packets is exempted if sent by surface route.

Customs/excise

Braille paper has been exempted from excise and customs duty provided the paper is supplied direct to a school for the blind or to a Braille press against an indent placed by the National Institute for the Visually Handicapped, Dehradun. All audio cassettes recorded with material from books, newspapers or magazines for the blind are exempt from custom duty. Several other items have also been exempted from customs duty if imported for the use of a persons with disability.

Conveyance allowance

All Central government employees who are blind or orthopedically handicapped are granted conveyance at 5% of basic pay subject to a maximum of INR 100 per month.

Educational Allowance

Reimbursement of tuition fee of physically and mentally handicapped children of the Central government employees has been enhanced to INR 50/–.

Income tax concession

The amount of deduction from total income of a person with blindness, mental retardation or permanent physical disability has been increased to INR 40,000/–.

Award of dealership by oil companies

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has reserved 7.5% of all types of dealership agencies of the public sector companies, for the orthopedically handicapped and blind persons. However, persons with visual handicap are not eligible for LPG distribution. Similarly, the Ministry has also reserved 7.5% of such dealership/agencies for defense personnel, and those severely disabled either in war or while on duty in peacetime.

Posting

Candidates with Physical handicaps, appointed on a regional basis, be given as far as possible, appointments as close to their native place as possible.

Economic assistance by public sector banks

All orphanages, homes for women and persons with physical handicaps as well as institutions working for the welfare of the handicapped, are given loans and advances at very low rates of interest (4% under DRI) and a subsidy of 50% up to a maximum of INR 5,000/– is also admissible. State Governments/Union Territories also give concessions/facilities such as reservation in jobs, scholarships, old age pension, free travel in buses, etc.

Trust is right now dealing with “Niramaya “ project of government.

Omkar Foundation Trust is right now dealing with “Niramaya “ project of government. Niramaya is government project for physically and mentally challenged peoples. Government is proving them 1 lac rs insurance protection with a minimal premium Procedure of getting enrolled for this scheme shall be done by national registered trust only. OFT is taking responsibility to pay a premium of Rs.500/- on behalf of physically impaired people and make this scheme available to them . Under this Niramaya scheme trust has arranged a camp at Panva Village , Surendranager on 10.07.2016 and more than 150 physically challenged people has taken advantage of such scheme. 

The LUKE Arm

The LUKE arm is an advanced prosthetic arm that has up to 10 powered degrees of freedom including a powered shoulder, humeral rotator, and multi-movement wrist. The LUKE arm incorporates the latest technology in electronics, motors, batteries, and materials. The arm offers state-of-the-art flexibility, strength, and dexterity to provide greater independence for people with forearm through shoulder-level amputations.

The LUKE arm was developed by DEKA as part of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Revolutionizing Prosthetics program with additional funding from the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command through a contract with the Army Research Office.

Mobius Bionics is excited to be able to bring this innovative technology from the research lab to amputees everywhere. To learn more about Mobius Bionics LLC or the LUKE arm, visit www.mobiusbionics.com.

Braille EDGE 40 Display

The Braille EDGE 40 is a powerful refreshable display, meaning it reads content on a computer screen and converts it to braille characters.

This particular model is interesting for its seven built-in apps (including Notepad, Scheduler and Stopwatch) and conveniently located navigation and function keys.

Braille EDGE 40 is not only the most reliable, high-performance refreshable Braille display, it also helps you manage your daily activities. Create and save notes, or read books and documents with the notepad. Use the scheduler to remind you of important dates. Use the alarm to remind you of upcoming appointments, and take advantage of the built-in calculator, stopwatch and countdown timer.

User-friendly Function Keys!

Braille EDGE 40 contains 2 four-way navigation keys and 8 function keys (Escape, Tab, Control, Alt, Shift, Insert, Windows and Applications) combining the convenience of entering text in Braille with the intuitive functionality of a PC keyboard.

Choose Your Language!

Braille EDGE 40 offers the convenience and flexibility of multiple languages including English, Spanish, French, German and Italian.

Stay Connected All Day!

Connect Braille EDGE 40 to a computer or PDA via Bluetooth and stay connected throughout the day without the need for charging. For even longer run time, connect via USB and enjoy all the great features of Braille EDGE 40 while simultaneously charging the unit.

Read & Save!

Read and save your data to the SD card. You can use up to 32GB SDHC cards with Braille EDGE 40, enough to carry thousands of books and documents with you for reading on the go.

Kenguru - The car for wheelchair users

Wheelchair users who have been looking for independence and a way to get around town will feel thrilled to learn about the Kenguru car. It is the first electric powered vehicle designed for wheelchair users. It is environmentally friendly vehicle and driven directly from a wheelchair with access via the rear-opening tailgate. You simply roll a wheelchair in from a pop-up back door and drive off. It is commonly used to make short trips, run errands, shopping and getting around town. The car is not available yet in the United States but interested buyers can reserve one online. The company has already raised $4 million from investors, has attracted a lot of media attention and will provide millions of Americans in wheelchairs with access to their own transportation. 

How it Works?

The Kenguru car is easy and convenient to use every day. You enter via the automatic lowering ramp at the rear of the car. Guide your wheelchair directly into the car and then easily lock into position. At the press of the key the back door closes or opens. The controls look similar to a motorcycle and are easy to navigate as you drive around town running errands, visiting family, friends, shopping and more.

Benefits

• New found independence
• Improved self-confidence
• Ability to go out when you desire
• Safe transportation that you control
• Easy to control and use
• You don’t have to exit your wheelchair
• Affordable when compared to custom vans

Wheelchair users will find the Kenguru gives them freedom to go where they want, when they want. In the past many wheelchair users had to depend on other methods of transportation and forced to wait for others to drive them around town. The Kenguru provides the ultimate independence most wheelchair user’s desire. It is an excellent way to get around town and it is safe to drive on roads that have the maximum speed limit is 45mph. Enjoy your new found freedom and get on the waiting list today for this amazing electric powered car for wheelchair users.

Dot - Braille Smart Watch

Dot is a wearable that is also the world’s first Braille smartwatch. Dot is a practical solution that is more affordable than regular e-Braille devices which may cost thousands, yet still works well for the blind. Dot helps the blind access messages, tweets, even books anywhere and at any time.

Technically, this tool functions with six dots on four cells found on the surface of the smartwatch. These dots will rise or lower to form 4 letters in Braille at any time. It can connect via Bluetooth to any smartphone then retrieve and translate the text (from an email or messaging app) into Braille for its owner.

15 Most Successful People With Disabilities

1. Stephen Hawking - ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis)

Profession - English Theoretical Physicist

Stephen Hawking is a well-known celebrity in academics and recipient of numerous appreciations: Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Presidential Medal of Freedom and lifetime member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.

Despite being challenged by motor neuron disease, he is one of the most admired scientists in physics, with numerous books and publications under his belt.

2. Helen Keller - Blind and Deaf

Profession - Lecturer and Activist

Keller was the first ever to earn Bachelors in Arts. She was also a political activist and a celebrated author in America. She was one of the leading hands in founding American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

3. John Nash - Schizophrenia

Profession - Renowned American Mathematician

John Nash suffered from paranoid schizophrenia. Few years after being out of college, Nash starting developing signs of schizophrenia. However, the illness never affected his love for mathematics. His work on geometry and partial differential equations is still considered as outstanding.

4. Christy Brown - Cerebral Palsy

Profession - Poet, Painter and Author

Brown was challenged with cerebral palsy. Until the age of 5, he wasn't able to respond on his own will. Only after that, his left foot was responsive as opposed to the whole body. He is a celebrity author for his autobiography 'My Left Foot'.

5. Demosthenes - Stammer

Profession - Orator

Demosthenes was one of the most robust and influential speakers of all time. At a tender age of 11, he tried to commit suicide; however, he survived. He used to sit by the beach for hours, with pebbles in his mouth. Eventually, he became of the most admired orators in history.

6. Vincent van Gough - Mental Illness

Profession - Painter

Vincent Van Gough was one of the most admired and influential painters to have walked the face of the Earth. He suffered depression and was hospitalized. Although he killed himself, his paintings remained as one of the marvelous crafts of all time.

7. Beethoven - Deaf

Profession - Composer

Despite being deaf, Beethoven turned out to be one of the biggest composers of all time. He was guided by Mozart and studied Piano. He was famous for his brilliant and dubious improvisations.

8. Sudha Chandran - Amputation

Profession - Dancer

Sudha Chandran met with a terrible accident one time that resulted in the amputation of her right leg. Despite the crushing disability, Chandran emerged as one of the most acclaimed and influential classical dancers in India.

9. Frida Kahlo - Polio

Profession - Painter

Kahlo suffered from polio. Despite her physical disability, she was one of the most celebrated painters in all of Mexico. Her painting mostly includes self-portraits, landscaped and figment of imagination.

10. Marla Runyan - Stargardt’s Disease

Profession - Professional Runner

Marla Runyan developed Stargardt’s Disease at the age of 9. This left her blinded for the rest of her life. However, she took the stick of courage and emerged out as a national champion 3 times in women's 5000-metres race. She won medals and accolades at various national and international sporting events.

11. Stevie Wonder - Blind

Profession : Musician, Singer

12. Marlee Matlin - Deaf

Profession : Actress

13. Ralph Braun - Muscular Dystrophy

Profession : Businessman, Founder and CEO of Braun Corporation

14. John Hockenberry -  Spinal Cord Injury

Profession : Journalist, Author, 4 times Emmy Award Winner

15. Tanni Grey-Thompson - Spina Bifida

Profession : Wheelchair Racer 

The stories of the above personalities prove only one important fact – it takes more than courage to face the adversities to win over and be victorious. If they could do it, so could you!