Posts by Aimee Sterk

  The Michigan Primary Elections are taking place on August 7th and today is the final day to register to vote!  Candidates for Governor, U.S. Congress, and state Senate and House members are among the important decisions on the ballot.  If you haven’t registered already, you can still do so through the Secretary of State’s…

By Laura Hall, MATP Staff A few weeks ago, I attended a training that was more intense and grueling than any other training I’ve given or received, but the reward was life-changing.  For two weeks I attended “Team Training” through Canine Companions for Independence to receive my second service dog.  After working with many dogs…

By MATP Staff Member Laura Hall Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to represent the Michigan Assistive Technology Program at the National Symposium of AT Act Programs meeting and visit Capitol Hill to speak with legislators about the importance and benefits of assistive technology.  Typically, I fly to this event, but due to some…

by MATP Staffer Laura Hall The term “universal design” has been around for quite some time.  Universal design refers to the idea that if structures are built to accommodate a particular group, say, people with disabilities, they also accommodate the rest of the population.  Power doors, for example, help people with disabilities navigate entryways, but…

By Laura Hall, MATP Staffer Transitioning from school to life is an exciting time for any student.  Yet, accessing assistive technology once out of school can be a much different process.  In K-12, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that assistive technology be considered for all students during the IEP process.  If AT is…

by Laura Hall, MATP Staff Well, the weather outside is frightful today, with the Lansing area expecting up to 10″ of snow.  For users of assistive technology, winter weather is certainly not always delightful.  During these months we are often more reliant on our AT, which makes it even more important that they are well…

By Guest Blogger Kellie Blackwell, Disability Network Capital Area   The Pen Friend is a device that I have demonstrated to many individuals over the last few years. It is a great tool for labeling many things. I wanted to take a moment to share some of my tips for maximizing its use. I would…

By MATP Staff Laura Hall Dear Santa, Can you believe another year has gone by?  I’ve spent another great year working with the Michigan Assistive Technology Program.  I hope it brings a twinkle to your eye to know that we’ve helped people with disabilities learn about and acquire some great AT though our demo and…

By MATP Staffer Laura Hall As Thanksgiving approaches, I see friends and family creating daily gratitude posts on social media.  It’s a lovely idea, and although I am grateful for many things, I just don’t have the forethought to post every day.  However, writing this post close to the holiday has led me to think…

By MATP Staffer Laura Hall I have to admit, this is my favorite blog post of the year.  For the past few years, each Halloween, I have written a blog that features Halloween costumes that incorporate mobility devices and other AT into them.  Every year I find costumes that are more innovative than the year…