How Technology Can Help People with Disabilities Excel in Their Careers
Thanks to the internet and modern tech advancements, people with disabilities have more opportunities for employment than ever before. Despite this, people who have disabilities are still twice as likely to be unemployed compared to the rest of the population. Don’t let your disability prevent you from enjoying a successful and fulfilling career. Technology is an invaluable resource for people with disabilities, especially when it comes to finding work, acing interviews, and landing promotions. Whatever your career goals, take advantage of the tech that’s available to you!
Remote Work Opportunities
Over two-thirds of the global population works remotely at least once per week, according to CNBC. This trend toward remote work has altered the image of the traditional nine-to-five job and given people the freedom to work when and where they want. This is especially beneficial to people with disabilities that make it challenging to show up to the office every day.
Online tools, smartphone apps, and tech equipment allow anyone to enjoy flexible work hours in the comfort of their own home. If you decide that remote work is right for you, make sure you have a good smartphone, a reliable internet connection, and a robust wireless plan.
Accessible Job Hunting
The internet also makes it much easier for people with disabilities to search for jobs, apply for positions, and attend interviews. For example, you can discover job opportunities on a wide variety of sites and online platforms. Freelance boards like Upwork have many positions available for both short- and long-term work in such fields as marketing, accounting, administrative support, and sales.
When it comes time to interview for a job, many employers will be happy to interview you over phone or video chat if coming into the office will present a challenge. Before your interview, research some video interviewing tips to ensure you’re prepared! You can also use job interview apps to help practice your answers to common interview questions and find tips for coming off as polished and professional.
Assistive Technologies in the Workplace
Whether you end up working from home or commuting to the office, assistive technologies can help you stay productive and efficient. For example, people with mobility limitations or sensory impairments may benefit from special computer software to make computers more accessible. Some of these useful applications and programs include screen readers, voice recognition programs, and screen enlargement apps. Many people with motor disabilities, tremors, or stiffness in their hands still need to rely on a keyboard to access content online. This is where adaptive hardware can be very useful. Accessible keyboards come in a variety of types, some with guards to prevent users from hitting multiple keys and others that are designed small enough to fit on the tray of a wheelchair. There are even smart keyboards that feature sentence prediction and provide audio feedback while typing.
Assistive technologies also exist for people with cognitive impairments. Concept mapping programs and symbol-based keyboards can help people who have a hard time organizing their thoughts into written communication. Similarly, graphic organizers are visual tools that can help people break work projects down into small, manageable parts. These can also be useful for brainstorming ideas or planning written documents.
The right tools can help you thrive in whatever role you’re after, whether you want to pursue the path of an entrepreneur or climb the corporate ladder. No one should let their disability hold them back from their career dreams. Take advantage of tech that helps your talents shine and you’ll be advancing through your career before you know it!
Author:
Patrick Young / patrickyoung@ableusa.info / http://ableusa.info/