Article submitted by Patrick Young, AbleUSA.info.
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Throughout history, people with disabilities have thought about how they can best contribute their skills to the workforce. The fact of the matter is, most careers weren’t created with their abilities in mind. Fortunately, advances in modern technology and a focus on inclusivity in the workplace are beginning to change that.
This article will cover three ways that people with disabilities can use technology in their careers, ranging from remote learning to home-based business opportunities to using assistive technologies on the job.
1. Remote Learning
These days, most colleges and universities are offering distance education options. Remote learning technology has made it possible for disabled people to advance their careers by earning an online degree from home. There are plenty of online schools that cater to people with disabilities.
For those with physical disabilities, studying on campus may be too laborious, but remote campuses make higher education easily accessible for all. Remote learning also provides benefits to people with learning disabilities because they can take time to process the material and rewatch the lessons as many times as needed. Most eLearning programs come with subtitles for the hearing impaired, which is something they could never receive in the classroom. The visually impaired can benefit from studying from home using audio recordings and voice-to-text software.
For people who are numerically inclined, earning an online accounting degree could be a great choice. This is the first step to becoming a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), which is a lucrative career that’s high in demand. Valuable skills will be learned in marketing, economics, finance, and management, which can then be applied to the workplace or starting a business.
On the other hand, many people with learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, tend to excel in careers such as filmmaking and video editing. Earning an online degree in Multimedia Design could be a great option. Someone who is hearing impaired may wish to earn their online Bachelor’s degree in English if they have a good command of the language. On the other hand, somebody who is deaf or blind could opt to earn an online degree in social work with a focus on helping other people with disabilities. It’s important to recognize a person’s greatest strength and find a career path that will allow them to capitalize on it.
2. Home-Based Business Opportunities
Using your online degree opens up doors for home-based business opportunities. Starting your own remote business comes with many of the same benefits as remote learning, such as not having to commute to an office, working at a comfortable pace, and using technology to work around the disability. Home-based businesses can also provide a lot of freedom for people with mobility issues. For the visually- and hearing-impaired, the advancement in assistive technologies makes it possible to start virtually any online business.
Many disabled people can earn money from home freelancing as a writer, web designer, or virtual assistant. People who are mobile and prefer human contact may wish to start a business caring for children or pets. Other popular home-based businesses include consulting, affiliate marketing, and software development. The opportunities are endless in today’s digital age.
3. Assistive Technologies
Assistive technologies have come a long way in the last decade. Many people are taking advantage of devices such as voice recognition programs, screen enlargement applications, automatic page-turners, closed captioning, and electrical assistive devices to help with memory and attention span.
Talkitt is an example of an assistive technology that is changing lives. 1.5 percent of the population are living with speech disabilities due to issues such as ALS, stroke, brain injury, and cerebral palsy. Talkitt translates indecipherable speech into clear communication, which creates new opportunities for people with speech disorders that wish to advance their career.
As you can see, technology is creating a vast amount of new careers and advancement opportunities for people of varying abilities. We can only expect to see further advancement in assistive technologies and therefore, enjoy a more inclusive world overall.