How have digital advancements helped create barrier-free living?

Technology is something that has transformed how we all live in the last few decades, and society has become increasingly reliant on it. Most people use technology such as emails or online cloud computing services in their work. Our personal lives are just as dependent on digital technology, where streaming services and social media sites abound. 

The latest digital technology is not just about having fun or working smarter, however. It can also be very helpful in bringing barrier-free living to mentally or physical challenged individuals. It has the power to make their lives as simple and enjoyable as possible without any barriers to overcome that the rest of us don’t have to worry about. 

How have advances in digital tech led to these much-needed improvements? 

Online learning has opened up education 

Before degree programs were offered online, advanced learning was either very difficult for people in these groups to access successfully or off-limits altogether. This was because more traditional degree programs involved attending classes in person at campuses that were not always set up to meet their needs. 

This made trying to attend classes in these types of environments nearly impossible and could sometimes see people from these groups stuck in uncomfortable situations. For example, wheelchair users may have had to face the indignity of having no ramp to access a building and needed to be carried up entrance steps by other students. 

Online courses have changed this and made it possible for the physically and mentally challenged to pick up new skills from the comfort of their own home. This has removed barriers to education for them and means they now have the same access to it as the rest of society. 

The computer science degrees online at Wilfrid Laurier University are a great example of this in action in Canada. A 100% online course from one of the top educational institutions in the country, it enables students to pick up the qualifications needed to move into computer science roles from anywhere. When you also consider how accessible online learning like this is in many other countries worldwide, you can see how big of an impact it has had in this area.

Digital assistants have made life easier 

Digital assistants are one of the more recent pieces of modern technology that have taken off globally. They are also another good example of how tech has created barrier-free living for disabled people. Thanks to innovations like this, they can now enjoy life without any unnecessary challenges or obstacles getting in the way.

How do digital assistants manage this specifically? For the physically challenged, digital assistants such as Siri or Alexa are useful because they are voice-activated. This means that anyone with a physical impairment can use them easily to complete tasks they may find difficult otherwise. 

This not only makes life more convenient but means they can complete the same tasks in daily life as everyone else. Good examples include drawing curtains, which may be tricky for the physically disabled, or turning on lights that they may find hard to reach and control manually.

For those with mental challenges, digital assistants have their own unique ways of making the world an easier place to navigate. People who may struggle to read or understand text on-screen, for example, can use digital assistants to catch up on the latest news or weather. Although it does not replace human contact, being able to speak and listen to digital assistants can also help ease feelings of isolation for those who suffer from conditions such as depression. 

Apps also play their part 

When you look at the number of mobile apps in the most popular online stores during 2022, you can see what a major role they play in modern lives. This is also true for those managing physical or mental challenges on a daily basis. Mobile applications can be far more useful to these people and go beyond mere fun. 

The real key to this is the ease of use of modern smartphones and the impressive number of helpful apps that have been developed. For example, there are mobile apps that remind you to take medication, show wheelchair-accessible places in your area, connect the visually impaired with volunteers, and make hearing other people easier. 

Of course, it is not just about apps designed specifically to help people who struggle with mental or physical challenges. There are a host of apps we all use to make our lives easier that have the same impact for these groups. 

Online banking apps, for example, make it much easier for those with mental or physical impairments to manage their money. Online meal delivery apps can be useful if your mental impairment prevents you from making food or you have a physical condition that can sometimes leave you unable to make a meal. Instead of going hungry, these types of apps ensure you can always get food delivered to your door.

The number of apps that can help people in these groups is staggering. This has helped to break down many barriers and improved people’s quality of life. 

Online grocery shopping 

Online grocery shopping is a great example of a technological advancement that is removing barriers. The ability to go online and order the food you need is incredibly useful for physically or mentally challenged individuals. 

Not only are these sites easy to use from your own home, but they often have a much better selection of food to order. It saves you from having to travel to your local store, walk around to find the food you need, count out the money to pay for it at the counter, and bring it all home.

These kinds of tasks can be very difficult for people in these groups and represent a real obstacle to grocery shopping in person. The ability to order groceries online and have them delivered means people in these groups can avoid the hassle of shopping in person.

Video conferencing tech makes socializing simpler 

Socializing can be very challenging for some people with physical or mental challenges. For example, you might arrange to meet friends at a local bar but arrive to find there is nowhere to sit. This can be painful for someone who cannot stand for long periods of time. By the same token, someone with autism may find it daunting to go somewhere they have never been before. 

One piece of modern technology that has really helped with socializing is video conferencing software. Platforms such as Zoom make it possible to socialize with friends from the comfort of your own home and in an environment that is adapted to your needs. By using these types of platforms, people with mental or physical challenges can socialize without any hassle. 

Screen readers are a big plus

Some people with physical or mental disabilities can have trouble using computers altogether. This is a big barrier to overcome in normal life. Because technology and computers are so essential to much of what we do now, getting past this obstacle is a must for them. Luckily, modern innovations in tech can help a lot in this regard.

Screen readers can bring down barriers surrounding computer use. They are especially useful for people with visual impairments or mental challenges that may make it hard to manually read or understand what is shown on screen. 

These amazing pieces of software read out what is shown on screen and enable users to fully understand what a website or app is communicating. As a result, they help people who use them carry out key tasks, such as booking train tickets. 

This sort of tech can also help those with a visual impairment when out at a café, restaurant, or bar. You can access screen reader apps on your mobile device that magnify text when you hold your phone over it or overlay whatever you need onto the image to make it readable. 

Telehealth warrants a mention 

One advance in healthcare that uses tech tools such as video conferencing to operate is telehealth. While this might seem like a nice bonus for people without disabilities, it is a big leap forward for everyone else. 

This is especially true for those with a physical or mental condition that makes attending appointments in person difficult, whether they have issues using public transportation to get to the doctor’s office, feel uncomfortable in a crowded waiting room, or find it tough to use the clinic’s touchscreen tech to log their attendance. 

Telehealth removes these kinds of barriers to getting effective healthcare and makes seeking medical assistance a lot easier for people in these groups. As the name suggests, patients do not have to leave their own home for a medical appointment and can speak to their family doctor via their smartphone. This makes it easier for them to get the help they need and keeps them in better shape overall.

Voice-to-text assistive tech

We have already mentioned screen readers as one great example of tech that has brought barrier-free living to those with mental or physical challenges, but voice-to-text assistive software is also worth considering. 

As the name implies, this special kind of tech enables those who find it hard to type to communicate with others. This is very useful in a number of situations, such as using this software to complete assignments for college or compose emails at work. 

This speech-to-text technology takes what you dictate into a piece of assistive software and turns it into text. If you have a physical or mental impairment that makes typing difficult, this is one way to make your life easier. 

Why is barrier-free living so important for physically and mentally challenged individuals? 

These are just a few examples of how advances in digital tech have broken down barriers for those with a mental or physical disability. There is no doubt that this is very important and something we should all support. 

Most people who do not have to face challenges like this can go through life without any major barriers to everyday tasks. Heading online to catch up on the latest news is no problem, for example, and socializing with friends is something they can do without any prior thought. 

This is not always the case for people who are mentally or physically challenged, however. They often encounter barriers that limit what they can do in life and hamper their ability to get the most out of it. Breaking down these barriers is important to give everyone the same opportunities. It is also essential for making life more enjoyable and simpler for people with challenges like this.

Barrier-free living is a real possibility now 

There seems little doubt that the latest innovations in digital technology have really helped bring greater levels of barrier-free living to those with mental or physical challenges. Digital tech enables people in these groups to live a hassle-free life and enjoy the same quality of life as everyone else. As developments in this area continue, we can expect to see even more innovations helping to remove the remaining obstacles for physically and mentally challenged individuals.