Assistive technology has helped people with disabilities in several ways ranging from minor to major. The following are real-life examples of how appropriate use of technologies has gone a long way in helping a person with disability.Garimella Subramanium, an Editor with visual disability Screen Reading SoftwareGarimella Subramanium breaks many stereotypes as a person with visual disability. He is the Assistant Editor of The Hindu. The much respected and read national newspaper has its headquarters at Chennai. His family and friends expected him to pursue the job of a classical vocalist or a teacher. He instead, pursued Political Science at the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). Garimella later went to the London School of Economics, United Kingdom to do his Ph.D. in Political Theory. He later got an offer from The Hindu.Garimella remembers that my entry into The Hindu was through its London correspondent with whom I had interacted in my student days. The Hindu already had someone without vision working at a very senior position. Also, it is long known for its enlightened policies towards employees. So, it is a combination of factors.About the technology he uses at work, he mentions text-recognition software to surf the Net and write reports, etc. The nature of the job remains the same in every other respect as with other journalists. The office has provided him with speech-enabled software which enables him to function effectively. Garimella’s determination, sense of independence, workplace attitude and appropriate use of technology have all contributed to making him a successful journalist127.Zamir N Dhale, Advocacy Officer with Deaf Blindness – PAC Mate Braille DisplayZamir works as Advocacy Officer with Sense International, India office (Delhi). He is a person with hearing and visual impairment. He operates independently with the help of PAC Mate Braille Display. The portable PAC Mate Braille Displays features a simple platform, the 20-cell and 40- cell refreshable Braille units that can connect to any computer with a USB cable or form one unit by attaching to the PAC Mate Omni. (PAC Mate Portable Braille Display)128. He is assisted by a tactile sign language interpreter in his meetings and travel engagements.As Advocacy Officer his job profile include advocacy, networking with various government ministries and organisations for awareness generation on the issue of deaf-blindness. He provides support and guidance to deaf blind people and families through various programmes and initiatives of the organisation.But jobs were not easy to come by. He faced lots of difficulties in finding employment as there were communication barriers. The organisations were just not equipped to work with deaf-blind people.Sense International came his way through a job advertisement in 2006. They were impressed by Zamirs inspiring confidence and his zeal to work for people with deaf-blindness. And he of course is impressed with the attitude of his colleagues in Sense International. In his words They have made the office accessible, they have helped me find accommodation in Delhi. And he adds, They all know sign language and that makes it easier. Zamir has travelled abroad to countries like UK, USA, Nepal and Bangladesh to raise awareness about issues concerning deaf-blind people.Madhuri Kapur, Computer Programmer with Cerebral Palsy Voice Output Device and Pointer attached to headband for using Keyboard.Madhuri Kapur is an artist, computer programmer and a teacher. She has Cerebral Palsy. She communicates through a voice output device and a pointer attached to a headband with which she types out what she wants to say on a computer. She finished school from Indian Institute of Cerebral Palsy, Kolkata, and graduated in commerce from the Indira Gandhi National Open University. After doing web-designing and computer courses, she worked as a computer programmer for the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). She also worked for firms like Shaw Wallace and Organon. In addition, she imparts lectures on Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ACC) to doctors, B.Ed. students at Jadavpur University, and NGO workers involved with community-based rehabilitation programmes. (Mookerjii, Madhumita)129.Anil Anandrao Kulkarni, Haemophilia Virtual KeyboardAnil works as an employee in Mphasis. He has Haemophilia – a blood- disorder which results in profuse bleeding in joints on excessive strain or injury and may lead to permanent damage to the joints. He needed a keyboard that minimised the strain on his fingers. This would help him in increasing productivity in his work without injuring his fingers. He was provided with a cigarette-lighter-sized virtual keyboard which uses laser and infrared technology to project a full-size keyboard onto any flat surface for almost any palmtop computer, PDA or blue tooth enabled mobile phone. Using this, he was able to type normally on the projected keyboard. (Corporate Social Responsibility, Mphasis)130Stephen Hawking, Renowned Astrophysicist with multiple disabilities Multiple Technologies to write, speak, operate electronic items, etc.The world-renowned astrophysicist, Professor Stephen Hawking has motor neuron disease. His work on the basic laws which govern the universe are path breaking.He uses technology effectively to not only move around his workplace but also uses it to communicate, write, speak, operate gadgets and so on. To use a telephone, he is able to use either his laptop mobile card phone or connect his chair computer directly to a telephone socket. The process works by sending digital commands from his computer instructing the phone system to dial a number, answer the phone or hang up at the end of a call.Professor Stephen Hawking has a universally programmable infra-red remote control attached directly to his computer system. This enables him to operate many of the electronic items in his home, such as televisions, video recorders and music centres. He also has a radio control device which enables him to open doors and operate lights in his house. He is now also able to operate doors within his workplace.Explaining how technology has helped him to write, speak and communicate, Professor Hawking says, I communicate with a computer system. I have always used IBM compatible computers on my wheelchair. The screen is mounted on the arm of the wheelchair where I can see it, more recent systems have the whole computer in a box on this arm. The original systems were put together for me by David Mason, of Cambridge Adaptive Communications. This company manufacture and supply a variety of products to help people with communication problems express themselves. Recently, Intel engineers designed a new computer for me powered by a Pentium II processor, which I now use.On the computer, I run a programme called EqualizerTM, written by a company called Words Plus Inc. A cursor moves across the upper part of the screen. I can stop it by pressing a switch in my hand. This switch is my only interface with the computer. In this way I can select words, which are printed on the lower part of the screen. When I have built up a sentence, I can send it to a speech synthesiser. I use a separate synthesiser, made by Speech+. I also can use Windows 98 through an interface called EZ Keys, again made by Words Plus. I am able to control the mouse with the switch through cleverly selected process from a small box shown on the desktop. I can also write text using similar menu’s to those in Equalizer.I can save what I write to disk. I write papers using a formatting program called TEX. I can write equations in words, and the program translates them into symbols, and prints them out on paper in the appropriate type. I can also give lectures. I write the lecture beforehand, and save it on disk. I can then send it to the speech synthesiser, a sentence at a time. It works quite well, and I can try out the lecture, and polish it, before I give it. (The Stephen Hawking Website)131.Raj Gulati, A writer with disability of limbs Dragon Speaking SoftwareAfter an accident, Raj Gulati, a writer, could not move his limbs. He got the Indian edition of Dragon Naturally Speaking software 9.0from Dragons Mumbai based distributor ICONS. Dragon Speaking Software helps create documents, reports, e-mails, etc by speaking. It converts speech into text. Its over three times faster than typing.