TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Denise Brodey

Watch Oscar-Winning Actor Marlee Matlin Give the Microsoft Help Desk a Try

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Marlee matlin at her desk signing with the help desk

The Microsoft Disability Answer Desk offers free technical support for Windows and Office for people with disabilities or customers who have questions about accessibility. Their support team is trained in using many popular assistive technologies and can offer assistance in English, Spanish, French, and American Sign Language. Disability Answer Desk is where customers with disabilities get support with Microsoft Office, Xbox Accessibility, and Windows. This includes product issues, accessibility questions and use of Assistive technology. Watch Marlee Matlin call in to the help desk, here.

OUR TAKE: Microsoft’s commitment to creating accessible products and offering abundant customer support is pretty much unrivaled these days. Could there by a connection between this company’s product strategy and their skyrocketing value of late? We’d like to think so To watch their support and learning videos… 
                                                                                                                                                   CLICK HERE 

 

 

Handicap Accessible vs. Wheelchair Accessible: Do You Know the Difference?

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Entire family with Dad in front sitting in wheelchair

All accessibility is not equal, although there is some crossover, according to an informative post on thrivingwithparalysis.com. The author clarifies the differences according to her personal experience as a caregiver. This piece covers all the details from ‘the dreaded aisle seat, the perfect table for a wheelchair user and more.  

OUR TAKE: There’s no better expert than a traveler with a disability or their caregiver. This blog, with all of its details, couldn’t possibly be written with such detailed and trustworthy advice had in not been done by a caregiver whose got a lot of real-life knowledge to share. Destinations, attractions, and hotels would be wise to take caregiver through a tour of a place and do some on the spot usability testing.  It’s the little things that can make a huge difference in a traveler’s experience.

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We Took the Bait! Could This Be the Most Accessible Fishing Cabin in America?

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Cabins that are wheelchair accessible are few and far, reports Emerging Horizons. But this find called Rhinelander Cabin in Wisconsin’s North Woods is a winner. It’s an example of what possible, even in a remote location. It designed by a wheelchair user, so the property has all the comforts of home and the access to match. Scroll through the photos and check out that roll-in shower—pretty darn nice! 

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OUR TAKE: Wisconsin is catching up to the National Parks we wrote about last month, where accessibility is top of mind.

 

 

7 Wow-Worthy Destinations Where Using A Wheelchair Isn’t a Hassle

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centuries old trees in a park with green grassThe Getty Museum offers wheelchairs for free. The San Diego Zoo provides special parking, restrooms and access to shows. New Orleans’ oldest parks have plenty of paved paths to get around.  And of course, there’s always The White House. 

OUR TAKE: If you’ve got it, flaunt it. Accessibility shouldn’t be a second thought—it should be top of mind and easy to find on your website, in advertising when visiting. Yes, the destination is the real gem, but if 1 in 5 people with a disability can’t access all it has to offer, it loses some of its sheen. See all of MSN.com’s picks in their slideshow.
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62-Year-Old Autistic Man Creates His Dream Board Game Called Keys to the Capitals

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A Tulsa resident who was diagnosed with autism late in life said that as a kid he spent hours creating games in his mind. He kept them all a secret—for 24 years. But when he was diagnosed with autism, he pulled out his old ideas and began creating a board game that has players heading acroCove of the Keys to the Capitals game box with keys and a map of statesss the country finding the Keys to each state Capital in a prop plane. The game helps kids plan routes, learn geography and memorize the state capitals.

OUR TAKE: This Tulsa native’s experience shows how autism takes many forms and can be diagnosed at any age. Happily, his imagination led him across the U.S. on a travel adventure. READ MORE