
In October of 1995, on a routine checking play just eleven seconds into his first collegiate hockey game with Boston University, Travis Royslid into the boards and cracked his fourth vertebra and became a Quadriplegic. This injury shocked the nation, and resulted in increased conversations about safety in sports and preventing spinal cord injuries. It’s been twenty years since his accident, and Roy has continued living a full and productive life . He established the Travis Roy Foundation which raises awareness for such injuries, funds research grants, and provides adaptive equipment and support for families and individuals living with spinal cord injuries.
September is Spinal Cord Injury Awareness month in the United States. This is meant to spread awareness for those living with a spinal cord injury as well as preventative measures to avoid such injuries. Overall, this month is meant to enlighten others with regard to the services and support that people like Travis Roy utilize each day to fulfill their lives and dreams.
WeCo’s September blog posts will focus on how peple with spinal cord injuries, as well as those living with MS, ALS, and similar motor skill-related disabilities access the Internet using assistive technology such as speech recognition software, and tips on developing accessible websites.
September posts will include:
- Best Practices in Developing for the Keyboard-less and Nontraditional Keyboard Users
- Navigating websites with nontraditional mouse’s and Sticky Keys
- Information about assistive technology such as speech recognition software and eye tracking software
Be sure to keep up with these upcoming posts in WeCo’s IT Accessibility Information Blog, and feel free to share your comments and/or experiences!