School (part 2)

Dr. Townsend's was my last school in Calgary; after that, I stayed closer to my Airdrie home and attended school in the area of Rocky View for all twelve years of school.  When my parents met with the school district administrators to see if I could start grade one, they tried to convince my parents that I should return to Dr. Townsend School.  Their reason was that there wasn't room in the classroom for my electric wheelchair.  Thank goodness there was a principal at the meeting who said they should at least try it.  Going to school wasn't as simple for me as for the other students in my class.  I needed a few customizations to the daily school routine for me to participate.  There was an aide to assist me in the classroom, assistive technology to help me communicate, and transportation to make it there and home.

Because I cannot write on my own, I have always needed a computer for schoolwork, although my aide would write for me in the regular class.  She would read the questions to me and I would tell her what to write.  When I was in the resource class, I used a computer for my work; it was a way for me to be independent and helped tell my story to the class.  I did not even need to use the steel grid on the computer keyboard (a steel grid goes over the keyboard so that you can only hit one key at a time, a helpful tool for some people).  

Assistive technology has been helping me ever since I was five and used my first computer. It helps people be independent in a lot of different ways.  It can be as general as a hearing aid, braille on a keypad, or lowered curbs at crosswalks so anyone with limited mobility, strollers, or walkers can easily cross the street.  There are computer programs that convert speech into text or read your writing back to you.  I used a special joystick where I could control the cursor direction and speed; my hand-eye coordination and muscle control makes it difficult for me to use a regular mouse.

When I was in grade six, I received a Liberator, which is a small computer that talked, stored, and printed information, and made it easier for people to understand me.  I used it a lot at school but it was too cumbersome to carry with me everywhere so I kept it at school on weekdays.  I donated it after I started using it less and less.  Many people and organizations worked together to raise enough donations so I could receive my Liberator.  I want to thank everyone who helped provide it; it was a great resource for communication and helped me develop beyond the use of my Liberator.  When I donated it back to the main organization, I hoped that it would help someone else.

When I was five years old, I had the opportunity to be involved with public awareness of Cerebral Palsy by being a poster child for the Easter Seals Campaign.  Easter Seals is an organization that provides programs and services for individuals with disabilities and relies heavily on donations.  During the campaign, I met the Calgary Flames players and appeared on a telethon. It was during the telethon that I officially received my first home computer with a printer.  I could communicate with my family and keep my finished products to see what I had accomplished.  I had been using computers for years but never had one in my home. Organizations like the Easter Seals provide opportunities and services in a world where there are still many barriers for people with disabilities.