July is Disability Pride Month. While this month is not yet federally designated, it has been recognized in Michigan since 2022. In Michigan鈥檚聽, Governor Whitmer reflected on the importance of the month, saying, 鈥淢ichiganders with disabilities contribute to our state鈥檚 success in the fields of economics, science, art, culinary arts, academics, finance, business, and more…鈥� Each year, The Arc鈥檚 National Council of Self-Advocates establishes a theme to guide the month鈥檚 celebrations. The 2026 Disability Pride theme is . This theme reminds us that a world inclusive of people with disabilities is a better world for all of us.
In honor of this theme, the 海角乱伦 is sharing examples of how technologies designed to aid individuals with disabilities have become part of everyday life.
- : One of the most recognizable assistive technologies today is closed captioning, which originated with selected Hollywood films after the advocacy of the American School for the Deaf and the Lexington School for the Deaf in 1949. Over time, captioning would move from including the deaf community in entertainment to being an incredibly important part of an inclusive emergency warning system. Nowadays, many people utilize captioning when watching videos in an environment that is not conducive to hearing sound clearly, to help maintain better focus, to learn a new language, and more.
- : Typing, the function that allows us to use a majority of modern technology, originated with the creation of the typewriter. While not much is known about the original typewriter, the first working model was built by an Italian inventor in 1808 to assist a blind countess in writing correspondence.
- : The electric toothbrush originated in 1939 in Switzerland to assist individuals with limited motor skills. Over time, these devices have developed into household staples that are more effective in cleaning, gum stimulation, and overall provide for more thorough oral hygiene聽for everyone.
- : The process of developing a technology that can turn speech into text has been long and complex. In 1964, the telecommunications world would be revolutionized by the creation of the , a device that could turn the sound from a phone call into text. New evolutions of this technology have become so commonly used for hands-free communication and multitasking that they are even built into our cars.
- : In 1932, the American Foundation for the Blind began creating vinyl audio recordings of books, leading the Library of Congress to create its Listening Library. Today, audiobooks are used not just by individuals with visual impairments but by millions, ranging from individuals who prefer auditory learning to those who use it as another form of entertainment.
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