Sixty-one million Americans have disabilities, accounting for 26% of adults in the United States. July 26th marks the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was officially signed into law on July 26th, 1990 by President Geroge H.W. Bush. The ADA has drastically changed countless lives, giving people with disabilities clearly defined rights and better access to employment opportunities, a stronger voice, and a greater support system. In addition, the Act greatly transformed the American perspective on people with disabilities.

Technological advancements have paved the way for tools to assist people with disabilities in reaching their goals. Among them, there is a helmet for the blind which sends information to a cloud server with AI technology by utilizing sensors and cameras to map out the environs; a robotic frame for physical rehabilitation, the Bionic Exoskeleton, allowing those with paralysis to obtain some mobility; and numerous education apps to help those with disabilities express themselves.

MEDL has been honored to have partnered with Marlee Matlin, an Academy Award winning actress and hearing-impaired person, to create a sign language learning app called Marlee Signs. Marlee Signs teaches the fundamentals of American Sign Language with a combination of photos and videos to learn ASL’s “vocabulary”. While users are learning signs of various complexity, they are able to replay and slow down videos. The app’s “Spell” section further familiarizes users on how to spell any word with sign language.

Throughout these 30 years, our society has made many advancements to improve the lives of those all around us. And, although the work is far from finished, technological advancements are leading the way in helping to level the playing field. If you have an app idea that can help change the world, we’d love to help you make it a reality. Contact us for a free consultation at info@medlmobile.com.