Russ Ewell

From 2000 to 2008, autism was the fastest growing form of disability diagnosed in children living in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that currently, nearly two percent of the children in the United States live with Autism Spectral Disorder. The variety of symptoms that accompany the disorder sometimes make it difficult to speak or interact with others. They may have learning disabilities or difficulty using modern technology. However, there are many a...

Assistive Technologies For People Who Are Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing
Individuals who are hard of hearing or deaf have access to many systems and devices that help assist them with hearing sounds. Some of these devices assist them by visually conveying information, while other devices work by enhancing information through the use of auditory technology. These devices are used by both the young and old in various environments such as theaters, churches, hospitals, social gatherings, work and at ho...

The Importance of Independent Living for People with Disabilities
The philosophy of Independent Living holds as its axiom that disabled individuals are themselves better at assessing their needs than anyone else. This is a form of disability empowerment. To be able to direct their lives, such people with disabilities must organize so that they will have the political power to promote solutions for their dignity and voice. Among the ways that they can be empowered are with self-representation,...

Technology continues making advancements faster than in previous years. Modern-day technology is now commonplace in a variety of fields that include business, health care and recreation. There are a number of new innovations that are bound to change the world.
Technological Trends
American manufacturing has taken a heavy hit as companies make their way overseas or into Mexico. However, numerous companies are experiencing a resurgence thanks to technological advances. According to an article p...

A Brief History of Autism from 1997–2018
Over the course of the last 20 years, our knowledge of Autism and how we work to make the world accommodating to those with autism has changed dramatically. Many organizations and groups have taken part in and pioneered this process. For this article, I will be focusing on a community called Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center (SARRC). This community has primarily assisted in advancing the understanding and treatment of autism.
This article w...

Below is a list of five musicians who are living with some sort of disability. Despite this, they have followed their dreams and achieved their goals as both prolific musicians and beacons of representation.
Ross McGregor
Ross McGregor wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps as a child and pursue a career as a mechanic. That dream was soon shut down when he started losing his sight at a very young age. Despite slowly going blind, he began playing piano at the School for Blind Children at W...

Inclusivity and the ability to make accommodations isn't just a physical act. It is one that is also deeply embedded in the nuances of languages. There are certain words and certain ways of acknowledging speech within the English language that can create a more inclusive space for those with disabilities. This article should just serve as an introduction to that, on that, I will add to on a monthly basis to keep the conversation up to date and evolving as does that loads of language. Here are...

With September quickly approaching and school beginning it is imperative to consider methods to support your child with a disability in the context of the education system. Both the public school and homeschool experience are drastically different for a child with a disability. Here are some tips to help you be the number one educational advocate for your child and supporting them during their learning:
Make sure to put matters in perspective. It may be easy for your child to get overwhelmed ...

In a previous article, I wrote about the importance of media representation for people with autism, down syndrome, and other disabilities. In this article, instead, I will be spotlighting the positive steps that the media world has made to cast people with down syndrome. This article aims to bring attention to a few of many talented actors and actresses with Down syndrome. Here are a few who have appeared on television or in movies and also happen to have down syndrome.
Brewer held an essenti...

There are many talented artists with down syndrome. However, it is rare that they get the attention and respect that they deserve as artists. Here are a couple of names of contemporary artists with down syndrome:
Tellez is an artist from Mexico who studied at the Instituto Municipal de Bellas Artes, which is Mexico’s world recognized art institute. Recently, he had an art exhibit in New York City. His art is mainly abstract and at times wavers on surrealism, and is influenced by painters such...

As the world moves faster and faster, new breakthrough technologies emerge that continue to change the face of the planet. Some of these technologies have more substantial effects than others, altering the way we communicate with each other, interpret our reality, and achieve everyday feats. Here are some breakthrough technologies of 2018 that you need to know about:
3D Metal Printing
For as long as the industrial world has existed, creating physical objects required massive amounts of resour...

No Label at the Table Bakery is a bakery run by a 20-year-old young man named Jacob Wittman, and his mother, Shelly Henley. Jacob Wittman has autism, and the bakery specifically aims to employ other people on the autism spectrum.
Jacob Wittman is simultaneously working to graduate high school through an online school and running the business. His dream, he told his mother when he was 18, was to become a chef, so they worked together to make it a possibility for him and for other people with a...

John’s Crazy Socks is a father-son business partnership that has two missions–sell crazy socks and give back to the Down Syndrome community.
John Lee Cronin is a young man with Down syndrome who has a passion for fun socks and making people happy. This love is what pushed him and his father to start a company that is committed to making great and joy bringing socks–there are many examples of this, just browsing their website. There is, first and foremost, socks that are covered in brilliant p...

Often, society is not as inclusive as it could be for people with disabilities. This applies to a wide variety of settings and environments, including the workplace, education system, public events, and more. Here are some tips to help make the world a better and more accessible place:
Think about the layout and planning of your spaces. This is incredibly important for a variety of reasons. It is necessary to have spaces that people in wheelchairs or accompanied by service animals can access....

Technology is improving day in and day out, and with that comes the power to transcend just silly games, instant messaging, and social media. With that comes the power to actually make a change and use apps to help people access the world in different ways. They can be used as both an accessibility resource and a research to keep children learning in ways that work for them. A predominance of these apps focuses on helping children with autism practice skills in an encouraging and fun one. Her...