Afford Supports Inclusivity on Global Accessibility Awareness Day (21 May)

• Inclusive technology helps Courtney reach her study goal with support from Afford
• Afford TeleCare is a virtual, contact-free solution to connect people living with disability with allied health professionals for essential wellbeing support
• Afford champions inclusive communities across its disability services

Global Accessibility Awareness Day (Thursday, 21st May 2020) calls the wider community to consider inclusive digital access for people with disability. 

Afford (The Australian Foundation for Disability) is a leading not-for-profit disability provider that champions inclusivity in the delivery of all its services – on-site and online.

Sixteen-year-old Courtney lives with her mum in Biggera Waters in Queensland’s south. For Courtney, her dual diagnosis of cerebral palsy and intellectual disability makes reading and understanding written words difficult. Breaking down words into syllables and decoding the sounds of letters can cause daily frustration.

Despite this, Courtney is determined to achieve her goal of studying childcare education at TAFE.

In August 2019, Afford’s Allied Health team connected Courtney with a Queensland speech pathologist. 

Over the months, speech pathology has supported Courtney to develop her literacy skills. She now has the confidence to write letters to her mum and read her driver learners manual with some support.

Working towards her goal of completing her childcare studies, speech pathology supports Courtney for spelling, reading and comprehension.

With speech pathology support, a trial of assistive technology, known as the Orcam, was organised to help Courtney understand printed and online texts.

Orcam is a micro-computer that reads text aloud. Courtney can attach the Orcam to the side of her glasses. To use the device, Courtney looks at the page and runs her finger under words she wants read. Orcam recognises her fingernail, takes a photo of the text above and reads it aloud. 

In support of inclusiveness for people with disability across the country, Afford has established Afford TeleCare. The initiative delivers disability supports to individuals across Australia via an innovative, contact-free and virtual solution. 

Via Afford TeleCare, individuals benefit from continued access to essential care from allied health professionals for overall health and mental wellbeing.

Afford TeleCare connects individuals to professionals across a range of services including, but not limited to, psychology, occupational therapy, emotional regulations, and speech pathology on a virtual platform to develop routines and explore meaningful activities during isolation. 

“Afford TeleCare changes the way disability supports are delivered. The virtual platform gives people access to regular allied health supports from the comfort of their home. Afford uses various forms of technology to provide remote, contact-free care so that individuals receive continued health management throughout the current isolation and social distancing measures,” said Afford CEO, Steven Herald.

Afford TeleCare is available for existing and new clients who wish to access these services. Afford is committed to developing new methods of delivering disability supports so that every person living with disability can achieve their goals and feel assisted during COVID-19 under the NDIS.

Watch this video to find out more about Afford TeleCare: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGs6bZcZlhg.

Afford is a registered charity and has been operating in Australia for 68 years, providing a range of disability supports to thousands of people every day.

As one of Australia’s longest-serving not-for-profit disability organisations, Afford supports individuals to achieve their goals for work, home and life under the NDIS. 

More information:

• Afford TeleCare - email telecare@afford.com.au or call1300 379 308. 
• Afford - visit www.afford.com.au or call 1300 233 673.

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Media Contact: Maria Crema: Crema PR m 0402 239 929 e maria@cremapr.com.au

About Afford - www.afford.com.au

The Australian Foundation for Disability is a registered charity providing disability services to thousands of people across Australia. The supports provided by Afford include Shared Living; Overnight Respite; Social and Community Programs; Transition to Work Programs; Transition to Retirement Programs; Carer Support; Disability Employment Services; Supported Employment; Allied Health Support, Support Coordination and Supported Holidays.