Navigating the world with disabilities, mental illnesses or physical illnesses can be more challenging. With around 1 in 6 people in Australia living with any one of a range of disabilities and special needs, it’s important to know how technology can really improve health and quality of life.

There is a range of mobile applications now available that offer numerous benefits to those with disabilities, helping to break down barriers and allow people to live more comfortably and independently.

Petralex

For people with mild to moderate hearing loss, the augmented hearing app Petralex Hearing Aid app restores your sound perception to more natural levels, meaning you can now hear even the whispers with the hearing amplifier.

Petralex automatically adjusts to specific features of your hearing and comes with a range of helpful features including a hearing test, automatic settings, speech recognition, acoustic amplification and dynamic compression as well as a number of advanced options.

Choiceworks

The Choiceworks app is an essential learning tool for helping children complete daily routines (morning, day, & night), understand & control their feelings and improve their waiting skills (taking turns and not interrupting). 

Created with the support of leading hospitals and child development specialists, this app is designed for caregivers to provide clear and consistent support to foster a child’s independence, positive behaviour, and emotional regulation at home and in the community. It can also be customised for teachers in a school setting.

Wheelmap

The perfect pocket partner for finding wheelchair accessible restaurants, cafes, toilets, shops, cinemas, parking lots, bus stops and much more. The Wheelmap and OpenStreetMap communities have already rated about 1 million places! 

Ratings for another million places come from a growing number of partners such as Foursquare City Guide, Jaccede, AXSMap, HERE, Parkopedia, bahnhof.de, Mapy bez barier, etc. All in all, you can find accessibility reviews of more than 2,000,000 places on Wheelmap! More entries are added daily.

Avaz

Avaz AAC is an augmentative and alternative communication app that offers those with Autism, Down Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy a picture-based communication option, which can be a lifesaver for those who are non-verbal. A fully-featured speech app that also includes a training module for new AAC users & caregivers.

The research-based pragmatic vocabulary consists of over 15,000 pictures (Symbolstix) with a variety of high-quality voices that a communicator regardless of their ability can tap to form sentences quickly. With a wide range of personalisation & customisation options, you can make Avaz AAC your own in just a matter of minutes.

Access Link Consulting provides consultation for the full scope of accessibility facilities for residential, commercial, mixed-use developments and industrial properties. With access to cutting-edge resources and an experienced team, we aim to be the number one provider of strategic, long-term and accessible consulting solutions for an inclusive society.