Ramps to Technology

On the last day of Sean Stapleford’s junior year in high school he dived into the James River – and broke his neck. The year was 1972, and he was paralyzed from his shoulders down.

Today he lives in The Virginia Home, an adult residential-care facility, in Richmond, VA.

From his room, Stapleford skillfully operates a “mouth stick” to navigate his computer screen, jumping from Web site to Web site while communicating with others using a host of assistive technology.

A computer monitor, suspended from an overhead swing arm, is mounted on his headboard, and an Environmental Control Unit (ECU) operates as a universal remote control – accessing his TV, VCR, stereo, phone, the nurse call bell, and his electric bed.

Stapleford is an expert. Despite limited use of his hands, he can press keys, turn pages and operate switches and speakerphones with ease. This ability to navigate the world of technology has provided an opportunity to experience meaningful recreation, socialization and employment.

In recent years a push towards more user-friendly and accessible technology have helped Stapleford become more involved and integrated in day-to-day living in his hometown – and across the world.

Working for the Richmond-based company TecAccess, Stapleford telecommutes each day from his room at the Virginia Home. Widely considered one of the best “accessibility testers” in the country, the tech-minded teleworker has the ability to communicate with colleagues as far away as India and Japan with a quick flick of his mouth stick.

Stapleford is not only taking advantage of a recent move toward telecommuting in the business sector but also a general push in government and private industry to make technology more accessible to disabled commuter users and the elderly.

Many advocacy experts and technology experts agree – we build ramps and elevators in lieu of stairs, so it’s high time that we take the same steps to make electronic and information technology accessible.

Recent legislation such as Section 508 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act (as amended in 1998) is doing just that – and Stapleford, along with TecAccess, is here to make sure the world is listening.

Section 508 now requires all federal agencies to develop, procure and maintain technology that is accessible to people with varying degrees of disabilities. Though the law does not apply to private industry, business leaders across the country are realizing the economic impact and market share that is currently up for grabs for those who make their electronic and information technology accessible.

Because of this realization across the globe, Stapleford is now finding more and more aspects of technology becoming easier to use despite his physical limitations. Best of all, his job role at TecAccess ties directly into this movement, as he is paid to assist clients from all backgrounds to better understand the return on investment for those who make their technology accessible to all user groups.

Explaining her company’s experience with the topic, Dennis Bowman, Circuit City’s senior vice president, wrote a recent letter of thanks to Stapleford and TecAccess, explaining, “Americans with disabilities control about $175 billion in discretionary income. Since we are an aging population, accessibility needs for persons with disabilities will only rise. So, we believe this market will continue to grow as other large corporations realize that they must make their IT services, products and Web sites accessible to everyone.”

Stapleford, along with 60 other associates with disabilities at TecAccess, assisted Bowman and Circuit City to lead this charge. Others are catching on, too, as Canon, IBM, and HP have all made similar advancements to their technology.

Best of all, Stapleford is allowed the opportunity to use his unique perspective of having a disability as a key component to the accessibility advice he doles out to such clients each day. In return, he is effectively shaping the world of accessible technology far past Richmond, teaching others the social, legal and pro-business aspects of accessible and universal design.

Contributed by Paul Spicer