Debbie Drennan, Author at Debbie Drennan Assistive Technology

Teaching Internet Safety

I am working with a young lady currently, and one of her goals is to be more independent on her iPad and computer. I am sure she will be able to be more independent once everything is set up for her- but I also want to be sure she knows about Internet Safety. I gathered…

Free!! Summer Visual Routines and Schedules

Summer is a time for relaxing and reconnecting as a family. Endless days of play, outdoor time, BBQs- sounds lovely, doesn’t it? BUT, for some, it can be a time of high stress and anxiety, as the routines of the day are different, and they crave structure! So, what do you do? Above from an…

My Upcoming (Free!) Webinars

I realized that I did not let you know about the upcoming webinars that I am leading in last week’s blog post! So, yes, I have some training I am doing that I would love to let you know about. This blog post will highlight the two-part webinar series I am doing with Parents Helping…

Free Virtual Webinars/Training for June!

Today’s blog will highlight some really good, free, virtual training and webinars that are coming up. For some reason, the end of June has a lot of free training opportunities available. All these trainings are virtual, look fantastic, and are, of course, my favorite price! Maybe I will “see” some of you at one of…

Summer is for Play!

Switches and Toys for All Summer means time to play. I remember when my kids were young, we would have a large block party, close the street, and let all the neighborhood kids play on the street for the day while the adults would all barbeque and chat. The challenge was how to include our…

I’m Vendorized!

Wait, what does that mean? I am thrilled to announce that I am now a San Andreas Regional Center vendor. What does this mean? After a long process, I finally obtained a vendor number through the San Andreas Regional Center. In California, the Regional Center system serves individuals with Developmental Disabilities of all ages. I…

Tools for Dementia: In Honor of Mom

I am thinking about my mother today, as it is her birthday. She has dementia and has no short-term memory left. I know she is “in there”- and she at times remembers she has dementia and gets very frustrated at all the things she can no longer do. It is difficult as a daughter…

Communication Tools: Free Paper-Based Tools

I recently went to visit a loved one in the hospital, and as I walked by several rooms, I could see people in their beds trying, desperately, to communicate what they needed. Communication tools, or AAC, are very important tools for so many people- those who are non-verbal, those whose verbal abilities don’t meet all…

“Play is a human right”

Microsoft Ability Summit 2022 I attended the Microsoft Ability Summit yesterday, and this quote stood out for me. They highlighted many great tools (a summary can be found here) but what stood out for me is that gaming, particularly online gaming, is a great tool to bring diverse populations, including those with disabilities, together. With…

Let me get back to you on that.

In the AT world, there is such a large variety of individual needs and tools available, that it is truly impossible to have one person know everything. I happily admit that I don’t know everything- but what I do have knowledge of is where I can get the information I need. So where do I…