The Neil Squire Society (new window) facilitates the use of assistive technology (new window) to remove barriers and empower people with disabilities so that they can live independent lives and become more active members of the workplace and our society. But the use of assistive technology isn’t just something we recommend for our participants. Many of our staff members make use of assistive technology everyday, whether they have a disability or not. Over the coming months we will be showcasing some of our staff and the assistive technology (new window)that helps them help others through their work.

Gary Birch (new window) started working with the Neil Squire Society (new window) in 1989. He became the Executive Director of the Society in 1992. Gary is a C6-C7 tetraplegic (new window) and, as such, depends on assistive devices to manage many of the duties required of him in that role.

As head of the Neil Squire Society (new window) across Canada, Gary’s responsibilities include liaising with the federal government, developing and maintaining relationships with other organizations, and providing leadership and support to the Regional Managers in their efforts. In addition to these duties, Gary also represents the Neil Squire Society (new window) on several committees involving issues for people with disabilities, and has been a tireless researcher of assistive technologies including the Brain-Computer Interface.

Much of Gary’s work is done on a computer. This can prove challenging due to the paralysis he experiences in his hands because of his disability. To meet these challenges, Gary uses the speech recognition software Dragon Naturally Speaking (new window) as well as a trackball (new window). Dragon allows Gary to input data into his computer verbally instead of typing on a keyboard. The trackball features an oversized ball and select buttons which make it much easier to use for people with limited dexterity than a traditional mouse. The combination of these technologies “provides an effective method for me to interact with my computer”, says Gary.

Gary feels that “It’s always easy to get caught in a rut and not realize that you could benefit from newer technology. It really is worth checking back with experts in the area from time to time (to see what new technology is available.) It’s also worth putting the time in for training and, in the case of voice recognition technology, putting the time into training the system to your voice. It’s all about persistence and patience.”