Additional Resources

Links related to equipment and assistive devices and other disability related topics. 

Many of these links can be useful tools to find out more about what may be available to meet your needs.  

Table of contents

• Province of British Columbia
• BC Health Authorities
• Federal Seniors and Disability Portals
• Equipment and Assistive Technology
• Functional needs
  • Communication
  • Learning & understanding
  • Mental health
  • Mobility
  • Seeing
  • Other (pain, breathing etc)
• Aboriginal
• Education
• Employment
• Human Rights
• Independent Living
• Peer Support and Self Management
• Research
• Sports and Recreation
• Travel

Links

Province of British Columbia

• Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development
  
  • Adult special education
  • StudentAid BC- Full time student funding
  • StudentAid BC- Part time student funding
• Ministry of Children and Family Development
  
  • Children and Youth with Special Needs
• Community Living BC
• Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development
• Ministry of Education
  
  • Special Education
• Ministry of Social Development
  
  • Information for Persons with Disabilities
• Ministry of Health
  • Aboriginal Healthy Living
  • Home and Community Care
  • Health Insurance BC
  • Mental Health and Substance Use
  • BC Palliative Care Benefits Program
  • Seniors’ Healthy Living Secretariat
• Ministry of Justice
  
  • Victims and Witnesses of Crime and Violence

BC Health Authorities

Visit the Health Authorities' web sites for information about service providers in your community, as well as for information about the Health Authority.

• Fraser Health Authority
• Interior Health Authority
• Northern Health Authority Northern 
• Vancouver Island Health Authority
• Vancouver Coastal Health Authority
• Fraser Health Authority

Federal Seniors and Disability Portals

• Seniors Canada On Line
• Seniors Canada Services for Seniors: A Guide to Government of Canada Services for Seniors and their Families
• Persons with Disabilities On Line (federal site)
• Canada Benefits-information on benefits available to BC residents
  
  • Canada Benefits-information on benefits for persons with disabilities living in BC
  • Canada Benefits-information on benefits for seniors living in BC

Equipment and Assistive Technology

• AbleData
  An American searchable database with information on approximately 19,000 assistive devices.
• Adaptech
  A Canadian directory of free or inexpensive adaptive computer technology.
• Adaptive Device Locator System (ADLS)
  An American database of equipment and assistive devices with a useful hierarchical search.
• Inclusive Design Research Centre
  Resources, tutorials, links, papers, research about accessible technology.
• Apple Disability Resources
  Information on adaptive hardware and software for Apple products.
• Assistive Tech (CATEA)
  American site providing access to information on assistive technology, including a wiki.
• Assistive Devices Industry Office-Industry Canada
  Information about assistive technology in Canada.
• Closing the Gap
  A paid subscription American searchable database of computer-related products and services.
• EASTIN
  Six European databases of assistive technology, most with extensive English entries.
• Microsoft Accessibility
  Resources for assistive technology solutions for Windows-based computers.
• Open Source Assistive Technology Software (OATS)
  Open source assistive technology software site.
• Trace Center
  An American non-profit research center which focuses on making standard computer technologies and systems more accessible for people with disabilities.
• REHADAT (National Institute for Disability Management and Research)
  A searchable Canadian database of work-related equipment and assistive devices, REHADAT Canada also contains disability management information, in other related databases.

Functional Needs

Communication

• International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC)
  An international society that provides information and advocacy for individuals who use AAC.

Learning & Understanding

• Learning Disability Resource Community

Mental Health

• Anxiety BC
  Self help and referral information about anxiety related conditions.
• Canadian Mental Health Association (BC Chapter)
  Information resources, education, peer support, direct services, research and advocacy related to promoting mental health.
• Here to Help
  BC web site containing information on mental health, mental disorders and substance use problems and disorders.

Mobility

• Spinal Cord Injury Canada
• Resources, community, support.
• WheelchairNet
  Extensive resource about wheelchairs

Seeing

• Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB)
  Tips, technology and information related to low vision/blindness.
• Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB)
  An extensive British web site, with international information, for blind and visually impaired individuals.
• Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute
  A compendium of technology for blind and visually impaired persons.

Other

• Canadian Institute for the Relief of Pain and Disability
  Links, resources, information

Aboriginal

• BC Aboriginal Network on Disability Society (BCANDS)
  Resources and advocacy for aboriginal persons with disabilities.

Education

• National Education Association of Disabled Students (NEADS)
  Includes extensive online resource centre with a comprehensive guide to scholarships and grants for students with disabilities.

Employment

• Canada Business Network
  Canada Business site of information for entrepreneurs with disabilities.
• Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work
  Resources for employment for persons with disabilities.
• Job Accommodation Network
  American resource-includes a searchable database (SOAR) that lists possible job accommodations for persons with disabilities.
• National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (USA)
  Major American web site for work-related disability and health and safety information
• WorkAble Solutions
  Provides information to BC employers and to BC job seekers with disabilities-contains useful information and has a list of open job postings.
• Workplace Accommodation Toolkit
  Industry Canada's resource for employers and employees looking for information about accommodations to worksites for persons with disabilities.
• WorkBC
• BC government employment site
• WorkSafe BC
  Information related to prevention of injuries, ergonomics etc.-as well as compensation related information.

Human Rights

• Council of Canadians with Disabilities
• Disabled Peoples' International (DPI)
• UN Enable

Independent Living

• Independent Living Canada

Peer Support and Self Management

• Chronic Disease Self Management Program
  A lay-led patient education program offered in communities throughout British Columbia.
• Spinal Cord Injury Peer Information Library on Technology (SCIPilot)
  A resource describing the assistive technology experiences of individuals with spinal cord injury from their own perspective.

Sports & Recreation

• Canadian Paralympic Committee
• Wheelchair Basketball Canada
• Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association
• Paralympic Sports Association

Research

• Canadian Centre on Disability Studies-Disability Information Network

Travel

• Transport Canada: Accessible Transportation
• VIA Rail, Services for Special Needs on VIA
• Access Guide Canada