August 03, 2026 

Welcome to this month's edition of the Tools for Life newsletter! As summer continues, we are pleased to share updates, opportunities, and resources that support our mission of increasing access to assistive technology across Georgia.

Inside, you'll find highlights from our "Out and About" activities, photos of the TFL team in action, upcoming awareness days, future events, and the latest research and educational resources.

We hope these stories and updates keep you informed and connected to the important work happening throughout our communities. Thank you for being part of our network, and we hope you enjoy this month's newsletter!

As the new school year approaches, we want to celebrate all of the students heading back to the classroom, and we wish you all a successful year! Whether your student is entering elementary school, transitioning to middle or high school, or beginning the journey into higher education, assistive technology can help support learning, organization, communication, and independence.

Check out the Tools for Life Back-to-School AT Guide from 2025, featuring a variety of assistive technology tools and resources that may be helpful throughout your educational journey. No matter a student's age, grade level, or learning style, there are solutions that are right for everyone!

Hunter McFeron, Acquisition Services Manager, Tori Adamson, Outreach Coordinator, and Christie George, Program and Outreach Manager, hosted an in-person presentation and tour for 30 students attending the College of Design Summer Camp. The session highlighted Tools for Life programs and services while showcasing a variety of assistive technology solutions and their real-world applications. Camp participants explored how design influences accessibility, independence, and inclusion through interactive demonstrations and hands-on learning experiences.

Gerontologist Sal Kibler, Principal Research Scientist Dr. Nathan Moon, and Senior Research Engineer Karen Milchus presented a webinar on July 14, ACCESS for Aging Well: An Online AT Resource to Help People Age in Place. The session introduced participants to the ACCESS for Aging Well platform and highlighted assistive technology resources and strategies that support independence, accessibility, and successful aging in place.

Rachel Scarboro, Occupational Therapist, presented a virtual webinar for the Charlie and Harriet Shaffer Cognitive Empowerment Program (CEP) at Emory University. The session highlighted a variety of assistive technology solutions that support individuals experiencing memory loss and age-related cognitive changes, demonstrating how technology can enhance independence in daily living, learning, work, and recreation.

Sal Kibler, Hunter McFeron, and Christie George presented an in-person session for older adult patients at the Grady Health System Lee+White Outpatient Center. The presentation provided an overview of assistive technology and its role in supporting aging in place, increasing independence, enhancing safety, and improving overall quality of life.

Christie George and Tori Adamson represented Tools for Life at Fulton County’s 36th Anniversary ADA Rally, where they hosted an informational exhibit table, shared assistive technology and accessibility resources, and connected with attendees to raise awareness of services that promote independence and inclusion for individuals with disabilities. 

TFL Director Jennifer Ro, Sal Kibler, Rachel Scarboro, Hunter McFeron, and other CIDI staff represented Tools for Life at the Georgia Gerontology Society (GGS) Conference. The team hosted the Care & Comfort Lounge featuring adapted games, sensory tools, assistive technology demonstrations, and information about TFL services. Throughout the conference, team members delivered presentations on enhancing communication and participation for older adults, introducing accessibility resources for aging populations, and exploring accessible gaming solutions that promote recreation, social connection, and engagement for people of all ages.

All Month

Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month

Thursday, August 20

National Accessible Air Travel Day

Wednesday, August 26

Women's Equality Day

Tuesday, August 4

Open House at the Georgia Academy for the Blind

Thursday, August 6

Adult Disability Medical Healthcare Webinar

Tuesday, August 11

State Farm Workplace Access Virtual Presentation

Tikkun Olam Makers (TOM) workshop at Tools for Life

Friday, August 14

Tech Square Tech Hop

Thursday, August 20

Georgia Digital Government Summit

For additional information on upcoming TFL tours, visits, and presentations, visit the Tools for Life website or click the button below!

Tools for Life partners with the State of Georgia ADA Coordinator's Office to share key updates and developments from across Georgia. Don't miss the quarterly newsletter, your go-to source for essential ADA-related news and insights!

The State of Georgia ADA Coordinator's Office provides educational and technical support for state agencies so that programs, services, and activities operated by the State of Georgia are accessible and usable by everyone. Visit ada.georgia.gov to learn more about the State of Georgia ADA Coordinator's Office.

Volume 20 of the Assistive Technology Outcomes and Benefits (ATOB) Journal is now available! This free journal dives deep into why assistive technology works best when people with disabilities are involved throughout the process. This doesn't mean just as end-users, but also as partners to shape solutions from concept to implementation.

Whether you're developing products, supporting students and clients, conducting research, or influencing policy, you'll find practical insights, fresh perspectives, and real-world examples of how collaboration with assistive technology users helps shape the next generation of assistive technology!

Join Hunter McFeron, Assistive Technology Acquisition Manager at Tools for Life, for a free webinar on Thursday, August 6. Attendees will explore smart devices, communication tools, reminder systems, visual supports, and other solutions that help with organization, memory, and daily routines.

Discover practical assistive technology to support independence at home, at school, at work, and in the community. Whether you're a teen, an adult, a family member, or a caregiver, you'll leave with practical ideas you can use right away!

Thursday, August 6
7:00 p.m. ET
This webinar will be held on Zoom

Tikkun Olam Makers (TOM) is seeking people of all ages in the Atlanta area to partner with engineering and design students in a collaborative workshop to brainstorm and develop creative solutions for real problems encountered by people with disabilities!

You'll be able to share your experience as a person with a disability or a family member of a person with a disability, and work with Makers to begin solving the challenges you are facing. There is even an option to continue project development when the workshop ends!

This Need Knowers Workshop will be held on Tuesday, August 11, at the Emory Conference Center Hotel, starting at 4:45 p.m. and concluding by 6:30 p.m. Transportation expenses will be covered, and light refreshments will be provided.

For more information or if you're interested in participating, contact Arielle Kaye at arielle@tomglobal.org today!

*TOM (Tikkun Olam Makers) is a global movement of communities dedicated to creating open-source, affordable and accessible solutions for the daily challenges of people with disabilities and the elderly.

Join the Georgia Tech community for a free, self-guided innovation block party in the heart of Tech Square during ATL Tech Week! Explore a series of interactive stops featuring live startup demos, research exhibits, food and beverage samples from local entrepreneurs, and opportunities to connect with the innovators shaping Atlanta's technology ecosystem.

Date: Thursday, August 14
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Location: Tech Square, Atlanta

The Flavin Neuromachines Lab is conducting a study on wearable devices that augment a person's ability to sense obstacles in their surroundings. Researchers are recruiting volunteers through the Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation, the Georgia Tech Home Lab, the Center for the Visually Impaired, and Georgia Tech.

English-speaking individuals between 18 and 50 years old are eligible to volunteer. Participants will be asked to complete at least one survey, and you may be asked to wear devices while performing perception or virtual-reality navigation tasks.

The study will take about two hours per session and will be conducted at the Van Leer Building on the Georgia Tech campus. Compensation is available.

For more information, contact Dulani Wijayarathne at dwijayarathne3@gatech.edu or Aaron Huang at aghuang@gatech.edu. 

Visit our Research, Education, and Resources webpage to learn more about other community opportunities! 

Although based in Atlanta, Tools for Life serves the entire state of Georgia. Through our free demonstrations and loans, our team helps Georgians of all ages and disabilities access assistive technology solutions and services, so they can live, learn, work, and play independently in the communities of their choice.

Contact the Tools for Life team by email at info@gatfl.gatech.edu or by phone at (404) 894-0541 for more information about our services.

Tools for Life | Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation | College of Design

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