Assistive Tech in support of Dyspraxia and Dyslexia

As I compose this composition, I am feeling a sense of unease and apprehension in regard to discussing my personal journey in accepting and utilizing my diagnosed conditions of Dyspraxia and Dyslexia to work for me rather than hinder me. My goal is to showcase how advancements in assistive technology, specifically Artificial Intelligence such as chatGPT, can support individuals with Dyspraxia, Dyslexia and other related conditions in expressing their views and opinions.

I was initially diagnosed with these conditions during my primary school years in the United Kingdom. At that time, the level of support available was not as extensive as it is today, or at least not to my recollection. It was not until I reached secondary school that I began to receive more assistance in the form of extra time during exams and the utilisation of a laptop for typing in class. However, the laptop available at that time was not as advanced as those available today. Regardless, the acknowledgement and support provided began to build my confidence, as I had previously been labelled as a "naughty" or "disruptive" student. Though these labels subsided following my diagnosis, their impact on my childhood remains.

As I progressed to college, the support continued, but I failed to fully utilise the resources available due to youth, stubbornness, and a desire not to stand out. This had a detrimental effect on my academic performance. Between 2004 and 2010, I moved from job to job without achieving stability.

In 2010, after experiencing personal challenges, I decided to take responsibility for my growth and enrolled in an adult nursing course at Anglian Ruskin University. It was at this point that the university and support staff actively encouraged me to improve both my general written work and academic performance. I was encouraged to re-assess my specific needs, as they had changed since my initial diagnosis between the ages of 8 or 9. While at the University, I received assistance in the form of extra time for exams, as well as support for improving my sentence structure, spelling, and grammar. This included work check-ins and coaching to address common errors. This support was augmented by assistive technology such as a laptop, software such as Dragon and ClaroRead, and other programs and tools designed to maximise my learning.

After completing my coursework and becoming a qualified staff nurse, I failed to acknowledge my conditions on my paperwork fully. I did not push for reasonable accommodations in my work environment. This led to conflicts over my paperwork, missed signatures, and a problematic tenure as a nurse. I even went through a disciplinary hearing with the NMC, which resulted in my suspension. I initially attempted to blame others for their lack of support, but ultimately, it was my responsibility for not owning my actions and seeking help.

In my role at UKHSA on the International Tracing Team, opening up about my conditions and working with a supportive team have dramatically improved my overall work experience. While previous work environments were supportive, it was only after acknowledging my condition and implementing reasonable accommodations that I could truly excel.

This post results from using assistive technology to produce a readable article. Over the next few weeks, I have decided to do more posts on the potential uses I can see in this technology in assisting individuals like myself with additional learning needs and how we can embrace it in the broader workforce for our clients, patients and wider customer bases.

#assistivetech #nurse #Dsypraxia #Dsylexia #ChatGPT #Nursing #Dragonsoftware #Claroread #angliaruskin