Miss Nomered has written a fabulous an introspective article about ‘disabledism’, assistive technology, and the state of the social consciousness.

Technology allows Barb Hartseil, a special ed teacher, to continue teaching her students while she is recuperating from injuries sustained in a car accident. While she is expected to make a full recovery — it will be a long one. Video conferencing technology has allowed the homebound teacher to maintain her position, and quality of life — remaining productive and happy in spite of her disability.

Special education teacher Barb Hartseil was in a serious car accident in late January, and her five students really needed to know she was OK after a nearly two-month absence. Modern technology allayed their fears, with students and teacher using video-conferencing software to see and hear each other.

Now, Cody Gravett, 14, and his classmates regularly see and hear their teacher as she recuperates from two broken legs.

“She works with students with autism and we were discovering that the students were having an exceptionally difficult time with her absence,” said Nora Bardi, the school’s assistive technology coordinator.

“It’s wonderful what technology can do,” said Rita Gyires, technology training coordinator for Normal-based Unit 5 schools.

Victoria Hollingsworth, a newscaster in the UK, broke her back in a car accident three years ago. During her post-operative care, she learned that many people injured in accidents become homeless due to a lack of insurance funding to modify their existing homes. Victoria is making an effort to raise public awareness regarding the unspoken consequences of becoming disabled in the UK and worldwide.

Toward this end, Victoria is engaging in a series of public speaking events, and has sought professional management to help her spread the word about the “extras” that the critically injured patient needs from their insurance firms.

Victoria says many patients cannot go back to their homes due to the lack of wheelchair access and have to be housed elsewhere.

She said: “I know of a girl around my age who was paralyzed following an accident and had to live in an old people’s home for 18 months.

“Can you imagine your state of mind - coming to terms with life in a wheelchair and having to do that surrounded by people four times your age?

“There is also the story of man who was a new father immediately prior to his accident. His council housed him in a hotel and he rarely got to see his wife and baby.

“She worked full time and he couldn’t afford to eat in the hotel so had to rely on eating take-away food as he had no access to a kitchen.”

Every year around 1,000 people sustain a spinal cord injury, according to the Spinal Injuries Association (SIA).

Aspire, a charity which helps people with spinal injuries, says around two thirds of people could face housing problems after spending between six and 18 months in spinal centres.