I’m Matthew Harris, a 65-year-old poet from Maryland who’s living with Usher syndrome – a genetic condition that has led to me being blind with increasing hearing loss.
At first, Usher syndrome made it hard to stay connected with friends, family, and my community – but I’m now rediscovering the joy of communication and connection with iCanConnect, the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program. It’s a nationwide program that offers free distance communication equipment, training and local contacts to qualified individuals who, like me, have significant combined hearing and vision loss.
Sensory loss doesn’t have to mean a loss of connection
Before iCanConnect, the isolation that often accompanies dual sensory loss was a daily reality for me. I struggled with essential tasks like texting and navigating through emails.
My wife learned about iCanConnect through a Facebook support group for spouses of individuals with Usher syndrome.
I applied to the program and, once I was accepted, my local representative met with me to discuss my needs and goals. Then I got everything I needed – including a computer, a braille display, a smartphone, headphones, and a smartphone keyboard. In addition to the equipment, I received training on how to use my new tech.
And the training was excellent. My trainers were very knowledgeable about the technology and possessed a tremendous amount of patience. They set up my computer and cell phone, and helped me master Outlook for email – a program I had always found challenging.
After training, I am now a confident Outlook user and find it easier to use as a totally blind person than I did when I still had some sight.
My iCanConnect trainers also set up the braille display and connected it to my computer, integrating it with JAWS, the audio assistive software I use.
This combination has been a gamechanger! It allows me to read what’s on the computer screen in braille, which not only helps me feel more connected to the world but also allows me to read and edit messages more effectively.
For example, JAWS uses a sound effect to indicate uppercase letters – with my hearing loss, I cannot pick up the tone, but with the braille display, I can feel if the letter is uppercase or not.
As my hearing loss progresses, I know I will still be able to communicate effectively using the braille display I received through iCanConnect.
The powerful, positive impact of accessible communication
The impact on my daily life has been huge.
As a result of the equipment and training I received through iCanConnect, I’m able to participate better in everyday communications.
Simple interactions that many take for granted, like a text message from my daughter saying, “Hey dad, just left my house. I’ll be there in 20 minutes,” or being included in a group text about a loved one’s condition, are now possible for me. We often take for granted such simple communication encounters such as these – that is, until something like deafblindness disconnects us from them.
I am a strong advocate for iCanConnect and highly recommend the program to anyone who would like to get reconnected to their family and friends. I have already shared information about the program with a former social worker, and my wife has spread the word in her online support group. I quite often tell people how iCanConnect has been an answer to my prayers.
Communication builds confidence
Beyond everyday communication, iCanConnect has empowered me to continue pursuing my passion for poetry. By further expanding – on my own – the skills I’ve learned from iCanConnect to communicate through emailing and texting, I can still reach the community at large with my poetry.
I recently wrote a poem, “Where I Go,” to bring awareness to the experience of living with blindness and hearing loss, and I am currently working on a poetic novel. Although this book is not about blindness or deafness, it will show what a person with dual sensory challenges can achieve, and that’s largely because now I can connect – pun intended, by the way.
About iCanConnect
iCanConnect is a national program with local contacts that provides free distance communication equipment and training to qualified individuals who have significant combined hearing and vision loss.
For more information, or to see if you or someone you know qualifies, visit iCanConnect.org or check out this video. You can also follow iCanConnect on Facebook, X, TikTok, and YouTube.
For more insight into real-world experience with iCanConnect, read these #MyBlindStory posts from Larry Faunterloy, an event coordinator and activity liaison from Baltimore, Dallas, a teen boy in Minnesota, and Burgon Jensen, a teacher, self-taught crochet artist, and motivational speaker from Draper, Utah.
About the author
Matthew Harris is a poet and author from Glen Burnie, Maryland. You can learn more about him on his website, ThePoetsPoint.com, connect with him on LinkedIn and follow him on Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, X and Instagram.
