The Autistic Self Advocacy Network applauds Sprint for their newly announced “Neurodiversity ID Pack” containing a number of apps designed to support people with cognitive and developmental disorders. By selecting a package of apps specifically aimed at facilitating accessibility and inclusion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Sprint has demonstrated an important commitment to cognitive access in the realm of mobile and tablet computing. In particular, the inclusion of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) apps demonstrates the increasing role played by mobile technology in empowering communication for autistic children and adults as well as others with communication related disabilities.
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network looks forward to engaging further with Sprint regarding its efforts to support its customers with cognitive and developmental disabilities and the neurodiversity movement. It is our sincere hope that this step will encourage further measures by Sprint and other telecommunications companies to facilitate greater accessibility for the autistic and broader disability communities. As we move towards a world in which mobile technologies are more widely available, the need for accessibility and the opportunity to leverage technology to facilitate greater inclusion should both represent significant priorities.