Now retired, my Fellowship in 1987 was to Canada and the USA to learn about ways in which children and adults with communication disabilities were using what we then called 'new technology' to communicate. It is heartening to see some of the then 'specialist' software and hardware has become integrated into standard design now – touchscreens and voice-activated software, for example.

I continued working with and on behalf of disabled young people and adults on my return to the UK, supporting families and latterly working with students in further and higher education and open learning, and then finally with the Equality Challenge Unit.