Back to News
Massachusetts Woman Stays in Touch with Family through iCanConnect
Elaine Ducharme, 60, still remembers struggling to write letters by hand and mail them to her family. Now, the Waltham, Mass., woman – who was born deaf with Usher Syndrome and lost her vision by age 27 – enjoys emailing her siblings, who live out-of-state.
SHARE
- Share on Twitter
- Share on Facebook
- Share on LinkedIn
- Share on Pinterest
Elaine Ducharme, 60, still remembers struggling to write letters by hand and mail them to her family.
Now, the Waltham, Mass., woman – who was born deaf with Usher Syndrome and lost her vision by age 27 – enjoys emailing her siblings, who live out-of-state.
“My parents have passed and I’m the oldest, so I want to make sure my siblings are doing ok,” said Ducharme, speaking through an interpreter. “I like it now because I can be in communication with everyone all the time.”
Ducharme communicates with her family and friends using equipment she received through iCanConnect, also known as the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program.
She first learned about the program through a friend in 2012, and after applying for the program, she received a Braille [...]