NCTI’s Conference Highlights Innovative Uses of Assistive Technologies
By John M> Williams
Washington, DC – Educators gathered at the 2010 NATIONAL Center for Technology Innovation’s Breakthrough Learning – Transform the Future Conference
to discuss cutting edge technologies and future trends to transform teaching and learning with focus on students with disabilities.
Keynote speakers included Milton Chen, Senior Fellow and Executive Director Emeritus, George Lucas Educational Foundation; and Gary E Knell, President and CEO, Sesame Street Workshop.
Using material from his latest book, Education Nation, Chen explored how media and technology can spark innovation to redefine teaching and learning for all students and communities. He called this decade “the decade of innovation,” and stressed that the country must invest in education because education is an investment in the future.
Knell stressed that for four decades, “Sesame Street Workshop has been committed to the innovative use of and media for teaching and learning across the globe.” He stressed the power of learning that extends “beyond the school yard” and he indicated that Sesame Street has been a powerful global influence in creating positive attitudes about disability and the abilities of people with disabilities.
The more than 200 attendees learned an entire generation of deaf youth have never known a time where they didn’t have email, internet, IM, captions, TTY.
They were told that on October 8, 2010:President Obama signed the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act. The Act covers emerging internet-based communications (VOIP, electronic messaging, video conferencing); beefs up complaint process and improves enforcement and regulation; requires access to web browsers on mobile devices; updates definition of telecommunications relay service; calls for reliable access to next generation of 911 services; develops clearinghouse on accessible communication products; restores video description rules; requires that television menus be accessible; and requires emergency programming be accessible to blind individuals.
A major highlight of the conference were the exhibitors whose primary focus was on demonstrating communication products for blind, deaf-blind, speech-impaired, deaf and cognitively challenged individuals.
Leading the exhibitors was Suzanne Robitaille who exhibited her book The Illustrated Guide to Assistive Technologies and Devices. As a former assistive technology columnist for Business Week Robitaille knows how technology can equalize the playing field for students with disabilities.
Bookshare showed how it provides materials to students with print disabilities.
Other exhibitors included Attainment Company who showcased the GoTalk Express 32. The focus was on the GoTalk’s access features, including but not limited to auditory cueing, and surround message LEDs for visual prompts.
Auburn University showed how the iPad addresses communication and behavioral needs of students developmental disabilities.
Eugene Research Institute demonstrated Picture Planner 3.0, an icon-based calendar that provides a cognitively accessible portal to the interactive web.
The Helen A. Kellar Institute for Human Disabilities demonstrated how ACTIV 2.0 makes general education academia content available and accessible to students with disabilities. ACTIV 2.0 adapts existing video clips with such features as alternative narration; highlighted text, picture-symbol-based captions, verbal/visual cueing, interactive hyperlinks and built-in quizzes.
LearningWorksforKids showed how its program improves executive functioning and academic skills for children with learning disabilities, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and psychosocial and emotional challenges.
TERC and VCOM3d revealed the incorporation of the SigningAvatar™ accessibility software into web-based and iPod Touch/iPhone versions of illustrated 3D science and mathematics dictionaries for K-12 learners who are either deaf or hard of hearing.
The University of Mississippi’s videophone showed how videophone technology is integrated into educational and home settings for students who are deaf-blind. This enables them to participate in interactive social and community activities.
Southeastern Louisiana University has the LAMBERT program to teach young deaf children American Sign Language vocabulary by leveraging radio frequency identification technology.
WETA demonstrated its learning media program. Each month WETA Learning Media Center reaches more than 700,000 parents, teachers, school psychologists, principals, librarians and more with authoritative research about teaching students with disabilities. LDOnLine.org, ReadingRockets.org, ColorinColorado.org, Adlit.org and BrainKine.org use video, podcasts, social media, expert interviews, first person stories and articles to make research accessible and useful.
The University of Missouri and California University of Pennsylvania displayed the newest program in the KidsTool EPSS series –Picture Tools – and accompanying teacher resources.
The Teaching Research Institute and East Carolina University showed how cochlear implants benefit a new population of deaf-blind children.
The TERC-VCom3D, Auburn University, and Southeastern LA University teams received the Brightest Idea Award at the 2010 Tech Expo.
Send any comments about this article to jwilliams@atechnews.com.