Conference: Technology Is Helping to ‘Redefine … Disability’
By eSchoolNews,Publication Date: November 16, 2010
Article features assistive technology (AT) products and solutions for students with disabilities showcased at the 2010 Technology Innovators Conference held by the National Center for Technology Innovation (NCTI). Funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and housed at the American Institutes for Research, NCTI advances learning opportunities for students with disabilities by fostering assistive technology innovation. AT products showcased at the conference held November 15 through 16 in Washington, D.C., included (1) ACTIV 2.0: Adapted Captioning Through Interactive Video, software which adapts existing video clips with such features as alternative narration; regular, highlighted text; picture/symbol based captions; verbal and visual cueing; and interactive hyperlinks; (2) SigningAvatar, accessibility software which, when incorporated into web based and iPod touch versions of illustrated 3D science and math dictionaries, can help deaf and hard of hearing students; and (3) Big Words, software designed to teach students with disabilities to read polysyllabic words. The conference also included presentations about NCTI’s TechMatrix, a website that provides free information about educational and AT products for students with disabilities; and the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS), a technical standard used by publishers to produce source files in XML that may be used to develop multiple specialized formats, such as Braille or audio books, for students with print disabilities. The second day of the conference gave a broader overview of how technology is being incorporated into various aspects of national education policy.
Published by: eSchoolNews Communications Group (Website:http://www.eschoolnews.com/)
Link to text: http://www.eschoolnews.com/2010/11/16/conference-technology-is-helping-to-redefine-disability/
