Other National Resources on Assistive Technology
ABLEDATA
ABLEDATA is a federally funded project whose primary mission is to provide information on assistive technology and rehabilitation equipment available from domestic and international sources to consumers, organizations, professionals, and caregivers within the United States.Alliance for Technology Access (ATA)
The ATA is a growing national network of technology resource centers, organizations, individuals and companies. Many communities have ATA Learning Centers, which are dedicated to providing information and support services to children and adults with disabilities, and increasing their use of standard, assistive, and information technologies. To locate a center in your area go to the ATA Center Contact List.Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST)
CAST is an educational, not-for-profit organization that uses technology to expand opportunities for all people, especially those with disabilities. CAST believes that the most effective strategy for expanding educational opportunities for individuals with disabilities is through Universal Design for Learning, a new approach to teaching, learning, curriculum development and assessment that uses technology to respond to individual learner differences. CAST focuses on the development of learning models, approaches, and tools that are usable by a wide range of learners.Closing the Gap: Computer Technology in Special Education and Rehabilitation
Through its newspaper, annual conference, and Web site, Closing The Gap provides practical up-to-date information on assistive technology products, procedures, and best practices. The Closing The Gap Resource Directory is a guide to computer-related products and services available to assist children and adults with disabilities. It contains prices, descriptions and manufacturer contact information for nearly 2,000 products determined appropriate for use in special education and rehabilitation, as well as an extensive list of organizations that serve individuals with special needs. An online version of the directory is also available this Web site.Council for Exceptional Children, Technology and Media Division (TAM)
The goals of TAM include:- Promoting collaboration among educators and others interested in using technology and media to assist individuals with exceptional educational needs.
- Encouraging the development of new applications, technologies, and media that can benefit individuals with exceptionalities.
- Disseminating relevant and timely information through professional meetings, training programs, and publications.
- Coordinating the activities of educational and governmental agencies, business, and industry.
- Developing and advancing appropriate technical standards.
- Providing technical assistance, inservice, and preservice education on the uses of techology.
- Monitoring and disseminating relevant research.
National Assistive Technology Research Institute (NATRI)
The National Assistive Technology Research Institute (NATRI) conducts assistive technology (AT) research, translates theory and research into AT practice, and provides resources for improving the delivery of AT services. NATRI is operated by the Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling at the University of Kentucky.National Center to Improve Practice (NCIP)
The National Center to Improve Practice (NCIP) promotes the effective use of technology to enhance educational outcomes for students with sensory, cognitive, physical and social/emotional disabilities. The NCIP Web Site includes a section entitled: NCIP Guided Tours: Early Childhood, which explores two exemplary early childhood classrooms, both of which employ a broad range of technology tools to optimize access to learning for students with disabilities.Pass It On Center: A National Collaboration for the Reutilization and Coordination of Assistive Technology
The Pass It On Center acts as a national coordination center to promote the reuse of assistive technology (AT) devices. It maintains a map for locating reuse sites in each state and provides technical assistance to entities engaged in or planning to engage in AT device reutilization.Rehabilitation Engineering And Assistive Technology Society Of North America (RESNA)
Under the Assistive Technology Act of 1998 all states and territories can receive discretionary grants to assist in developing assistive technology programs for individuals with disabilities of all ages, including young children. Currently RESNA provides technical assistance to all 56 states and territories that have assistive technology projects funded by this act. To see a complete list of these projects with links to their state Web sites, go to the State Contact List.Trace Research & Development Center
The Trace Research & Development Center is a pioneer in the field of technology and disability. Its Mission Statement reads as follows:"To prevent the barriers and capitalize on the opportunities presented by current and emerging information and telecommunication technologies, in order to create a world that is as accessible and usable as possible for as many people as possible."
The Trace Center is currently working on ways to make standard information technologies and telecommunications systems more accessible and usable by people with disabilities. This work is primarily funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), U.S. Department of Education.
Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)
WAI, in coordination with organizations around the world, pursues accessibility of the Web through five primary areas of work: technology, guidelines, tools, education and outreach, and research and development.
Links on this site are verified monthly. This page content was last reviewed on 02/26/2010.