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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 RESNA State Contact List.
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.
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 01/17/2008.
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