Americans Living with Disability and Their Technology Profile

Pew Internet (Jan. 21, 2011) According to a national survey conducted in September 2010, 27% of American adults live with a disability that interferes with activities of daily living, including:

* 15% of American adults who say they have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
* 11% of American adults who say that, because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, they have serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
* 9% of American adults who say they have serious difficulty hearing.
* 8% of American adults who say that, because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, they have difficulty doing errands alone such as visiting a doctor’s office or shopping.
* 7% of American adults who say they are blind or have serious difficulty seeing, even when wearing glasses.
* 3% of American adults who say they have trouble dressing or bathing.

Americans living with disability are more likely than other adults to live in lower-income households: 46% of adults with a disability live in households with $30,000 or less in annual income, compared with 26% of adults who report no disabilities and live in households with that level of income.

NOTE: To read the entire article, click on the title above.

Accessibility Summit: Building the Open Web for Everyone

September 30, 2010
10 am to 6 pm EST
Peeples Auditorium, DHEC, 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, SC

This is an online training that we'll be showing at the Peeples Auditorium. Come for all or part of the day.
Sponsored by the South Carolina Assistive Technology Program and the SC Assistive Technology Advisory Committee
Space is limited. Registration information is below.
Creating an open, accessible web is just best practice. With flexible content delivery and usable applications that benefit all of us, the truly Accessible Web is available to everyone all the time, regardless of ability. Spend some time with the Accessibility experts and find the inspiration and practical knowledge you need to make your Web presence truly universal.

Sessions

Is Universal Design Still Possible? by Matt May
* The web platform has changed a lot over the last few years. Barely three years ago, the iPhone was the biggest challenge for practitioners of universal design.
* In 2010, though, there are phones, tablets, new browsers and almost innumerable operating systems, each with their own capabilities and limits. Not to mention the needs and preferences of seniors and people with disabilities.
* How can you create beautiful sites that are accessible by mouse, keyboard, touch and screen reader, while using the best features of HTML5 and CSS3? We will apply the lessons of the iPhone and iPad, learn about the challenges of HTML5, and see what is necessary to create a single site for everyone.

Practical Accessibility Testing by Glenda Sims
How do you know if your web site is accessible? Can automated testing tools help?
Glenda Sims will share gems from her 10+ years of experience testing sites for accessibility. Equip yourself with free and powerful testing tools. Learn how to turn it up a notch when you need to monitor accessibility across a vast enterprise. See some of the very latest testing tools that will help you evaluate color contrast, dynamic content and WAI-ARIA compliance.

Accessible CSS by Marla Erwin
Learn CSS that's cool, sneaky, and fun ­ and best of all, that will make your designs soar without leaving accessibility behind.
* Fluid, flexible, and fixed width layouts: Learn to love them all
* Stealth backgrounds: images that expand with your layout
* Em-based values: the "zoom" feature on steroids
* Alternate stylesheets: offer great choices, then let the user decide
If you're a designer or developer frustrated by the "limitations" of designing compliant pages, you'll be out of excuses after this entertaining and eye-opening session.

Progressive Enhancement with ARIA by Aaron Gustafson
If you've been paying attention for the last few years, you're likely well-versed in progressive enhancement and it's content-out approach to web design, but you may be less familiar with the Accessible Rich Internet Applications spec and how you can leverage its enhanced semantics to provide a truly accessible experience.
In this session, we'll cover the following:
* Discuss progressive enhancement and where ARIA fits into the mix
* Examine how ARIA's landmark roles can provide additional clues as to document structure
* Look at the various roles and states ARIA defines for building accessible widgets
* Cover how to leverage tabindex in an effort to create a better overall experience when using the keyboard
* Walk through the construction of an ARIA-enabled widget, from markup to scripting, following the progressive enhancement process

Accessibility & Compatibility by Jared Smith
With a focus more on what Web developers can do to ensure accessibility and compatibility, Jared Smith overviews how people with disabilities access and use the web and how to ensure optimal compatibility of web content with assistive technology.
Assistive technologies can make disabilities mostly irrelevant on the web, so long as web pages are designed and developed to be compatible with those technologies. So, let's stop disabling our audience and focus on making our Web sites truly accessible.

Accessibility & HTML5 by Christopher Schmitt
At over 900 pages, the HTML5 specification sadly can't be distilled into a small session. So, Christopher Schmitt is focusing on the cool stuff. In addition to an overview of HTML5 layout structure, Schmitt looks at the CANVAS element and how multimedia elements like AUDIO and VIDEO can be made more accessible.

To register for this workshop:
Option 1: Complete the online registration form (preferred)
Option 2: Fax your registration information to (803)935-5342 or email it to Will.McCain@uscmed.sc.edu. Please include your name, organization, address, email address, and phone number.

NOTE: For more information on the summit click on the title above.

FREE Tobii ATI Drop In - Check out the new Tobii S32 communication device and more!

FREE Tobii ATI Drop In on Wednesday, September 15, 2010, 8:00 – 10:00 AM at the SC Assistive Technology Resource Center
Drop in and see the Tobii S32, the latest augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device, by Tobii, ATI. The Tobii S32 stores pre-recorded messages and has environmental-control capability. All the S32 features can be activated simply by touching a sheet of printed symbols, pictures, or scenes. Please join us as Wayne Jones demonstrates all the Tobii communication products in a relaxed, question-and-answer environment. Hands-on use of the communication products will be encouraged.
Join the FREE Tobii ATI Drop In on September 15, 2010 from 8:00-10:00 AM at the SC Assistive Technology Resource Center Poplar Building, Midlands Center 8301 Farrow Road, Columbia, SC 29203.
NOTE: There is no registration required for this free event. We look forward to seeing you there!
For questions, please contact Wayne Jones, Tobii ATI Regional Sales Consultant, at 1-813-326-1421.
NOTE: For more information on the TobiiS32 click on the title above

Invention Enables People With Disabilities to Communicate and Steer a Wheelchair by Sniffing

ScienceDaily (July 26, 2010) — A unique device based on sniffing -- inhaling and exhaling through the nose -- might enable numerous disabled people to navigate wheelchairs or communicate with their loved ones. Sniffing technology might even be used in the future to create a sort of 'third hand,' to assist healthy surgeons or pilots.

Developed by Prof. Noam Sobel, electronics engineers Dr. Anton Plotkin and Aharon Weissbrod and research student Lee Sela in the Weizmann Institute's Neurobiology Department, the new system identifies changes in air pressure inside the nostrils and translates these into electrical signals. The device was tested on healthy volunteers as well as quadriplegics, and the results showed that the method is easily mastered. Users were able to navigate a wheelchair around a complex path or play a computer game with nearly the speed and accuracy of a mouse or joystick.

Sobel explains: "The most stirring tests were those we did with locked-in syndrome patients. These are people with unimpaired cognitive function who are completely paralyzed -- 'locked into' their bodies. With the new system, they were able to communicate with family members, and even initiate communication with the outside. Some wrote poignant messages to their loved ones, sharing with them, for the first time in a very long time, their thoughts and feelings." Four of those who participated in the experiments are already using the new writing system, and Yeda Research and Development Company, Ltd. -- the technology transfer arm of the Weizmann Institute -- is investigating the possibilities for developing and distributing the technology.

To view the full article, click the link in this post's title.

The Fight Against Autism Goes High Tech

FRIDAY, June 18 (HealthDay News) -- From iPods to robots to avatars, people with autism are increasingly taking advantage of cutting-edge technologies to improve their social skills and, in the process, break the isolation of their condition.

"We use them as a bridge to develop communication skills people with autism don't have, like social referencing [for example, making eye contact]," explained Katharina Boser, president of Individual Differences in Learning of Howard County, Maryland, and co-chair of the Innovative Technology for Autism (ITA) committee at one of the nation's leading autism advocacy groups, Autism Speaks. "There are a range of devices that can support people at different levels," she said.

Several of these technologies were demonstrated recently at the International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR) in Philadelphia, which was sponsored by Autism Speaks and the International Society for Autism Research.

Among other things, the very predictability of robots, toys and computer-generated avatars are a low-threat way for autistic children to learn new skills, Boser explained.

NOTE: Click on the title above to read the full article.

Zam Communicators - free from AstraZeneca through SCATP

The South Carolina Assistive Technology Program is pleased to announce the donation of Zam Communicators from AstraZeneca, a Delaware-based pharmaceutical company.
The Zam Communicator is a portable, lightweight, rechargeable, two-sided communication device that was developed to help improve communication between people who are unable to speak and others. The device has a keypad for spelling out words and pictures representing 35 messages such as “Thirsty,” “Hungry,” and “What time is it?” The messages are displayed on a dual-sided LCD screen at the top of the communication device. To use the Zam, the individual will need to use at least one finger or some type of mouthstick or headstick to push the buttons.
SCATP is making the Zam Communicators available for long-term loans to South Carolinians of all ages with temporary or permanent communication difficulties. The Zam Communicators long-term loans are free of charge on a first come, first served basis. The Zam Communicators can be given directly only to individuals or their friends/family members on their behalf. When the Zam Communicator is no longer needed, it must be returned to SCATP. SCATP cannot sell or distribute Zam Communicators to medical facilities, healthcare personnel, agencies or organizations.
If you know of someone who could benefit from this device, please have the individual, a friend, a family member, a speech-language pathologist or other professional who is inquiring on behalf of an individual contact SCATP. There are two ways to receive a Zam Communicator:
1) Pick up the device from the SCATP Resource Center by appointment. Call 803-935-5337 and speak to an SCATP staff member or leave a message to make an appointment for pick up. You will need to fill out a long-term device loan agreement to receive the Zam Communicator.
2) If you are not able to pick up your Zam Communicator and need it shipped to you, please e-mail Crystal Loynes at crystal.loynes@uscmed.sc.edu or call and leave a message at 803-935-5337. You will need to fill out a long-term device loan agreement to receive the Zam Communicator.

AstraZeneca and the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Center for Disability Resources make no warranty and assume no liability for the device or any of the included components.
For more information see http://www.sc.edu/scatp/zam.html, including a FAQ sheet.

Robot Teaches Stroke Survivors

ScienceDaily (Mar. 16, 2010) — Shaking hands with a robotic arm could be a new way to help stroke patients learn to use their arms again. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation report a pilot trial of the 'Braccio di Ferro' (Iron arm) robot in 10 patients. Elena Vergaro, from the University of Genoa, Italy, worked with a team of researchers from the Italian Institute of Technology, Genoa, to develop the robotic aid. She said, "Our preliminary results from this small group of patients suggest that the scheme is robust and promotes a statistically significant improvement in performance. Future large-scale controlled clinical trials should confirm that robot-assisted physiotherapy can allow functional achievements in activities of daily life."

For more information please click on the title above.

South Carolina Assistive Technology Re-Use Summit

When & Where

January 20, 2010
9:30 am - 2:30 pm
2nd Floor
Main Conference Room
Family Medicine
3209 Colonial Drive,
Columbia, SC 29203
(803) 434-3189

About the Summit

Presented by the SC Assistive Technology Program and the Pass It On Center

Attendance is limited to 60 people.

An estimated 20% to 40% of assistive technology goes unused for a variety of reasons. Medical and technology needs change. Equipment is outgrown, outdated, or abandoned at the end of life. Reutilization of assistive technology can meet the needs of many people who would not otherwise be able to afford the technology they need for education, independence, employment, and to maintain community involvement.

Reutilization programs can also enable children with disabilities to take direct ownership of AT devices rather than remaining dependent on school districts for AT acquisition and use.

At this Re-Use Summit, we’ll learn about South Carolina’s Reutilization Initiatives and offer our re-use programs the opportunity to gather more support from community and state networks. We’ll connect people and organizations, so we can all work more effectively to share reutilized equipment throughout the state.

'ECG For The Mind' Could Diagnose Depression In An Hour

Diagnostic technique being applied in practice. (Credit: Image courtesy of Monash University)

ScienceDaily (Oct. 16, 2009) — An innovative diagnostic technique invented by a Monash University researcher could dramatically fast-track the detection of mental and neurological illnesses.

Monash biomedical engineer Brian Lithgow has developed electrovestibulography which is something akin to an 'ECG for the mind'. Patterns of electrical activity in the brain's vestibular (or balance) system are measured against distinct response patterns found in depression, schizophrenia and other Central Nervous System (CNS) disorders.

The vestibular system is closely connected to the primitive regions of the brain that relate to emotions and behaviour, so Lithgow saw the diagnostic potential of measuring and comparing different patterns of electrovestibular activity.

Working with psychiatry researchers at Monash University's Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre (MAPrc) in Melbourne, Australia, he tested volunteers and found distinct response patterns, or "biomarkers", that distinguished different CNS diseases from each other and from regular electrovestibular activity.

To view the entire article, please click on the link above.

Scientists Remove Amyloid Plaques From Brains Of Live Animals With Alzheimer's Disease

Research in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease points to a possible new treatment that actually removes amyloid plaques from patients' brains. (Credit: iStockphoto)

ScienceDaily (Oct. 16, 2009) — A breakthrough discovery by scientists from the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL, may lead to a new treatment for Alzheimer's Disease that actually removes amyloid plaques — considered a hallmark of the disease — from patients' brains.

This discovery, published online in The FASEB Journal, is based on the unexpected finding that when the brain's immune cells (microglia) are activated by the interleukin-6 protein (IL-6), they actually remove plaques instead of causing them or making them worse. The research was performed in a model of Alzheimer's disease established in mice.

"Our study highlights the notion that manipulating the brain's immune response could be translated into clinically tolerated regimens for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases," said Pritam Das, co-author of the study, from the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL.

To view the entire article, please click on the link above.

Brain-Computer Interface Allows Person-to-person Communication Through Power Of Thought

Dr. Chris James demonstrating brain to brain communication using BCI to transmit thoughts, translated as a series of binary digits, over the Internet to another person whose computer receives the digits. (Credit: University of Southampton)

ScienceDaily (Oct. 6, 2009) — New research from the University of Southampton has demonstrated that it is possible for communication from person to person through the power of thought -- with the help of electrodes, a computer and Internet connection.

Brain-Computer Interfacing (BCI) can be used for capturing brain signals and translating them into commands that allow humans to control (just by thinking) devices such as computers, robots, rehabilitation technology and virtual reality environments.

This experiment goes a step further and was conducted by Dr Christopher James from the University's Institute of Sound and Vibration Research. The aim was to expand the current limits of this technology and show that brain-to-brain (B2B) communication is possible.

To view the entire article, please click on the link above.

Children With Autism Use Alternative Keyboard To Communicate With Their Families And Their World

The OrbiTouch keyboard. (Credit: Blue Orb)

ScienceDaily (Sep. 1, 2009) — Autism can build a wall of poor communication between those struggling with the condition and their families. While a personal computer can help bridge the divide, the distraction and complexity of a keyboard can be an insurmountable obstacle.

Using a unique keyboard with only two "keys" and a novel curriculum, teachers with Project Blue Skies are giving children with autism the ability to both communicate and to explore the online world.

At the heart of the project is a device called the OrbiTouch. Human-factors engineer Pete McAlindon of BlueOrb in Maitland, Fl., conceived of the concept behind the OrbiTouch more than a decade ago as a way to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome and provide computer access to people with limited or no use of their fingers.

To view the entire article, please click on the link above.

SCATP Announces Dr. Carol Page as new Director

The SC Assistive Technology Program (SCATP) is pleased to announce

the appointment of Carol A. Page, Ph.D. as our new Director. She has

been on staff with SCATP for over five years and during this time has

also worked for the Carolina Autism Resource and Evaluation Center

(CARE) and the ABC Special Needs Program. As the staff

speech-language pathologist for SCATP, she has been active in

conducting assistive technology trainings at the state and national

level, performing consultations and supervising the equipment loan

program to serve individuals with disabilities in SC and those who serve them.

A graduate of USC, Dr. Page holds the certificate for clinical

competence in speech-language pathology in addition to being a

RESNA-certified Assistive Technology Professional. She was

co-recipient of the 2008 SCSHA Award for Professional Program of the

Year for the SC Assistive Technology Program for outstanding service

to the speech-language pathologists of South Carolina.

Prior to her work at SCATP, Dr. Page was a speech-language

pathologist serving individuals of various ages and disabilities

across SC in the areas of severe communication and swallowing disorders.

The SC Assistive Technology Program is a federally funded program

concerned with getting technology into the hands of people with

disabilities so that they might live, work, learn and be a more

independent part of the community. As part of a national network of

technology-related assistance programs, our goal is to enhance

independence, productivity and quality of life for all South

Carolinians through access to assistive technology devices and services.

To view the SCATP website, please click on the link above.

South Carolina Collaborative Assistive Technology Network (SCCATN)

South Carolina Collaborative Assistive Technology Network (SCCATN)
SCCATN Wiki is a new collaborative effort between the South Carolina
Department of Education Assistive Technology Specialists (SCDE ATS),
the South Carolina Assistive Technology Program (SCATP), and the
University of South Carolina Programs in Special Education
(PSE). The wiki will provide resources and supports for Assistive
Technology to professionals, parents, and individuals. It is an
on-going collaborative effort and includes information on upcoming
trainings, conferences, free resources, and best practice information
related to Assistive Technology. If you have Technology resource
information that you would like to contribute to the wiki, please
email that information for review to Stacy Springer (sspringer@ed.sc.gov).
http://sccatn.wikispaces.com/

For more information, please click on the title above.

Enabling The Blind To Find Their Way

ScienceDaily (Oct. 13, 2008) — “Eyes on the future” is the mantra of the ‘World Sight Day’ held this month to raise awareness of blindness and vision impairment. New technologies, developed by European researchers offering the visually impaired greater independence, live up to this vision.

Many of the most innovative systems have been created by a consortium of companies and research institutes working in the EU-funded ENABLED project. The project has led to 17 prototype devices and software platforms being developed to help the visually impaired, two of which have been patented."

To view the entire article click on the title above

Tiny Nanoparticle Capsules Deliver Medicines

ScienceDaily (Jan. 13, 2009) — A tiny particle syringe composed of polymer layers and nanoparticles may provide drug delivery that targets diseased cells without harming the rest of the body, according to a team of chemical engineers. This delivery system could be robust and flexible enough to deliver a variety of substances.

"People probably fear the effects of some treatments more than they fear the disease they treat," says Huda A. Jerri, graduate student, chemical engineering. "The drugs are poison. Treatment is a matter of dosage so that it kills the cancer and not the patient. Targeted treatment becomes very important."

To View the Entire Article, Please Click on the Title Above.

Portlight Strategies Assistive Technology/Durable Medical Equipment Re-Use Project

South Carolina Assistive Technology Program is supporting Portlight's outreach program as an opportunity to expand our community of people with disabilities (PWDs). This model affords a way to build bridges to effect empowerment of those who need it. Portlight's initiative will also include a ramp building and accessibility component.

If you have equipment to donate, or know of people with needs, please contact Portlight and they will connect you with coordinators in your area.
Also, if you or your church are interested in participating in our efforts, please let Portlight know. Their work is coordinated through our Charleston office...but our reach is statewide.

The web page for this initiative can be found at http://www.portlight.org/scatdmereuseproject.html.
You can read more about Portlight Strategies at http://www.portlight.org/,
Contact information:
Paul Timmons
(843)817-2651
presslord@aol.com

Got any durable medical equipment and assistive technology to donate?

The South Carolina Assistive Technology Project through collaboration with Walton Options for Independent Living, has become part of the Southeastern Technology Access and Reuse Network (STAR), a regional initiative committed to finding alternatives to disposal of used durable medical equipment and assistive technology no longer being used by the original owner.

The goal of this collaboration is to provide South Carolinians and South Carolina's organizations with opportunities to access assistive technology and durable medical equipment through the redistribution of used equipment that has been sanitized, checked for safety, and repaired for appropriate use.

Walton Options will be collecting donated equipment from partner sites in selected cities throughout South Carolina and then preparing it for redistribution to persons who need the equipment.

Donated items such as wheelchairs, tub benches, hospital beds, hoyer lifts, cctv’s, rolling walkers, lift chairs, cell phones, and specialized assistive technology such as communication boards, cctv’s, amplified hearing devices are all needed to build the equipment supply.

Please call Anita Howard or James Sparks at 1-877-821-8400 or email equipmentdepot@waltonoptions.org to get information on where you may drop off donations.

More information about requests for used equipment and pickup routes will be coming in the future.

MRI Scans Can Predict Effects Of Multiple Sclerosis Flare-ups On Optic Nerve

ScienceDaily (Dec. 16, 2008) — One of the most pernicious aspects of multiple sclerosis (MS) — its sheer unpredictability — may finally be starting to yield to advanced medical imaging techniques.

Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis report online in the journal Neurology that an approach known as magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) allowed them to estimate three months in advance the chronic effects of inflammation of the optic nerve. The condition occurs most often as a result of MS, a neurodegenerative disorder that can present with an extremely broad variety of symptoms that range from vision loss and other sensory damage to muscle weakness, spasticity or paralysis to depression, sleep loss or incontinence. MS affects an estimated 500,000 Americans.

"We see this as part of a battery of tests we hope to give patients within the next decade to help our clinical assessment and tailor it to an optimal treatment," says lead author Robert T. Naismith, M.D., assistant professor of neurology and a staff physician at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. "It may also help further refine our basic understanding of MS in terms of expanding our insights into where and how damage occurs and why it can affect patients differently."

NOTE: To read the entire article, click on the title above.

Space Tech Prosthetic Leg Helps To Reach Long-jump World Record

ScienceDaily (Oct. 27, 2008) — German athlete Wojtek Czyz, running with a space-tech enhanced prosthetic leg, set a new world record at the Paralympics 2008 in Beijing, reaching an amazing 6.50 m and beating the previous world record by 27 cm.

In spring 2004, ESA’s Technology Transfer Programme (TTP) technology broker MST Aerospace met with Wojtek Czyz and his trainer to perform a pre-screening of the most crucial elements of the prosthesis used by Czyz. Having lost part of his left leg three years before in a sports accident, he now uses a prosthesis in two athletic disciplines: long jump and sprint competitions.

"The objective was to see how to improve his performance, and we found the most important problem was related to a connection angle, the so-called L-bracket, between the knee joint and the foot module," explains Dr Werner Dupont, MST Aerospace Managing Director.

To view this complete article, please click the title above.