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From: nrcgsh@ultb.isc.rit.edu (N.R. Coombs)
Subject: Making computers etc accessible to students with Disabilities
Message-ID: <1994Sep5.111404.26019@ultb.isc.rit.edu>
Sender: news@ultb.isc.rit.edu (USENET News System)
Nntp-Posting-Host: ultb-gw.isc.rit.edu
Organization: Rochester Institute of Technology
Date: Mon, 5 Sep 1994 11:14:04 GMT
Lines: 74

>     People always talk about computers being cold and depersonalizing,
>but, after more than 30 years of teaching, my use of computers in
>education resulted in my being hugged by a student.  I am totally blind,
>and the student is deaf.  We used the computer to communicate.  To read
>the full story, you'll have to also read the intervening material on the
>importance of making computers and information technology accessible to
>persons with disabilities.
>
>.
>.
>.
>     EASI (Equal Access to Software and Information) is dedicated to
>disseminating information on adaptive computing.  It can open new worlds
>for faculty, staff and students.  Besides providing better access to
>education, it can open doors to employment.
>
>     EASI and RIT (The Rochester Institute of Technology) provide a
>three-week, online workshop called adapt-it to provide a wealth of
>information about disabilities, adaptive computing and the Americans
>With Disabilities Act.  The fee for the workshop is $125.  All materials
>are delivered using email.  Besides providing carefully researched and
>written information, this provides ample opportunity for participants to
>share experiences and ask questions.  Members learn as much from one
>another as from their instructors.
>
>     The next presentation of adapt-it will begin on September 19.
>There will also be workshops in November, January and April.
>
>     To get more information about the adapt-it workshop, send email to:
>
>listserver@listserv.isc.rit.edu  with these two words of text:
>
>info adapt-it
>
>     To see a syllabus of the adapt-it workshop, send email to the same
>address, but with these two words:
>
>info workshop
>
>     To join the workshop, send email to the same address with the
>following text:
>
>sub adapt-it (and your name in quotes).  In return, you will receive
>information on payment and participation.
>
>    Please forward this mail to as many people as you know who are or
>should be interested in taking such a workshop.
>
>.
>.
>.
>
>     As Paul Harvey says: "and now for the rest of the story:
>
>     I make increasing use of computer mediated communication in most of
>my history classes.  My students submit their work in email, and my
>computer reads it to me.  I return grades the same way.  I often use it
>to engage students in group discussions where they are usually less
>inhibited.  The discussions also permit more reflection by the students
>and often produce a better quality discussion.
>
>     One deaf student in my class was ready to drop the course on hearing
>of the computer use.  I had her come to my office and we swapped the
>keyboard back and forth using the computer to communicate.  I wrote, and
>she read.  She wrote, and my computer talked to me.
>
>     By the end of the course, she returned to chat and check that she
>had completed all her work.  Then, she thanked me for forcing her to
>learn the use of the computer and said it had really been beneficial to
>me.  At this point, she put her head on my shoulder and gave me a hug.
 Still, it was the first time a student hugged me 
 since I quit being a student myself!
>
>To learn more about EASI, send email to EASI@EDUCOM.EDU
