NCTI -

National Center for Technology Innovation
Advancing Technology Innovations for All Students

2008 NCTI Technology in the Works

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Congratulations to the 2008 NCTI Technology in the Works Awardees! 

Five outstanding teams of researchers and vendors have been selected to examine the impact of innovative assistive technologies for students with special needs. Each $15,000 award requires matching funds and requires teams to conduct and report rapid research. This year’s winners represent a wide spectrum of research interests from instant messaging on augmentative communication devices to speech-enabled calculators for algebra students with learning disabilities.

NCTI sponsors this annual competition to contribute research on the impact of AT for learning as well as to foster collaboration between researchers and vendors in the field. Findings from each team will be presented at the 2008 Technology Innovators conference in Washington, DC, November 20-21 at The Madison hotel.

The distinguished 2008 winners will examine the benefits of:

 

Developing Fraction Sense

Awarded to: John Laskarzewski, co-founder, Spotlight on Learning (vendor); Laura Susi, co-founder, Spotlight on Learning; and Dave Edyburn, professor, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (researcher)

Project Description: This team will conduct a quasi-experimental research study that uses virtual manipulatives and cognitive strategies to demonstrate the best method of mathematics instruction for a group of students with a wide range of abilities and disabilities. View the abstract (PDF).

» Vendor Web site: Spotlight on Learning

Efficacy of a Computer-Assisted Teaching Program for Children with Autism in a School Setting

Awarded to: Christina Whalen, TeachTown (vendor); Jennifer Symon, California State University, Los Angeles (researcher); and Connie Kasari, University of California, Los Angeles (researcher)

Project Description: This team will test the effectiveness of the TeachTown software curriculum with the aim of positive gains in early language, cognition, and social behaviors among preschool and kindergarten students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in the Los Angeles Unified School District. View the abstract (PDF).

» Vendor Web site: TeachTown

Exploring Accessible Computer Algebra System for Secondary Students with a Learning Disability or Visual Impairment

Awarded to: Emily Bouck, assistant professor of Special Education, Purdue University (researcher); Waseem Sheikh, research software developer, gh, LLC (vendor); and Dave Schleppenbach, president, gh, LLC (vendor)

This team will investigate the effectiveness of speech-enabled calculators on the mathematical performance of middle-to-high school students with a learning disability or physical impairment. View the abstract (PDF).

» Vendor Web site: gh, LLC

Point-and-Chat

Awarded to: Ben Slotznick, president, Point-and-Read (vendor); Dave Hershberger, president, Saltillo (vendor); and Jeff Higginbotham, associate professor, State University of New York at Buffalo (researcher)

This team will investigate the performance and usability of Point-and-Chat instant messaging software for augmentative/alternative communications (AAC) users. View the abstract (PDF).

»Vendor Web sites: Point-and-Read and Saltillo

Supported Video Project: Making Video Content Accessible to All

Awarded to: Donna Horn, director, Universal Access to Media department, CaptionMax (vendor) and Lynne Anderson-Inman, director, National Center for Supported eText, University of Oregon (researcher)

Project Description: This team will investigate the educational impact of enhanced captions and expanded audio descriptions as supports for students learning content from educational videos.  View the abstract (PDF).

» Vendor Web sites: CaptionMax and National Center for Supported eText

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2008 NCTI Technology in the Works on May 6, 2008 at 7:31 am

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