Project
Title:
Institution:
Principal
Investigator: Cathy Bodine,
Ph.D.
Project
Summary: Individuals with cognitive disabilities have long been
marginalized by society's unwillingness to include them -
within their local communities, educational systems and workplaces - in short,
into the very fabric of society. While technology undoubtedly can play
a vital role in decreasing this marginalization, there have been very few
attempts to date to produce a coherent and sustained approach to identifying
and ameliorating barriers for persons with significant cognitive disabilities
through the use of technology.
The
goal of this RERC is to research, develop, evaluate, implement and disseminate
innovative technologies and approaches that will have a positive impact on the
way in which individuals with significant cognitive disabilities function
within their communities and workplace.
The
Center incorporates:
1) a
consumer-driven model for identifying the most significant barriers to
independent living and workforce;
2) an
approach that is balanced and uses both well-established and newly emerging
technologies in its development projects;
3) a focus both on
functional limitations and specific disabilities; and
4) mutually beneficial
partnerships with private industry and public agencies.
The
center proposes 12 research and development activities:
R1:
Needs, knowledge, barriers and uses of assistive technology by persons with
cognitive disabilities.
R2:
Technology for remote family support for people with cognitive disabilities.
R3: Influences
on use, non-use, partial, and inappropriate use by persons with traumatic brain injury.
R4:
Assistive technology enhancement of written expression for children and adults.
R5:
Needs assessment: creating affordable, context-aware technologies.
R6:
Technology to promote decision-making skills and self-determination for
students with cognitive disabilities.
D1: Design,
implementation and deployment of context aware technologies for persons with cognitive disabilities residing in community living
environments.
D2: Development of HealthQuest
(Internet-based product that will enable individuals with intellectual
disabilities to become active participants in their own health care).
D3: XML repository of common tasks
(multimedia task-prompting systems in a standardized computer language).
D4: Batteryless
micropower sensors for context aware technologies.
D5: Perceptive animated interfaces for
workforce training.
D6: Environmentally appropriate
behavioral cues for individuals with traumatic brain injury.