Transcript ACE - COGAIN

ACE Centre, Oxford
A brief introduction
Stephen Druce
Projects Officer
[email protected]
www.ace-centre.org.uk
Tel. 44 (0) 1865 759800
Our Mission
• The ACE Centre exists to enable access to
communication, education and learning to
improve the quality of life of those who have
significant communication and physical
disabilities.
• This is done in co-operation with regional
services and through the use of alternative and
augmentative communication (AAC) and the
application of the appropriate assistive
technology for learning and communication
(ATLC).
What we do
Communication
Assessments
Communication
Training
Communication Technology
Communication
Information
Communication
R&D
Who we are
• An interdisciplinary team
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Teachers
Speech therapists
Occupational therapists
Physiotherapist
Technologists
Publications/website manager
Projects Officer
Fundraiser
Administrative staff
• An Independent Charitable Trust.
Research and Development
Mission
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To remove barriers
To close the gap
To expand horizons
By:
Promoting innovative research and influencing
product development in the Assistive
Technology field in partnership with providers,
users and academics.
What we can bring to projects
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Assessment of user requirements
Support to user interface design
Product evaluation
User trials
Accessibility and Usability consultancy
Bridge user, research and supplier
communities
COGAIN
A pan-european “network of excellence” project,
Cogain aims to integrate eye gaze expertise for the
benefit of users with disabilities, focussing on
motor-control disorders.
www.cogain.org
www.ace-centre.org.uk
OATS
An Anglo-Swedish funded project, OATS (Open
Source Assistive Technology Software) aims to
make Open Source Assistive Technology Software
available for all via a repository of software, and to
promote the development of new projects via a forge
between AT OSS developers and AT end users.
http://www.oatsoft.org/
www.ace-centre.org.uk
AAIW
Alternative Access Interfacing to Windows (AAIW) is
an Anglo-Swedish funded feasibility project exploring
the potential of Microsoft’s UI Automation for the next
generation of Assistive Technology accessible
software. Windows Vista has given Microsoft the
opportunity to build in a new accessibility system
Alternative Access Interfacing to Windows
called UIAutomation so that AT software vendors with
a concern and interest in alternative accessibility and
“reasonable adjustment” can develop a uniform
interface to interact with Windows and its applications.
The deliverables of this feasibility study are technical
documentation and demonstrators.
www.ace-centre.org.uk
GameON!
GameOn! is a website service for young people with
disabilities, who miss out on the opportunities provided
by computer-based games and leisure software simply
because they can't control joysticks or other gaming
devices. The idea behind the website is to enable
people with physical difficulties to find games that they
can play by selecting the type of control device(s) they
use. Gameon! will continue as an ongoing service
through Special Effect.
http://www.gameonbeta.org.uk/
www.ace-centre.org.uk
KPT
A European “Leonardo” project,
Keeping Pace with Technology (KPT)
is an international project providing
guidance for the training of
professionals working with people
using assistive technology. Its main
deliverable is a set of guidelines for AT
trainers.
http://www.at4inclusion.org/kpt/
www.ace-centre.org.uk
Reasonable Adjustments
Working together, Becta (The British Educational
Communications and Technology Agency) and The
Ace Centre are developing guidance and supporting
materials for mainstream software developers to
promote the accessibility and usability of
educational software.
http://communities.becta.org.uk/digitalresources
/reasonableadjustment/
www.ace-centre.org.uk
Talking Together
Our most recent in-house project,
Talking Together takes the ideas and
work developed in ACE’s “Developing
and using a communication book” a
stage further. “High tech” resources &
templates across a wide range of
VOCA-based systems will partly mirror
and partly adapt the first four levels of
this now classic book.
www.ace-centre.org.uk
Models of MultiDisciplinary Working
A DFES funded project, this is a new project being
undertaken jointly by the ACE Centre Advisory Trust
and the ACE Centre North working in partnership
with four Pathfinder Children's Trusts (Croydon,
Brighton & Hove, Bolton, North Lincs.). The project
aims to develop new and improved protocols for the
provision and support of Assistive Technology and
Augmentative and Alternative Communication.
www.ace-centre.org.uk
SpeechBubble
SpeechBubble will be a new web-based tool for informed
users and professionals to select appropriate
combinations of voice output communication hardware,
communication software and vocabulary packages to
meet individual user preferences. This project updates
and extends the current ACE Centre searchable VOCA
database to include commercial software and vocabulary
packages.
Subject to success of funding applications.
Contacts
• Stephen Druce – [email protected]
• Andrew Lysley – [email protected]
Website: www.ace-centre.org.uk
Address: 92 Windmill Road
Headington
Oxford
OX3 7DR
England