[CT-NFB] FW: NEAT Newsletter - January 2021 Edition

Tue Jan 19 14:45:12 UTC 2021

From: The NEAT Center <info at neatmarketplace.org> 
Sent: Friday, January 15, 2021 12:56 PM
To: info at nfbct.org
Subject: NEAT Newsletter - January 2021 Edition

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January 2021 

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NEAT NEWS

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January is known nationally as the National Blood Donor Month.  This month NEAT highlights What's New in the Word of Assistive Technology as the Covid pandemic is still affecting many throughout our nation the importance of donating blood is key to the well-being of many. 

NEAT NEWS

Upcoming NEAT Events

 <https://oakhillct.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7e0f16a5f7c18d91a8f45407&id=47d006f032&e=4e0a534040> Learn from NEAT 
Every month find new and exciting webinars.

 <https://oakhillct.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7e0f16a5f7c18d91a8f45407&id=77ac9841de&e=4e0a534040> Using Mobile Hotspots With Smart Technology: What You Need To Know!
January 28

NEAT NEWS

The NEAT Lending Library Launches into the Future, Instructional Robots have Moved into Oak Hill!

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The NEAT Lending Library at Oak Hill includes robots to enhance its assistive technology services. 

Meet Kebbi! Kebbi is an educational robot that integrates artificial intelligence, software, and hardware technology to provide a variety of facial expressions, body movements, and communicative interactions. Kebbi provides a unique set of capabilities that provide students with autism and other special needs a unique approach to learning and engaging in the home/school environment.

This robot-assisted instruction comes equipped with fundamental skills training using evidence-based techniques. The software supports a pre-programmed curriculum with the ability to customize, based on the student’s educational deficits as well as achievements.

The NEAT Center at Oak Hill has one of these beautiful devices and it is in our Lending Library. It allows individuals time with the device to see if it will meet their needs, both socially and educationally. Want to learn more? Please reach out to Adam Kosakowski from the NEAT Center. His email is  <mailto:Adam.Kosakowski at OakHillCT.org> Adam.Kosakowski at OakHillCT.org. With Adam as a contact, you can ask for more information on the robot itself or to request a loan. It is important to note that some training will be needed and we are happy to provide it as well as additional resources.

Want to see more right now? Check out the links below:

*	 <https://oakhillct.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7e0f16a5f7c18d91a8f45407&id=1e8be5ca4c&e=4e0a534040> Kebbi in the news working with a student with Autism.
*	 <https://oakhillct.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7e0f16a5f7c18d91a8f45407&id=51e649d414&e=4e0a534040> Kebbi helping NEAT thank MOVIA for the robots.
*	 <https://oakhillct.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7e0f16a5f7c18d91a8f45407&id=4b58387028&e=4e0a534040> MOVIA Robotics Website.

The program is exclusive to Members Only and it has a wealth of devices and programs to trial.

 <https://oakhillct.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7e0f16a5f7c18d91a8f45407&id=dd44068e65&e=4e0a534040> Become A Member Today!

NEAT NEWS

Meet Our Newest NEAT Team Member Margie Hislop

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BY JENNIFER ALEXANDER

Before joining the NEAT team, in her new role as an Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC) Assistive Technology Specialist, Margie Hislop worked with children in grades 3-5 at Windsor Public Schools. Margie received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Susquehanna University in 2017 and a Master of Arts degree in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences from The University of Connecticut in 2019. Her interest in Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC) was sparked during an internship at the Geisinger Autism and Developmental Medicine Institute in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania where she assisted with AAC evaluations. After completing graduate school, she was a group leader at Communicare’s AAC Camp. She is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Special Interest Group 12 (AAC) and is licensed in the state of Connecticut, as well as by ASHA.

Margie’s favorite activities include spending time outdoors, traveling, and snorkeling in the ocean.

NEAT is grateful to have Margie as part of our team.

NEAT NEWS

New from PRC-Saltillo: Message Banking Available on Empower and Dialogue AAC

BY MARGIE HISLOP

In November, PRC-Saltillo announced the addition of free Message Banking capabilities. Message banking can be used to store personalized phrases spoken by an individual with a degenerative disease that will later impact his or her ability to use verbal speech. Message banking is now integrated with Accent devices using Empower, as well as the new Dialogue AAC app.  <https://oakhillct.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7e0f16a5f7c18d91a8f45407&id=4c17d65a77&e=4e0a534040> Read the full article.

New Features in Co:Writer Universal for Chrome

BY JAMIE MARTIN

In a recent update to the popular Co:Writer Universal Chrome extension, developer Don Johnston added two features that could be useful for students who benefit from word prediction technology.  <https://oakhillct.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7e0f16a5f7c18d91a8f45407&id=c6e8658879&e=4e0a534040> Read the full article <https://oakhillct.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7e0f16a5f7c18d91a8f45407&id=38614991b7&e=4e0a534040> .

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NEAT NEWS

Family Video Game Database #Accessibility

BY ADAM KOSAKOWSKI

The Family Video Game Database is an amazing resource run by parents and carers where categorial information on video games is collected. Anyone looking for games that meet their preferences and needs can freely use the database’s robust search options to find the right game for them and/or their family.  <https://oakhillct.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7e0f16a5f7c18d91a8f45407&id=10580b854e&e=4e0a534040> R <https://oakhillct.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7e0f16a5f7c18d91a8f45407&id=fb25e4c06f&e=4e0a534040> ead the full article <https://oakhillct.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7e0f16a5f7c18d91a8f45407&id=53dbffbe37&e=4e0a534040> .

NEAT NEWS

AT Resources for Students with Learning Disabilities During Distance Learning

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BY NICOLE FEENEY

I have some exciting news to start the New Year.  It’s official, Elena Fader has accepted the position of Director of Assistive Technology (AT) Services at The NEAT Center, Oak Hill’s Assistive Technology program. Elena has brought incredible depth to the NEAT team for the past several years. Her role, prior to the Director, was as an AAC (Alternative Augmentative Communication) Specialist.  With her background she was able to provide services to those with communication and physical disabilities as well as their families and the professionals who support them.  Her unique and creative approach to assessing individuals’ needs has allowed for so many children, students, and adults to have access to a “voice” through a communication system.  She is remarkably steadfast in her determination to find technology solutions that can empower those who are otherwise overlooked.  In Elena’s own words the best part of her job is, “watching NEAT continue to grow, both in terms of team members and the depth of support that we can collaboratively provide to our local and larger communities. It is an honor to be a part of such a passionate, powerhouse team!”  Elena absolutely defines what it means to be a team player and she exemplifies the Oak Hill mission every day.

Her time spent in the field, working with individual with complex disabilities, has made her a highly sought national presenter.  Year after year she is asked to discuss her methods and shed light on best practices in assistive technology for individuals of different ages and with varying abilities.  Elena is viewed as a supportive team member and as a strong leader, both on her team at NEAT and through the eyes of individuals across the nation.  Leadership, communication and fostering partnerships are only a few of her tremendous skillsets. Elena is continuously expanding NEAT’s impact by executing new and innovative services such as remote Augmentative Alternative Communication services (AAC), AAC therapy, family support groups, and AAC user support groups.  She will now take those successes and begin applying her knowledge across all the services delivered by The NEAT Center.  Thank you Elena!  We are so happy to have you!

OAK HILL CENTERS NEWS

New Year Workout

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BY OAK HILL ADAPTIVE SPORTS AND FITNESS CENTER

Have you been contemplating on how to work out those stiff joints and get your body fit? Well, it's time to "get physical" with Oak Hill Adaptive Sports and FitnessCenter. The fitness trainers stand ready to get you started. 

 <https://oakhillct.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7e0f16a5f7c18d91a8f45407&id=4161eff575&e=4e0a534040> Become a Member Today!

SMART TECH NEWS

2020’s Impact on How We Control Technology

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BY KRISTOPHER THOMPSON

The COVID-19 pandemic is redefining how we think about our everyday lives. Voice-controlled technology and automation are becoming more important than ever by giving people the option to avoid commonly touched surfaces. Voice-activated systems such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant have already experienced strong growth in recent years. Experts say the pandemic could drive even more growth as many people seek technology to replace the physical touch and increase accessibility. AARP recently published an article with some great ideas for touchless solutions. Click below to check it out!

 <https://oakhillct.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7e0f16a5f7c18d91a8f45407&id=9a71de914f&e=4e0a534040> Touchless Solutions

BLIND SERVICES NEWS

Talking to JAWS, Fusion and ZoomText

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BY STEVE FAMIGLIETTI

For many years now, JAWS, Fusion and ZoomText have been available and very popular.  Many people use these products to accomplish either work or leisure tasks on computers running Windows.
Now, Freedom Scientific has made upgrades to all three of these products and in the latest upgrade, users can speak to their software and ask it to perform actions for them.  This makes it easier to perform a task if the user has forgotten the keyboard shortcut to perform an action.  It should be noted that in order for this feature to work, the computer must have either an internal mic or an external mic working.  Also important is that the user must be connected to the internet. 
For users who have either ZoomText or Fusion running on their computers, the wake word is “Zoomy”.  For example, if the user wishes to increase the magnification, but can’t remember the keyboard shortcut, they can say “Zoomy, increase magnification”. 
For people who are using the JAWS screen reader, the wake word is “Sharky”.  A user can say “Sharky, what time is it”, and JAWS would then speak the time to them. 
For me personally, I’ve been using these products for over 20 years now and I think that adding the ability to ask each product to perform an action is a great new feature and I am excited to see how Freedom Scientific will be adding to this in the coming year. 

*	 <https://oakhillct.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7e0f16a5f7c18d91a8f45407&id=1231a8b717&e=4e0a534040> Here is information about the voice assistant in ZoomText
*	 <https://oakhillct.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7e0f16a5f7c18d91a8f45407&id=45a3e855ad&e=4e0a534040> Here is information about the voice assistant in Fusion
*	 <https://oakhillct.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7e0f16a5f7c18d91a8f45407&id=180cfdb61b&e=4e0a534040> Here is information about the voice assistant in JAWS

THE NEAT PODCAST

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Stay tuned for new episodes of the NEAT Podcast in the near future!

Click below to listen to our previous episodes.

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 <https://oakhillct.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7e0f16a5f7c18d91a8f45407&id=cb7917a13d&e=4e0a534040> The NEAT Podcast 

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Contact Us!

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Oak Hill's NEAT Center

Building Location
33 Coventry St
Hartford, CT 06112

Mailing address
120 Holcomb St
Hartford, CT 06112

866-526-4492
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