[nabs-l] My Latest Project

Wed Aug 23 07:52:47 UTC 2017

Hi Kelly,

The newsletter belongs to World Learning. One of their departments is
crafting and implementing a toolkit called TAAP. It stands for Transforming
Agency, Access, and Power. The toolkit aims to guide program developers on
integrating inclusion in to their programs. The next step, I will put you
in contact with my former supervisor. You can give her all the information
she and the others need.

Vanna

On Tue, Aug 22, 2017 at 8:53 PM Kelly via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> Hello, Vanna,
>      My friends and I would be honored to have our project in your
> newsletter.  Thank you so much for your support!  Inclusion is what we are
> trying to achieve here, so this is an amazing opportunity.
>
>      To what organization does the newsletter belong?  What is the next
> step?
>
> Thank you once more for this opportunity!
> Kelly
>
> > On Aug 22, 2017, at 21:43, Vanna Song via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> wrote:
> >
> > Hi Kelly,
> >
> > would you like your project to be featured in an issue of a biweekly
> > newsletter of one of my former host organizations that deals with
> > inclusion of all types including disability?
> >
> > Vanna
> >
> >> On 8/21/17, Kelly via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> >> Chris:
> >>     Based on Disney's Wallie, Cozmo is a small robot that resembles a
> model
> >> car, with tank treads and a tiny, front-mounted forklift.
> >>     Although it was originally designed as a STEM toy for young
> children,
> >> its manufacturer (Anki), has recently expanded the product's
> capabilities.
> >> Specifically, the Cozmo app now includes a code lab, which is used to
> >> program the robot to talk, recognize faces, and search for and interact
> with
> >> objects.  The code lab offers a simple introduction to programming, but
> the
> >> real educational value is in Cozmo's SDK (software development kit).
> >> Through the combined use of the app and SDK, students can learn and
> practice
> >> the Python programming language.
> >>     Since Cozmo is relatively new, there is not a lot of widespread
> >> classroom use as of now.  However, several universities have begun to
> >> integrate the robot into their computer science classes.
> >>     Personally, I care about this issue because STEM learning robots are
> >> the future of computer science education for students of all ages.  By
> >> working to make this software accessible, we could set an example for
> other
> >> companies now so that we can all use similar tools in the future.
> >> Here is an article about Cozmo's SDK that you may find useful, as well
> as
> >> Cozmo's home page:
> >> 1.
> >>
> https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/version-1468272030-2/amp/
> >> 2. https://anki.com/en-us/cozmo
> >>
> >> Thank you very much for your interest!  Please feel free to contact me
> again
> >> if you have any additional questions.
> >> Kelly
> >> Sent from my iPhone
> >>
> >>> On Aug 17, 2017, at 23:02, Chris Nusbaum via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> >
> >>> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> Kelly:
> >>>
> >>> Could you tell us a little more about what this Cosmo Robot does and
> what
> >>> it
> >>> is used for in the context of STEM education? I would also be curious
> to
> >>> know if anyone has actually used this program in the classroom and, if
> >>> so,
> >>> what experiences you have had. Perhaps this is something which needs
> >>> attention from NABS or the Federation, but I think we would need to
> know
> >>> some further information before we get behind a petition or campaign.
> >>>
> >>> Thank you for your efforts to increase accessibility in the STEM
> fields!
> >>>
> >>> Chris
> >>>
> >>> -----Original Message-----
> >>> From: NABS-L [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kelly via
> >>> NABS-L
> >>> Sent: Thursday, August 17, 2017 1:30 AM
> >>> To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> >>> Cc: Kelly <yllekann at gmail.com>
> >>> Subject: [nabs-l] My Latest Project
> >>>
> >>>>> Hello, everyone,
> >>>>>>>    Recently, one of my friends discovered an amazing computer
> >>> programming learning tool developed by Anki, called the Cozmo robot.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>    We were excited of course (the robot is very fun to play with
> >>> after all, and we have always wanted to learn computer programming),
> but
> >>> when we downloaded the app that is used to control it, we were dismayed
> >>> and
> >>> frustrated to find that it is totally inaccessible with VoiceOver.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>    We then wrote to Anki customer care to inform them of the issue,
> >>> and received a form letter giving no indication that they had read or
> >>> processed our email.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>    So we drafted this petition in hopes that, if we gather enough
> >>> support, the developers will realize that accessibility is a concern
> >>> which
> >>> must be taken seriously.  We did this not just for the many blind and
> >>> visually impaired people who could be enjoying and learning from the
> >>> Cozmo
> >>> application and others like it, but also for all app developers, so
> that
> >>> they may understand the barriers created by inaccessible software.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>    If you support STEM education and learning opportunities for the
> >>> blind, accessible software development, and/or equal opportunities for
> >>> all
> >>> children to learn programming, we invite you to sign our petition by
> >>> clicking the link below or simply copying and pasting the URL into your
> >>> address bar, then filling out the form.  Your information will be kept
> >>> private and is only used by change.org .
> >>>
> https://www.change.org/p/anki-make-stem-education-through-the-cozmo-app-acce
> >>> ssible-to-all
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Thank you in advance for your support of our project!
> >>>>>>> Kelly
> >>> _______________________________________________
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