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<b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br><br>
<div align="center"><h1><b>National Federation of the Blind Receives
Grant from National Science Foundation</b></h1>Five-Year Grant Will Allow
Blind Youth to Explore Engineering and Yield Innovative Research in
Informal Education<br><br>
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<b>Baltimore, Maryland (February 13, 2018):</b> The National Federation
of the Blind (NFB) has received a $2 million grant from the National
Science Foundation (NSF) that will allow blind students to explore the
field of engineering and provide useful educational research.<br><br>
Working with researchers from Utah State University and educators from
the Science Museum of Minnesota, the National Federation of the Blind
will gather blind high school students from across the country to attend
weeklong summer programs called “NFB EQ” (Engineering Quotient). These
programs will teach engineering through hands-on activities and connect
students with blind adult mentors. The NFB and its partners will research
the spatial abilities of blind youth and develop model practices and
nonvisual tools to strengthen those abilities. Toolkits based on project
activities will be produced so that other parents and educators will be
able to use these practices.<br><br>
Many blind people struggle with spatial skills and mental mapping. This
is primarily because blind students do not have access to educational
opportunities that foster the development of these skills. Among the STEM
disciplines, engineering relies most heavily on spatial reasoning skills,
so these programs will provide ample opportunities for students to
utilize and strengthen them. This will help blind youth to develop
engineering skills, prepare them for success in STEM fields, and
strengthen their ability to travel independently with a white cane or
guide dog.<br><br>
“A combination of lack of knowledge about nonvisual techniques and
society’s low expectations for the blind prevents too many blind youth
from developing spatial reasoning skills and, if they desire,
participating in engineering or other fields that use these skills,” said
Mark A. Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind. “We
have dedicated significant resources to changing this unacceptable status
quo, and we thank the National Science Foundation and our partners at
Utah State and the Science Museum of Minnesota for helping us accelerate
our progress and broaden our reach.”<br><br>
“Since we know that spatial ability is such a strong indicator of success
in STEM education and STEM professions, we need to understand how it is
developed in our blind youth and how they utilize it in solving
engineering problems,” said Dr. Wade Goodridge, Assistant Professor in
Engineering Education at Utah State University. “We can then develop
methods to leverage spatial thinking and help our students have better
chances to succeed. My team seeks to develop nonvisual techniques to
facilitate, motivate, and open pathways towards engineering, allowing
blind youth to pursue a profession they may have previously thought was
not within their reach. We hope to initiate a momentum that will enhance
their engineering educational opportunities.”<br><br>
“At the Science Museum of Minnesota, showing those who visit us and
participate in our programs that <i>we are all scientists</i> is at the
heart of what we do,” said Alison Rempel Brown, president of the Science
Museum of Minnesota. “We’re so pleased to partner with the National
Federation of the Blind and Utah State University to develop ways to
bring engineering education to blind students and create new pathways to
success in the STEM disciplines.”<br><br>
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science
Foundation under Grant No. 1712887. Any opinions, findings, and
conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of
the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National
Science Foundation.<br><br>
<div align="center"><b>###<br><br>
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About the National Federation of the Blind<br><br>
</b>The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), headquartered in
Baltimore, is the oldest and largest nationwide organization of blind
Americans. Founded in 1940, the NFB consists of affiliates, chapters, and
divisions in the fifty states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. The NFB
defends the rights of blind people of all ages and provides information
and support to families with blind children, older Americans who are
losing vision, and more. We believe in the hopes and dreams of blind
people and work together to transform them into reality. Learn more about
our many programs and initiatives at
<a href="https://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=10394&qid=2130118">
www.nfb.org</a>.<br><br>
<br><br>
<b>CONTACT:<br><br>
</b>Chris Danielsen<br><br>
Director of Public Relations<br><br>
National Federation of the Blind<br><br>
(410) 659-9314, extension 2330<br><br>
(410) 262-1281 (Cell)<br><br>
<a href="mailto:cdanielsen@nfb.org">cdanielsen@nfb.org</a><br><br>
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