24 July 2012
US conference beckons for disability technology group
Photo opportunity: 1.30-3.30pm at Queen Mother Building. Members of the Straight Talking Group will be gathering ahead of their trip to Pittsburgh.
A University of Dundee group researching how technology can be used to assist people with severe disabilities will later this week depart for a major international conference in Pittsburgh.
The School of Computing's Straight Talking Group comprises non-speaking individuals who are learning to be expert evaluators of new technology designed to enhance communication and training to become participatory designers of this type of technology.
Members of the group have been invited to give presentations at the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC) conference in Pittsburgh from July 29th to August 2nd.
Alan McGregor (41), from Glamis, and 17-year-old Georgie Williams from Bridge of Earn will fly to the States on Saturday along with the School of Computing's Professor Annalu Waller, Kathleen Cummins, and Heather Ellis, a 2nd year undergraduate. Georgie, a pupil at Auchterarder Community School, will also be accompanied by her parents on the trip.
Mrs Cummins said the conference gave the group the opportunity to showcase the high standard of work taking place at Dundee, and for Alan and Georgie to present their work to a distinguished academic gathering.
"Being selected to present at such a prestigious conference is recognition of our international reputation in assistive technology," she said. "This allows us to further our standing globally, and I am sure it will be a wonderful experience for Alan, Georgie and Heather.
"Our volunteers in the Straight Talking Group, and throughout the School of Computing, do invaluable work and help us to better understand the needs of people with severe disabilities and how technology can be harnessed to help them."
Papers by Alan and Georgie will be presented at the conference, while Professor Waller will deliver a talk at the conference, which is the biggest of its kind in the world. Thousands of researchers, students, clinicians, and AAC users, their families and carers will attend the five-day event.
The School of Computing at Dundee contains one of the largest and most influential academic groups in the world carrying out researching into information technology and assistive technology for older and disabled people.
With more than 30 researchers from a unique blend of disciplines including computer engineers, psychologists, therapists, creative designers and staff who have benefited from interdisciplinary careers, Dundee has become internationally renowned for its work in this field.
Members of the STG work with undergraduate and postgraduate students in their project work. Their services are also called upon by commercial companies who are developing new technology for this user group.
More information about the Straight Talking Group is available at http://aac.computing.dundee.ac.uk/?page_id=49.
Details about the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication conference can be found at www.isaac2012.org/.
For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07854 953277 |
