Saturday, February 02, 2008

National Center for Technology Innovation: Technology for Intervention

Technology can make it easier to implement and track interventions, and in turn, facilitate the documentation of "evidence-based" interventions. Here are some examples:

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The National Center for Technology Innovation (NCTI) advances learning opportunities for all students, with a special focus on individuals with disabilities. Funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) at the U.S. Department of Education, NCTI offers technical guidance to facilitate growth and sustainability of assistive and learning tools by fostering innovative technology solutions"

Here are some of the innovations noted at NCTI's November 2007 conference:

NCTI Brightest Idea Peer Award:

SMART Brain Games

"SMART Brain Home System, developed by CyberLearning Technology, uses neurofeedback to improve the behaviors of individuals with autism, language disorders, and attention deficits. Individuals play a Sony PlayStation® racing game while wearing a visor with 3 sensors and using a specially programmed game controller. The player receives auditory, visual and tactile feedback, depending on the real time brain wave patterns being used. The equipment is being tested through an NCTI grant with adolescents with ADD."




SOCIAL SIMENTOR

Social Simentor is "an e-learning assistive technology program offering instruction, interactive scenarios, simulation and feedback for individuals with disabilities who struggle with interpersonal skills in social and business settings." One goal of Social Simentor is to develop skills related to emotional intelligence.

Access Technologies Group adapted Simentor to research the question, "Can digital role-play software, "Social Simentor™", reinforce effective social behavior, provide constructive feedback on incorrect or inappropriate behavior to such a degree that these new skills are internalized and can be applied in a real live social setting?"

Resources:
Online demo of the Social Simentor prototype.
Online demo of the Simentor Interview Simulation
Simentor website

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