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UW -Madison > School of Education > News > Assistive Technology Expo showscases possibilities for persons with disabilities

How has it changed over the years (e.g., participants, technology, locations)?

The Expo has been held every year since 1985, almost always on the UW-Madison campus, at Union South, Memorial Union, and most recently, in the Engineering Centers and Mechanical Engineering buildings.

Initially, the Expo featured assistive technology, designed to facilitate the functional capabilities of people with disabilities, along with other applications of technology designed to facilitate the provision of rehabilitation and special education services. At one point it expanded, at the request of the Wisconsin Rehabilitation Counseling Association, to include exhibits highlighting a variety of rehabilitation programs and general resources for people with disabilities. In the past five years the focus has shifted more exclusively to assistive technology.

The sponsors of the Expo have expanded to include the Pathways to Independence and Wisconsin Assistive Technology (WisTech) Programs in the Wisconsin Department of Health Services; the UW Center for Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology (UW-CREATe) and the UW-Madison College of Engineering; the Stout Vocational Rehabilitation Institute (SVRI) at UW-Stout; the UW-Madison Department of Rehabilitation Psychology & Special Education; the Wisconsin Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR); and the Wisconsin Rehabilitation Counselors and Educators Association (WRCEA). I took the lead in organizing the event during the first 20 years, followed by Cayte Anderson and Samantha Ninnemann during the next four years, both at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and UW-Stout, and currently, Monica KamalRossa from Madison’s Spinal Cord Injury Group is taking the lead.

Technology has changed dramatically since 1985, when Apple IIe computers were among the most widely used, and cell phones, the Internet, and GPS technology were still years away. Advances in technology have opened many possibilities for people with disabilities, and it is these advances that are highlighted at the Expo.

A number of organizations have continued to exhibit since the early days of the event, including a number of UW-Madison programs (the Communication Aids and Systems Clinic at the Waisman Center, the TRACE Research and Development Center in the College of Engineering, and the Department of Rehabilitation Psychology & Special Education), in addition to the Stout Vocational Rehabilitation Institute, Ultratec, the Wisconsin Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired, the Wisconsin Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR).

The active participation of the College of Engineering and UW-CREATe has taken the Expo to a new level, largely through the involvement of Jay Martin, a UW-Madison professor in the Departments of  Mechanical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering. Professor Martin also directs UW-CREATe, in addition to the Midwest Alliance, a National Science Foundation (NSF) project that facilitates the involvement of students with disabilities in the sciences, technology, engineering, and math. Professor Martin has involved a number of faculty and programs in engineering and has also organized poster presentations by his students, demonstrating innovations that they have been involved in developing. He has also brought some important keynote speakers and panels to give presentations at the Expo.

--------------------------------------------------- written by Dr. Berven
REHABILITATION PSYCHOLOGY & SPECIAL EDUC

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Exhibitors

Check back often for the list is growing!
If your organization wants to be an exhibitor or if you want to recommend an exhibitor, please contact Monica at Monica@SCI-Madison.org.

1. Adaptive Experts, LLC www.adaptiveexperts.com
2. Adaptive Technology Resources, Inc. www.AdaptiveTR.com
3. AgrAbility of Wisconsin http://bse.wisc.edu/agrability/
4. Division of Vocational Rehabilitation http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dvr/
5. GT MOBILITY & SERVICES LLC http://www.gtmobility.com/
6. McBurney Disability Resource Center www.mcburney.wisc.edu
7. Mendota Rowing Club
8. Midwest Alliance http://stemmidwest.org/default.asp?contentID=1
9. Otto Bock HealthCare www.ottobockus.com
10. Talk To Me Technologies http://www.talktometechnologies.com/
11. The Standing Company www.thestandingcompany.com
12. Tobii ATI www.tobiiati.com
13. Trace Center (UW-Madison) http://trace.wisc.edu
14. Wheelchair Recycling Program www.wrp.org
15. WI DNR
16. Wisconsin Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired www.wcblind.org
17. Stout Vocational Rehabilitation Institute http://www.uwstout.edu/svri/
18. InfoCor www.infocor.com
19. Rollx Vans www.rollxvans.com
20. Rehabilitation Psychology Program, UW-Madison http://rpse.education.wisc.edu/?folder=home
21. Adaptive Information Systems inc. www.adaptiveinformation.org
22. TechAbility II www.techability.us
23. LevoUSA www.levousa.com
24. Wisconsin Telecommunications Relay System www.hamiltonrelay.com
25. UW Madison Occupational Therapy Program http://www.education.wisc.edu/kinesiology/ot/welcome/Default.aspx
26. MSL Associates
27. Access to Independence Inc accesstoind.org
28. Ultratec, Inc. www.ultratec.com
29. Office for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
30. UW-Madison Speech and Hearing Clinic http://www.comdis.wisc.edu/clinic/clinic.php
31. Waisman Center Sound Response Program http://cow.waisman.wisc.edu/soundresponse.htm
32. Lab Resources labresources-assistivetechnology.com
33. BlueSky Designs www.mountnmover.com
34. Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing http://www.cdhh.org
35. R & M Sales Communication Products www.rmsales-communications.com
36. Restorative Therapies Inc. www.restorative-therapies.com
37. CASC/CDP Waisman Center
38. MATC
39. En-Vision America
40. Attainment Company Inc www.AttainmentCompany.com




The deadline is October 16, 2009 ... We can only serve a limited number of exhibitors

What impact do you think it has had?

The Expo has always sought to attract a diverse audience, and several hundred people have typically attended each year. Since the event is held on campus, many faculty, staff, and students attend from rehabilitation-related majors (e.g., rehabilitation psychology, occupational therapy, communicative disorders, special education, physical therapy, nursing), in addition to engineering, computer science, and technology. A number of classes have used the Expo as a class activity, including classes at UW-Madison, Edgewood College, Madison Area Technical College, UW-Whitewater, and UW-La Crosse. Many professionals come from rehabilitation agencies, health organizations, and elementary and secondary schools. We have also had elementary school classes attend as a disability-awareness activity, and we once had a high school class come that was working on projects to design accessible spaces to accommodate people with disabilities. Finally, we advertise the Expo throughout the Madison community, and we have had many people with disabilities and their family members come, looking for applications of technology that may be of benefit.

With all of these groups, the Expo has helped to keep them informed about the advances in technology that may be helpful to people with disabilities.

--------------------------------------------------- written by Dr. Berven

REHABILITATION PSYCHOLOGY & SPECIAL EDUC

How did the Expo originate?

The Southwest Wisconsin Rehabilitation Association (SWRA) and the UW-Madison Rehabilitation Psychology Program in the Department of Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education were looking for a project on which to collaborate that might be beneficial to rehabilitation professionals, people with disabilities, and the broader community. After batting around ideas, we decided to organize a program on technology related to disability and rehabilitation services. We then planned and held the first technology expo on campus at Union South on October 18 1985. Organizations that were marketing or using technology related to disability and rehabilitation were invited to exhibit, and about 20-25 organizations participated. SWRA, the UW-Madison Department of Rehabilitation Psychology & Special Education, and the Wisconsin Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) jointly sponsored the event.

written by Dr. Berven, AT EXPO Planning Committee

A consumer's opinion on the AT Expo

I have attended a few AT Expos over the years because it is such an important event. I am always curious about what is new and I want to try out the "solutions" and ask questions to the students and vendors. Afterwards I have tended to leave a comment sheet with suggestions, of course. When asked if I would help coordinate the AT Expo, my only question was timing as I just love the opportunity to work on this project! Individuals on the planning committee are strong advocates in this arena and their hearts are in this. I am thankful I am working with them!


We are very excited to have UW students from different departments showcasing their projects. New this year will be a Health and Wellness panel with 4 people with disabilities discussing adaptive kayaking, sit skiing with the Berki last year and adaptive rowing, handcycling and adaptive camping. We are happy to have our key note speaker, Dr. Roger O. Smith, Professor of Occupational Therapy, College of Health Sciences (CHS), University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee.


written by Monica KamalRossa, planning member with the Madison SCI Group http://www.sci-madison.org/

Who to contact about your questions?

Email- Sarah Lincoln at Sarah.Lincoln@dhs.wisconsin.gov or Monica KamalRossa at Monica@SCI-Madison.org

To be an exhibitor at the AT Expo, please email Monica for the access to the online registration form.

To be a volunteer at the AT Expo, please register by clicking on this link and filling out our volunteer form.