ABSTRACT

The objective of this project is to create standard reference materials for a freshman-level chemistry course that will be materials for a freshman-level chemistry course that will be accessible to blind and visually impaired students. The "reference packet" will consist of braille, tactile diagrams, audiotactile diagrams, and a tactile model kit. Standard procedures for producing tactile and audiotactile diagrams will be created, refined, and disseminated to educators of visually impaired students. The project will use the latest advances in adaptive technology for blind and visually impaired people. Several different tactile media will be used, including high- grade vacuum-molded plastics, the flexible tactile imaging paper produced by Repro-Tronics, and various textured media as part of the model kit. Hardware such as the NOMAD (TM) touch tablet and the Edmark Touch Window (TM) will be used to display the information contained in audiotactile graphics. The software to be used will consist of AudioCAD (R), AudioPiCS (R), AutoCAD (R), and some custom software developed as part of the project. The project should provide significant assistance to blind students in several areas. First, blind students at many institutions will have access to standard reference materials that can be used as a supplement to almost any General Chemistry course. Second, standards for tactile and audiotactile diagrams will be developed. Third, a document detailing the process by which these diagrams can be made will be developed and disseminated.

ABSTRACT

Scientific visualization provides scientists with tools to model and visually observe three dimensional data. This technique has advanced scientific understanding in numerous scientific fields such as biology, chemistry and engineering. The traditional method of visualization is to model the data into one of the many surface modeling schemes and display the data on a computer screen. This approach has obvious limitations for people that are visually impaired. This project will test a novel way to provide analogous information to these individuals whether they are students, scientists or researchers. Data are modeled in the normal manner, but instead of displaying the model on a computer screen, a three-dimensional wax-based model will be created. The data, after being geometrically modeled, will be converted into a physical model using a Layered Manufacturing (Rapid Prototyping) machine. The tactile model will maintain the appropriate ratios so as not to distort the proportions of the data. A Scanning Probe Microscope (SPM) has been chosen as the test-bed to provide 3D data. A SPM is used to probe objects on a nano scale and its output is inherently three dimensional. The only way to currently observe experiments and data performed on SPM is a visual display on a screen. With the proposed technique, a visually impaired student will be able to feel the surface representation of the 3D data on the physical model as seen on a SPM. The use of 3D physical models for tactile feedback will be developed in three Arizona State University classes: a junior level course in Chemical Engineering; a sophomore level course in Physical Science for in-service and preservice teachers, and a junior level interdisciplinary science course. Activities will be created to demonstrate the viability, importance and success of this project. Workshops will be organized to bring educators, scientists, special education teachers and students to both evaluate and provide input to this project. The project has broad implications for science education for all students because they will be able to touch, feel and observe tangible three- dimensional data models.

ABSTRACT

This project is building on and expanding Playtime is Science, EEC's early childhood, hands-on, parent/child science activity program, providing a major focus on the needs and capabilities of children with disabilities. Playtime is Science has been piloted in schools and community-based settings at four national sites with funding from the NSF, the Toyota USA Foundation, and the Dewitt Wallace-Readers Digest Fund. During this pilot, Playtime is Science was found to be effective for children with disabilities. The sample, however, was small and further development is needed to adapt the program successfully in a variety of settings, and to test the activities with children with a wider range of disabilities.
The goals of Playtime is Science for Children with Disabilities are (1) to increase the ability of teachers, staff and parents to motivate and empower children with disabilities in grades pre-K through the third grade to develop their science skills in a supportive environment; (2) to help children with disabilities build on their strengths and develop confidence and skill in science; and (3) to provide opportunities for parents of these students to become involved in their children's early science learning. Specific objectives are: (1) to pilot test and adapt the activities in inclusive and special education settings; (2) to build science skills based on the problem-solving abilities already developed by many children with disabilities; (3) to conduct training in program facilitation for teacher, staff and parents; (4) to develop, field test, and publish a Facilitator's Guide; (5) to institutionalize the program in participating sites; (6) to disseminate project results and materials; (6) to conduct ongoing evaluation.
EEC will work with teachers, staff, parents and children in three different types of setting in New York City: (1) four early elementary public school classrooms inclusive of children with and without disabilities; (2) three early childhood programs, including an inclusive Head Start center, a special education program serving children with a range of disabilities, and a child development center serving pre-school children with visual impairments; and (3) a large, inclusive after-school program.
By fostering positive science experiences, and by increasing parent, fostering positive science experiences, and by increasing parent and staff expertise and enthusiasm for and encouragement of science activities, this project will enable children with disabilities to gain confidence and skills which will help them succeed in science. By acknowledging and building upon the individual strengths of children with disabilities, it will create an inclusive environment that says "science is for everyone".

ABSTRACT

Many middle and high schools encourage students to use graphing scientific calculators to assist in mathematics and science courses. They are used widely in higher mathematics (Algebra I and above) and in the physical sciences. These calculators perform scientific functions and have built-in screens to display graphs of analyzed data. They are valuable tools both for students and teachers. Unfortunately, graphing scientific calculators are not accessible to visually impaired students. The Interactive Scientific Graph Analysis Project (ISGAP) will investigate strategies for the design, development, and evaluation of technology that will provide better access for visually impaired students to graphs and scientific expressions. Investigations will be conducted for the purpose of identifying and testing economical materials and procedures that will provide real time interactive independent comprehension of two time interactive independent comprehension of two dimensional graphs by visually impaired students. The project should increase the knowledge base regarding interactive graph analysis and interactive scientific calculation for visually students, teachers, and parents in all phases of the research project. Training will be required so students and teachers understand how to operate this new technology. Online help assistance will be designed into the system from the beginning. The project will begin with the development of customized software that will run on a PC. Off-the-shelf peripherals will be used to keep final product costs low. Specific project objectives are: (1) Determine ISGAP requirements and design user interfaces, (2) Interface peripherals and design and develop software, (3) Design, develop, and test functions for interpreting graphs, and (4) Field test and evaluate product. This project should significantly impact the ability of visually impaired students to succeed in math and science courses. A successful conclusion to this project will lead to production of an economical hand-held device enabling visually impaired students to have increased equity with their peers.

ABSTRACT

The language of science is difficult to learn for many children - The language of science is difficult to learn for many children - but much more difficult for children who cannot hear. This project is designed to bring new technology into the classroom that can help deaf children to succeed in science by making both the language and the methods of science more accessible and engaging to them. Project objectives are:

The project will integrate three building blocks: A successful science curriculum that is already sold nationally, a pedagogical collaboration with teachers of deaf students that has already extended over three years, and a new enabling technology that has been developed and evaluated specifically for children who are deaf. The project will bring these three components together creating a science curriculum that offers new opportunities to actively engage deaf children in doing and understanding science by reducing the pervasive barriers of time, motivation, and instructional methods that presently impede their progress. The curriculum will be elaborated and evaluated in classroom tests, modified as necessary, and then replicated and disseminated. The research design includes approximately 50 upper-school students in four schools for the deaf. Acknowledging the impossibility of adequate matching of control and experimental subjects, a full reversal (ABABAB) design will allow evaluation of whether the intervention condition is associated with enhanced learning. Both quantitative and qualitative methods will be used to maximize the generalizability of the results and to capture valuable information obtainable only from individuals. The four different pedagogical approaches of the participating schools in the study ensures broad applicability to educational settings for children who are deaf. The science curricula and methods developed in this study will The science curricula and methods developed in this study will have an immediate impact in the four schools within the study and on all schools that already use this science curriculum. Beyond these schools and this specific curriculum, however, the tools and methods developed in this project should have wide general applicability.

Project Description

The project will develop resource materials to assist science teachers provide students with disabilities the ability to participate in the conduct of science laboratory experiments. Staff from Georgia Tech's Center for Rehabilitation Technology will work with the institution's Chemistry and Physics Departments in setting up twelve computer controlled lab experiments that are representative of first year chemistry and physics lab exercises. Staff will test the combination of computer access and computer controlled laboratory technology and develop a resource guide that will permit teachers to learn to operate these technologies independently. The resource guide will provide teachers the information they need for modifying existing labs and for operating computer controlled systems. It will also cover use of computers equipped with software needed by blind, visually impaired and mobility impaired students. The project's activities and resulting resource guide should be valuable as well to the many schools that do not have modern science laboratories. Many teachers are developing simulations of laboratory experiments to use as supplements to, or substitutions for, chemistry and physics laboratory experiments. Although simulations are not a replacement for fully accessible laboratories, they may be a good alternative in the absence of well-equipped laboratories, and they should be appropriate for some students with severe disabilities who would not otherwise be able to participate in laboratory experiments. Project staff will identify and document existing laboratory simulations and low tech tools and techniques for making laboratory experiments accessible. Staff will test a sample of twenty simulation programs with computer access software to be sure that the simulations are fully usable by students with disabilities. The resource guide will contain a comprehensive list of these simulations and other low tech tools and techniques used as laboratory accommodations.

DO-IT GETS AWARD --- WITH SEVERAL FSD MEMBERS WHO ARE DO-IT MENTORS
submitted by Ed Keller

The University of Washington's Disabilities, Opportunities, Internet working and Technology program, which has enlisted scientific luminaries such as British physicist Stephen Hawking to encourage teenagers with disabilities to pursue careers in technical fields, has won a 1997 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring.

Sponsored by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National Science and Technology Council, the awards seek to recognize outstanding programs for mentoring underrepresented groups in science, math and engineering fields. The awards, which include a $10,000 grant, were presented at a White House ceremony led by John Gibbons, assistant to the president for science and technology. This award recognizes the contribution of the DO-IT mentors in the successful transition of program participants to college and careers, says Sheryl Burgstahler, DO-IT director, who attended the Washington, D.C. ceremony.

Founded in 1992, DO-IT targets high school students with disabilities who want to pursue careers in science, math or engineering. Each summer, participants spend two weeks at the UW attending labs and lectures to get a feel for college life. They also meet with faculty and students, many with disabilities themselves, to learn how new technology is making it easier for them to pursue degrees and careers in fields once thought out of reach.

Throughout the year, DO-IT scholars use home computers and e-mail to communicate with one another and with mentors from around the world. These cyber-relationships provide a sense of community and a source of encouragement to the students as they overcome common challenges to pursue their goals. Computers, modems and adaptive technology are provided for participants who don't have their own. DO-IT is sponsored primarily by the National Science Foundation and administered by the UW College of Engineering and UW Office of Computing and Communications. In addition to the White House award, DO-IT won first place in the 1995 National Information Infrastructure Champions of Cyberspace awards program for its innovative and practical use of the Internet and was showcased in the President's Summit on National Service earlier this year for its creative use of technology in promoting volunteer mentoring. For more information on how to become a mentor from FSD, contact Burgstahler or the DO-IT office at (206) 685-3648 and doit@u.washington.edu

NSF Graduate Fellowships for Students with and without disabilities 1989 versus 1997

Regular Awards Program: Year Awardees Awardees No Disability With Disabilities 1989 746 (98.9%) 8 (1.1%) 1997 847 (99.3%) 3 (0.7%)

Minority Awards Program: Year Awardees Awardees No Disability With Disabilities 1989 98 (99%) 1 (0.1%) 1997 147 (98.7%) 2 (1.3%)

Information from NSF -EHR Division

These numbers do not indicate any "progress" for graduates with disabilities in regard to increased participation in the NSF post doctoral regular or minority programs. An interesting related comparison is in order, in regard to the numbers of Science Engineering and Mathematics (SEM) underrepresented minorities and individuals with disabilities in employed in the SEM workforce 1995. (NSF Data).

SEM Employed Number %
Total Minorities 269,400 8.46
Total Persons with Disabilities 202,500 6.36
Above Total Under represented 471,900 14.82
Total SEM Employed 3,185,500

Information from NSF

Only one comment: There is a special NSF postdoctoral minority program in the NSF Postdoctoral Programs, there is no special NSF Postdoctoral program yet the data between 1989 and 97 shows a decline in the percentage of Fellows with disabilities in the regular Postdoctoral program. There are about as many minority individuals in the SEM workforce as those individuals with disabilities (8.46 vs. 6.36%, respectively).

In sum, during this interval, there has been a declining participation of Fellows with disabilities in Postdoctoral program, 53% fewer. Over the same interval, there has been an increase of 33% participation in the minority program. Perhaps now is the time to change strategies for those SEM doctoral Fellows with another special NSF Postdoctoral program for SEM doctoral graduates with disabilities! Submitted by Ed Keller

NSF Postdoctoral Fellowships in Science Education for recently trained Ph.D.'s
commentary by Ed Keller

Note: Although we are past submission time for this year, we would have a year to prepare an application to work in the area of research in Science Education for Students with Disabilities.
This past year there were no applicants that applied to work in areas concerning science education for students with disabilities. We hope that some one (or a group) of the FSD cadre can put together a proposal to bring the need for research in Science Education for finding better ways to enhance the learning environment for Students with Disabilities. The program is listed below.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) recognizes that Ph.D. graduates in science, mathematics, engineering and technology (SMET) must help the Nation in addressing challenging issues in education across a broad spectrum of institutions and educational levels. NSF anticipates that in the future, these graduates will assume leadership roles in contributing to the Nation's education enterprise. Academic and educational institutions will benefit from the contribution of professionals who will have a thorough understanding of topics in education such as how scientific knowledge can be communicated to diverse learners in a variety of settings, how teaching and learning can be assessed, how new disciplinary knowledge can be used in curriculum development, how technology can be used to advance the teaching of SMET education, and how best to carry out program evaluation of complex educational systems.
As a means of preparing individuals with these skills, NSF announces the continuation of the Postdoctoral Fellowships in Science , Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology Education (PFSMETE). The Foundation hopes to support approximately 20, two-year PFSMETE fellowships in FY 1998. This program is aimed at recent Ph.D. graduates in science, mathematics or engineering and seeks to draw broadly on the diversity of talent available in the US population.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

The primary objectives of the program are:

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for a PFSMETE fellowship, individuals must: 1) be citizens, nationals, or permanent residents of the United States at the time of application; and 2) have received a doctoral degree (Ph.D. or equivalent) in one of the SMET fields supported by NSF on or after January 1, 1995 but no later than October 1, 1998. Because this program in SMET disciplines, individuals who hold SMET education degrees are not eligible for this program.

Perhaps, we could visit this opportunity, for an application in 1999, on the FSD list-serve. We need a mentor/sponsor and two or three advisors, all with some expertise in aspects of science education. The applicant needs to be a recent research Ph.D. I hope we could find a postdoctoral candidate with a disability interested in applying. (For more information contact sortega@nsf.gov).