LATDC Assistive Technology Forum - May 3, 2002

The past 10 years have brought significant advancements for people with
disabilities who rely on assistive technology. What will the next decade
bring? The fourth annual LATDC forum at Hampshire College will focus on what
is ahead in the field of assistive technology design. 

Hampshire's Lemelson Assistive Technology Development Center (LATDC) will
hold the forum, "Accessible by Design," on May 3. 

The forum is open to the public, but participants must register by April 15.
For information on how to register, call 413/559-5806 or email
lway@hampshire.edu. 

The annual forum brings together a diverse group of equipment designers,
industry experts, people with disabilities, engineers and college students,
administrators and faculty. The purpose is to encourage discussion of needs,
and the sharing of information and ideas about how assistive technologies
will change how we move, communicate and enjoy recreational activities in the
future. 

Speakers this year will include renowned advocates for science and
technology. A morning panel, representing a wide range of viewpoints, will
highlight future trends in assistive technology and universal design. 

Workshops will provide a small group format in which participants can discuss
how changes in design will affect our future. Workshops this year will
include sessions on intellectual property protection and product development,
new media access technology for people with visual and hearing disabilities,
assistive technology career and training resources, and future trends in
adaptive sports equipment. 

The Student Invention Showcase, always the most popular part of the LATDC
forum, will provide participants the opportunity to see the wide range of
assistive technology and universal design projects invented and prototyped by
students at LATDC. 

LATDC is at http://lemelson.hampshire.edu

Hampshire College is a private four-year liberal arts college with an
interdisciplinary focus located in Western Massachusetts. The Lemelson
Assistive Technology Development Center provides students with an
experiential education in applied design, invention, and entrepreneurship
through the lens of assistive technology and universal design. LATDC achieves
its mission through a combination of courses, activities, internships,
collaborations with business and non-profit organizations, and through teams
of students who design, develop, and make equipment available for people with
disabilities. 
