nrcgsh@ritvax.isc.rit.edu (Norm Coombs) (12/19/90)
Index Number: 12518 The Second International Conference on Computers for Handicapped Persons was held in Zurich Switzerland between Dec. 3 and Dec. 5. There were participants there from most countries in Western Europe, some from Eastern Europe, several from the US and a sprinkling from more distant parts of the world. A significant minority of the participants themselves were disabled in one way or another: visually impaired, hearing impaired or motor impaired. Presentations covered all of these disabilities and a variety of ways that computers are being utilized to assist such persons. The presentations are available either in ink print or on computer disk and, if I recall, cost about $20. There were a number of exhibits, both hardware and software. Most were European, but there were some American exhibitors there as well. The third conference is already scheduled for July of 1992 in Vienna. I was fortunate enough to be among those making presentations and talked about the use of telecommunications in education as a means to mainstreaming. I found the conference interesting and stimulating. I would encourage any other participants who read this discussion group to post any of their opinions or reports here also. The shock of the conference was the prices in Zurich. Coffee often sold for $2.40 a cup. It was good coffee however. We Americans began to feel as though we come from a third world country! Aside from cost, Zurich is a very clean, efficient, comfortable and pleasant city. We all enjoyed our visit very much. I will close with one basic impression. The usefulness of computers to assist persons with a variety of handicaps is being widely recognized. Work is proceeding steadily in many countries and on all fronts. My impression is that such a world-wide movement is here to stay. Attached is a list of the presentations and the addresses of the authors. I would be willing to share more as my memory and my time permit. You could also write the authors for further information. Norman Coombs 01 ARATO Andras Computer Aided Hungarian Contracted Braille Central Research Institute for Physics, H-1525 Budapest, POB 49 Tel: +36-1-1699499 02 BRUL John D. A Workstation for Tactile Graphics Syracuse University, ECE Department, Syracuse, NY, 13244, 111 Link Hall, USA 03 CAPREZ Gaudenz Computer-Aided Neuropsychological Therapy for Brain-Damaged Patients SUVA Rehabilitationsklinik, CH-5454 Bellikon Tel: +41-56-969111 04 CLAYTON Colin John Palatal Tongue Controller Wolfson Centre, London WC1, Mecklenburgh Square, GB 05 COLOMBINI Lorella Bliss for Disabled People and Able Ones Dipartimento di Elettronica, I-20100 Milano, Via Ponzio 34/5 Tel: +39-2-23993525 06 COOMBS Norman Telecommunications, Education and the Handicapped Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY 14623-0887, One Lomb Memorial Drive, USA Tel: 716-475-2444 07 COOPER R. J. Point to Pictures: Early Communication Training Using Technology with Non-Verbal Severely/Profoundly Developmentally Disabled Children Dana Point, CA 92629, 24843 Del Prado, #283, USA Tel: 714-240-1912 08 DOPPING Olof Gateway Computers for Enlarging the Contact Area of Deaf Text Telephone Users Doppings Frlag KB, S-18135 Lindig, Barkassvgen 5 Tel: +46-8-7670666 09 FASTEAU Steven Computers in Special Education of Handicapped Persons: A Model Community College Program El Camino College, Torrance CA, 90506, 16007 Crenshaw Blvd., USA Tel: 213-532-3670 10 FRUCHTERMAN James R. Reading Systems for the Blind Arkenstone Corp., Sunnyvale, CA 94089, 540 Weddell Drive, Suite 1, USA Tel: 408-752-2200 11 GABUS Jean-Claude Communication of People Deprived of Verbal Language through Synthetic Voices Swiss Foundation for Electronic Aids, CH-2002 Neuchtel, Crt-Taconnet 32 Tel: +41-038-246757 12 GARDNER Lee S. Designing the Human Computer Interface: A Workstation for Blind Computer Professionals Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards AFB, CA 93 523, 6521 RANS/TSRCP, USA Tel: 805-277-2628 13 GILDEN Deborah Braille Computer Screens: A New Perspective Smith Kettlewell Eye Research Institute, San Francisco, CA 94115, 2232 Webster Street, USA Tel: 415-561-1665/1620 14 HALOUSEK Jan The Czechoslovak Modular System of Computer Workstations for Visually Handicapped Persons META, CS-15000 Praha, Ostrovskeho 19 Tel: +42-2-538430 15 HARNER Eleanor Opening New Horizons for the LD through Computer Technology University of Arizona S.A.L.T. - Program, Tucson, Arizona 85721, Old Main Bldg., Room 101, USA Tel: 602-621-1242 16 HILTON-CHALFEN Danny Computer Access for Persons with Disabilities at the University Level: Several Program Development Models from the United States UCLA, Disabled Computing Program, Los Angeles, CA 90024, 404 Hilgard Avenue, 5628 MSA, USA Tel: 213-206-7133 17 HINE N. A. Vocational Training of People with Disabilities in IT Skills- Conclusions from Practical Experience Katholieke Universitait Leuven, B-3030 Heverlee, Tervuursevest 101 Tel: +32-16-216783 18 KEHR Kit Computer Use for Pre-School and Young Special Needs Children University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90024, 1000 Veteran Avenue, USA Tel: 213-825-4821 19 KENNY Sean Home Delivered Training National Rehabilitation Board, Dublin 4, 25 Clyde Road, Ballsbridge, Irland Tel: +353-1-684181/609544 20 KRAUS Lewis E. Use of Interactive Multimedia for AIDS Prevention for Persons with Mental Retardation InfoUse, Berkeley, CA 94704, 1995 University Avenue, Suite 215, USA Tel: 415-644-9901 21 KREUTZER Jeffrey Innovative Uses for Computers in Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, VA 23298-0677, Box 677, MCV Station, USA Tel: 804-786-0231 22 MANER Walter The Design of Human-Computer Interfaces for Blind Programmers Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43403, USA Tel: 419-372-2337 23 MATRAY Dick J. Feasibility Study on System Control through Ocular Position Electrography (SCOPE) CH-1723 Marly, 21 rte. du Centre Tel: +41-37-462921 24 MATTISON J. Keith Computers and the Disabled - A Self-Help Project University of Cape Town, ZA, Private Bag, Rondebosch, 7700, South Africa Tel: +27-21-650-2279 25 MIDDLETON Teresa Trends in the Use of Technologies by Handicapped Persons in the United States SRI International, Menlo Park, CA 94025, 333 Ravenswood Ave, USA Tel: 415-326-6200 26 MHLBACHER Stefan Reading Device for Visually Handicapped Persons Forschungszentrum Seibersdorf, A-2444 Seibersdorf Tel: +43-2254-80-2809 27 MURPHY Harry The Technology Group at California State University, Northridge, USA California State University, Northridge, CA 91330, 18111 Nordhoff Street, USA Tel: 818-885-2578 28 PLACOUDIS Nick Computer Workshop for Cerebral- Palsied Children: A Experimental Project in Greece Hellenic Society for Disabled Children, GR-11634 Athens, 16 Kononos Street Tel: +30-1-7212780 29 REICHL Franz Some Future Trends in Education and Training in Information Technology Technische Universitt Wien, A-1040 Wien, Gusshausstrasse 28 Tel: +43-1-58801-4029 30 SAMPSON Lynda High Tech Means to a High Tech End NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, USA Tel: 202-453-2177 31 SCHNEIDER Arnold The Impact of Videotex for Visually Impaired People Swiss Federation of the Blind and Visually Impaired, CH-8057 Zurich, Viktoriastrasse 13 Tel: +41-1-3125574 32 SCHREIER Elliot Trends in Technology for Blind and Visually Impaired Persons American Foundation for the Blind, New York, NY 10011, 15 West 16th Street, USA Tel: 212-620-2000 33 SCHULZ Bertold Structured Reading of Electronic Books Universit Karlsruhe, D-7500 Karlsruhe 1, Postfach 69 80 Tel: +49-721-608-2760 34 SUCHANEK Leonard J. US Federal Government Policy Development and Standard Initiatives for Electronic Equipment Accessibility U.S. General Services Administration, Washington, DC 20405, 18th and F Streets, NW, Suite 7228, USA Tel: 202-501-0720 35 SUTTER Erich E. Communication through Visually Induced Electrical Brain Responses Smith Kettlewell Eye Research Institute, San Francisco, CA 94115, 2232 Webster Street, USA Tel: 415-561-1620 36 WETZEL Gottfried Applications of Computers in Austrian Special Schools for Disabled in Comparison with International Experiences Institut fur Erziehungswissenschaften, A-5020 Salzburg, Franziskanergasse 1 Tel: +43-662-8044-4203 37 ZAGLER Wolfgang Microprocessor Devices to Lower the Barriers for the Blind and Visually Impaired Technical University Vienna - FORTec, A-1040 Wien, Gusshausstr. 27/359/1B Tel: +43-1-58801-3887