New England Assistive Technology (NEAT) Resource & Education Center
The NEAT Center at Oak Hill enriches lives by enhancing independence and quality of life for people with disabilities including visual impairments. It sets the standard in providing innovative solutions, program excellence, services and advocacy for people with disabilities.
 The NEAT Center at Oak Hill is a place to learn about products, equipment and services that assist people with day-to-day activities that they have trouble doing themselves, either because of a disability or the effects of aging. It is also a place to donate or buy durable medical equipment.
The NEAT Center is a program of Oak Hill.
Our legal name is The Connecticut Institute for the Blind, Inc., d/b/a, Oak Hill, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation.
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Featured News & Events |
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NEAT Tools for Schools
Presented by: The NEAT Center at Oak Hill
Sponsored by: The Connecticut Tech Act Project
Join us for this FREE NEAT event for administrators, educators, speech and language professionals, related service professionals, students with disabilities and their families. View the latest in assistive and handheld technologies, and talk with the experts, vendors, and professionals.CEUs available.
Presenters:
Samuel Sennott is a PhD student at The Pennsylvania State University and is the co-creator of the original Proloquo2Go, the premier AAC software for the iOS. His clinical, research, and advocacy work focuses on AAC, literacy, and universal design.
Adam Bowker, CCC, SLP, is a PhD student at The Pennsylvania State University who works closely with Dr. Janice Light and is focused on AAC, play, and universal design. Adam is the technical guru of the Penn State AAC lab. His recent research is focused on the connections between play, communication, and AAC.
Featured Keynote Presentation
Required Tools for Schools: Glue, Scissors, iPad…: iOS Assistive Technology
Keynote Presentation Summary
This informative, fast moving presentation will describe the revolution in computing that is occurring around us and how that change will affect the people who use assistive technology as well as those who support them. From Apple’s iOS (the operating system used on the iPod touch, iPhone, and iPad) back to the One Laptop per Child XO, this session will give participants the background knowledge to understand what the new technologies consist of, how they work, and how they can be used to help students. A review of how the iOS can be used in the following domains will be provided: assistive technology, communication, literacy, learning, organization, and play.
Hands-On Sessions
Hands-on labs including AAC on the iOS will provide an in-depth review of how the iOS and the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad can be harnessed as powerful AAC tools. Additional lab sessions will provide participants with hands-on time using the iOS devices and a variety of apps.
Through the keynote presentation, hands-on sessions, and a vendor exhibit hall, participants in the NEAT Tools for Schools event will be able to:
• describe the basics about the range of mobile technologies available, both hardware and software.
• identify the built-in accessibility options in the iOS.
• identify and use some of the most popular iOS apps for assistive technology, with a focus on communication, literacy, learning, organization, and play.
• use the SETT Framework to consider how to meet student needs using mobile technologies.
Date: Thursday, October 28, 2010
Time: 8:30am - 3:00pm
Fee: FREE
To register by web, click the link below or download the Registration Flyer and fax to 860-286-3111.
Register by Web
Download Attachment: Registration Flyer for Tools for Schools
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Check out NEAT on News 8, WTNH!
Link to NEAT clip |
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The NEAT 2010/2011 Curriculum is here! Download your text version below.
The NEAT training catalog for August 2010 to June 2011 announces opportunities for anyone interested in the latest assistive technology devices and services.
Please see the course descriptions to help guide you in selecting workshops, seminars or product demonstrations.
Check back often for updates!
Download Attachment: FY 11 Curriculum - Text Version
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Unity: A Language for Life
This course will focus on the features of Unity for Unity 45, 60, 84, and 144 (ECO, Vantage Lite, Vantage, Vanguard or Pathfinder [128] devices). Participant will review overlays and icon features/functions, We will also visit the AAC Language Lab for strategies for teaching Unity vocabularies.
Participants will need to bring an ECO, Vantage Lite, Vanguard, Vantage, SpringBoard Lite, or Windows laptop computer. Laptops will give users the best experience for this session.
Presented by Prentke Romich Company
Date: September 8, 2010
Time: 9:00am - 3:00pm
Members: FREE Non-members: FREE
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Tools to Engage Students with Autism
Participants will learn about assistive technology tools that can help support students with Autism in the classroom setting. Tools including items for social skills, play and leisure, academic and functional skills, visual supports and adapted books. Hands-on opportunities will be provided for experience with computer-based technology, Internet sites for materials and interactive learning tools, and mobile technology supports as well as AAC devices. The benefits, limitations and precautions of AT will be reviewed and discussed throughout this workshop.
Presented by NEAT STAFF
Date: September 13, 2010
Time: 9:00am - 3:00pm
Members: $75 Non-members Fee: $90
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Engaging Reluctant Writers with Clicker & Clicker Paint
Discover meaningful ways to develop writing skills across the curriculum and learn how Clicker and Clicker Paint incorporate UDL principles to engage and support all learners. The use of technology can encourage even the most reluctant writers in your classroom, but some students need more than encouragement to achieve writing success. This workshop will focus on how Clicker and Clicker Paint combine the motivational aspects of multimodal technologies with personalized writing-support tools to create more independent and engaged writers. Participants will explore Clicker’s multimedia features. These resources can include text, images, sounds, and video and the use of pop-up grids allows all users to add their own recorded sounds and narrations. As well as the highly detailed educational picture library that comes with Clicker, teachers and students can use their own pictures or other ready-made picture libraries. This workshop will demonstrate how easy it is to create activities that develop writing across the curriculum for the diverse learners in today’s inclusive classrooms.
Presented by: Crick Software
Date: September 21, 2010
Time: 9:00am - 12:00pm
Members: FREE Non-Members: FREE
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Snow Leopard and SMART Boards Tips and Tricks
Apple's Snow Leopard operating system is the most accessible and classroom friendly available, its built-in tools support literacy and learning in a multitude of ways and works great with SMART Notebook software.
In this session participants will explore some new features and improvements in Mac's built-in tools and learn ways to integrate them into SMART Notebooks classroom activities.
Presented by: Bryan-St.John Schofield, SMART Education Solutions Specialist
Date: September 22, 2010
Time: 9:00am - 12:00pm
Members: FREE Non-members: FREE
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Introduction to BoardMaker
In this introductory workshop, participants will learn how to use Boardmaker, software that features picture communication symbols (PCS) for creating printed communication and educational materials. Participants will learn how to: utilize and modify existing templates; create custom boards; search the extensive picture library; and import pictures from other sources. Please bring a CD-R or USB drive if you would like to save your work. Recommended for: General and Special Education Teachers and Health Care Professionals.
Date: September 29, 2010
Time: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Members: $75 Non-members: $90
Register |
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Have Facebook? Visit our page by clicking the link!!
Oak Hill's Facebook page
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Assistive Technology Consultation Services for Adults
Many adults with disabilities experience numerous challenges as they transition across home, community, work and/or school environments.
Determining the appropriate assistive technology to address these challenges is critical to building as much success and independence as possible in adult life.
The NEAT Centers’ adult services will assist you in selecting appropriate assistive technology options.
- incorporating assistive technology into the life of the individual through training and support.
- consultation to determine the appropriate assistive technology needs of the individual.
For more information or to schedule your consultation please call (860) 243-2869.
Members Fee: $75 per hour
Non-members Fee: $125 per hour
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The NEAT AT HIRE Project
Assistive Technology:
Hire
Innovative
Resourceful
Employees
Providing workplace accommodation solutions and information resources for employers, employees and individuals seeking employment.
Visit the NEAT AT HIRE Project! |
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Is Space at NEAT available to Rent?
YES! Just follow the link below!
Rental Information |
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Download directions to the NEAT Center here.
Download Attachment: Directions to the NEAT Center
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Read&Write 10 GOLD Software Toolkit and Training Workshop
Presented by: Carmen Simon, Director of Product Support, Texthelp Systems
Give students struggling with reading and writing the help they need with Read&Write GOLD!
Students can complete reading, writing, and research assignments independently using the support tools they need on the customizable easy-to-use toolbar.
Participants will receive:
v Single User Copy of Read&Write 10 GOLD
v Software Maintenance Agreement (Includes free updates and upgrades for one year)
v 5 contact hours of hands-on Training along with supplemental materials. CEU’s available
v Lunch included
Total Software and Training Value = $990.00
ALL FOR JUST $495.00 per Participant!
Recommended for: Regular, Higher and Special Education Teachers, Clinicians and Related Service Professionals
Date: To be determined
Time: 9:00am-3pm
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