Funded Project
$30,000 to conduct an information and education campaign to raise awareness among major rehabilitation and education institutions, and public policymakers, about emerging technologies for blind navigation, and to encourage the development of technologies that will improve the ability of blind individuals to navigate in the environment. Activities will include workshops, educational materials, a web site, listserves among researchers and inventors, presentations in professional and policymaking forums.
Initial Activities
An exclusive Merrill Lynch CMA account will be set up to hold the
NEC Foundation of America grant funds. Financial activities can then be monitored by NEC Foundation of America trustees on the Institute for Innovative Blind Navigation (IIBN) web site in an “accounting log”. A special section of the IIBN web site will be established to feature the information and education campaign. After review and approval from NEC Foundation of America Director, Ms. Sylvia Clark, press releases will be issued to local, state, and national media organizations. A press announcement will also be avaliable from the index page of the IIBN web site and will be posted to two IIBN managed listserves that serve over 1,000 professionals in the blindness field. A “contact log” documenting written, phone, and electronic communications will be set up on the web site to allow the public, the IIBN Board of Directors, and the NEC Foundation of America Board to monitor grant activities. IIBN will hire a part-time secretary specifically to support the activities funded by the grant.
Goals
Within all phases of this project, including regional seminars, presentations, digital media, and with written, personal, and electronic communication, the goals will be the following:
1) To educate key individuals in target organizations concerning the mission of IIBN.
2) To inform these individuals of the NEC Foundation of America grant and it’s purpose.
3) To increase IIBN’s knowledge base; to understand the current structure and philosophy of key organizations, with particular focus on the avenues for funding technology; and to understand the process for bringing about change in the funding structure of the target agency to accommodate navigational technologies for the blind.
4) To inform and educate key individuals concerning the existence of current and emerging navigational technologies for the blind; to offer formal presentations, regional seminars, and/or materials with the goal of providing a detailed understanding of the needs and issues involved.
Networking Campaign
Letter writing (also phone and email) campaign targeted at funding agencies within the United States government: Within special education, work with AER to educate key members of federal and state legislative bodies about IDEA legislation, specifically regarding technology funding. Explore the Medicaid and Medicare networks, open a dialogue with key policymakers, determine if funding avenues can be defined within the parameters of these complex systems. Target State Commissions for the Blind and explore which ones, if any, have ever funded navigational technologies. Explore the avenues needed to open funding channels within these key federal/state agencies. Explore the mandates of the American Printing House for the Blind to determine why this federal agency does not provide navigational technology to improve environmental literacy.
Letter writing (phone and email) campaign targeted at educational institutions, foundations for the blind, and consumer groups: IIBN will contact and provide information and/or educational materials, and will invite key leaders to the regional seminars, from the following AER accredited university programs: University of Arkansas at Little Rock; University of Arizona; California State University in Los Angeles; San Francisco State University; University of Northern Colorado; Florida StateUniversity; Northern Illinois University; University of Massachusetts in Boston; Western Michigan University; Hunter College in New York City; North Carolina Central University; Pennsylvania College of Optometry; University of Pittsburgh; University of South Carolina; Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas; and Texas Tech University in Lubbock. IIBN will use it’s web site as a knowledge base for the educational institutions. Curricular materials, presentations, and two online books will be available to graduate students and professors.
IIBN will also contact and provide information and/or educational materials, and will invite key leaders to the regional seminars from the two largest consumer groups in the United States, The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), and the American Council of the Blind (ACB).
IIBN will work closely with the largest foundation for the blind in the United States, the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), and with the national professional organization for the blind, The Association for Educators and Rehabilitation Specialists for the Blind (AER).
Regional Seminars and Conference Presentations
Regional Seminars: IIBN will design and put on four regional seminars in the United States: Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, Southwest. These seminars will be done in collaboration with one or more major universities, professional organizations, consumer groups, foundations, or government agencies. Seminars will last two days and cost an estimated $3,000 each. We define “seminar” to be a future-oriented discussion addressing the major research and development issues impacting blind navigation. The first day of the seminar will feature a keynote address from IIBN, followed by state-of-the-art presentations from key experts in categories listed below. The second day
of the seminar will feature hands-on experience with available technologies. The first seminar will be at Western Michigan University’s Department of Blind Rehabilitation in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Western has agreed to co-host the first regional gathering. The following technology areas will be addressed:
1) Environmental Literacy (The right to Environmental Accessibility): This includes GPS evolution, talking maps, dead reckoning technology, and talking signage.
2) Vision Substitution Systems: These are technologies that use secondary sensory input to replace vision; including Eyetap technology, sonocular perception, video-to-sound pattern substitution, miniature radar developments, and tactile input technologies.
3) Obstacle Avoidance Systems: These include all technologies that signal the presence of objects in the path.
4) Robotic Technologies: These include intelligent digital systems that add a mobility component to the sensory array (electronic “guide dogs,” smart canes, guide toys, etc.).
5) Retinal and/or brain-level silicon implant evolution.
6) The development of stem cell and genetic surgeries at the retinal or brain levels.
Conference Presentations: IIBN will target four national conferences from a list of potential presentations. The following are potential target conferences that have been identified so far: CSUN National Assistive Technology Conference; Closing the GAP National Assistive Technology Conference; Association of Educators and Rehabilitation (AER) Specialists international conference; National Federation of the Blind national conference; American Council for the Blind national conference; American Printing House for the Blind national annual meeting, regional Orientation and Mobility Association conferences, and regional AER and/or O&M conferences.
Networking Conferences: IIBN will attend local and some regional conferences with the purpose of exploring product evolution and networking with key individuals and funding agencies.
Development of Materials and the IIBN Web Site
Materials development: IIBN will extensively development it’s web site to accommodate the NEC Foundation of America grant. Besides the accounting and contact logs, the following modifications and additions will be made.
1) Perseus Survey Software will be installed to enable online questionnaires to be developed and processed.
2) A digital media presentation will be created for use at seminars and presentations (for example, as an elaborate “Powerpoint” presentation with video and audio components). This presentation will be available for review on the IIBN web site.
3) The Seminar Information Booklet will also be available on the web site. This will evolve to be a living (ongoing) web textbook (with curricular and training sections), and will continue to develop after the grant time frame has passed.
4) IIBN will create a web radio component on the web site and will use this as a medium for promoting an understanding of navigational technologies. This will evolve into the blind children’s web radio “network” which is a long standing objective for IIBN.
IIBN will also create a new brochure detailing it’s mission, goals and activities. This brochure will feature the NEC Foundation of America grant.
IIBN will attempt to create two new listserves (evolution will depend on the response from the professionals contacted):
1) A Biotech List for researchers working with stem cells and genetic modifications that can impact the vision system; and
2) An Implant List for researchers working to interface computer chips with the eye and/or visual brain.
Equipment, Summary Article, Grant Follow-up
Equipment Purchases: IIBN has many of the technologies needed for the hands-on seminar sessions. We do not have sufficient GPS equipment and we do not have GPS training. Also, we need a laptop computer to run the GPS system. This grant provides $4,000 for these purchases. Purchases and training will occur prior to the first seminar.
Reporting of grant activities: These will occur through the IIBN web site, specifically through web-based accounting and the contact/activity log. We will also report to NEC Foundation of America following the guidelines provided to us. At the conclusion of the campaign, IIBN will publish a “Grant Summary Report” in the AFB monthly publication JVIB, “The Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness” (JVIB is the publication of record for the blindness field).
Follow-up Activities: IIBN will write additional grants to extend the information and outreach plan globally. We will purchase additional emerging navigational technologies for seminars. We will continue to provide funds to extend our “employment of blind youth program” to enable blind students to help develop the IIBN web site and to work on the web radio network. Web site development and assistance at workshops and presentations offer important avenues for blind youth to participate in the NEC Foundation of America project. We will also secure funds for an administrative director for IIBN. All of these activities are made possible by the important and timely support of NEC Foundation of America.
We will use the web-based developments made possible by NEC Foundation of America support as an ongoing knowledge management system. This includes: the web text book; web radio; the technology curriculum for training in the use of the various tools; the digital media formats; and the survey capability.
The web textbook will continue beyond the conclusion of the grant. We also expect that the web based curricular materials for information and training with navigational technologies will continue to become more sophisticated beyond the life of the NEC Foundation of America grant. This will also be the launching of the blind children’s web radio network, which we expect will evolve in the years ahead.
Accounting Summary
Total Project Funding: $30,000
Networking Expense: $5,000
This includes part-time secretarial support, mailing expenses, telephone expenses, copying fees, stationery, other office related expenses.
Total for Seminar/Presentation phase: $18,000
Seminar expense: $12,000
Presentations expense: $5,000
Networking Conference Expense: $1,000
Seminar and conference/networking presentation expenses include: Round trip airfare for one or two IIBN staff; hotel expenses; meals; ground transportation; snacks and drinks for attendees; space and media technology rental, notification brochures, advertising in relevant journals, and handouts. In all cases, IIBN will attempt to deliver the services at an expense less than these estimates (through matching funds, room sharing, registration fees, etc.). Local presentations will require no airfare or accommodation expenses. If the seminars prove to be less costly than estimated, excess funds will be used to increase the number of presentations at conferences.
Development of Materials: $3,000
This includes expenses for: a new brochure for IIBN; web radio; the digital media component on the web site (and for presentations); web-based software; staff expenses to learn web-based software/ technologies; and staff time reimbursement to record data and set up surveys on the web site. The definition of “staff” refers primarily to blind students enrolled in the employment program, and contracted services from local accessibility/technology consultants. There are no funds allocated for the IIBN director in this grant. Secretarial funds are allocated separately above.
Equipment Expenses: $4,000
Laptop Computer Expense: $2,000
This is for a small, lightweight laptop that can be carried in a backpack. It can then be used for GPS and with vision substitution systems.
GPS Equipment Expense: $2,000
This is for portable GPS equipment, including geographic database software; GPS receiver and antenna, cables, flat speakers, and the GPS software package that interfaces with the laptop. It also includes tech support and training as needed.
Time Frame Summary
To Complete the Networking Phase: Ongoing and continuing after the project, but primarily complete by the end of December 2002. The IIBN secretary will be hired Summer, 2001.
To Complete Regional Seminars and Presentations: Seminars will begin as soon as detailed planning and marketing are completed. It will take a minimum of six months to set up the seminars. The Northeast Regional will take place in late Winter or early Fall, 2002 in Michigan, at Western Michigan University’s Department of Blind Rehabilitation. Other regionals will be coordinated in cooperation with partnering agencies and will occur as scheduling permits. Presentations cannot be concluded until December 2002 because of the time lag between the call-for-papers” and the dates of conferences. We will be presenting at the “Closing the Gap” conference in October, 2001, since we just made the call for papers cutoff.
To Complete the Materials Development Phase: The IIBN brochure will be complete by Fall, 2001. Web site accounting and contact logs will be on the web site for review during Summer, 2001. Work on the seminar/ textbook will begin in Summer, 2001 and continue beyond the grant deadline. Digital media development will begin in Summer, 2001. Versions of the textbook and digital media will be available for every presentation and seminar. The two new potential listserves will undergo continual evolution and will extend beyond the life of the grant. The listserves will be set up Fall, 2001. Web radio will be up and running by Spring, 2002. Web-based survey capability will be in place by Winter, 2002.
To complete the Equipment Purchasing Phase: The laptop and the GPS system will be purchased in Summer, 2001.
Institute for Innovative Blind Navigation
3660 Southfield Drive
Saginaw, Michigan 48601
Telephone: 517.777.1040
URL: http://isd.saginaw.k12.mi.us/~mobility
