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Month: September 2026

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Announcement News and Events

Tech Tools For Life Conference 2027

Tech Tools for Life AT conference logo
Save the Date

If you haven’t already, make sure to mark your calendar:

Tech Tools For Life Conference 2027
Monday, June 7, 2027
Bristol Event Center
112 Century Drive
Bristol, CT

Tickets will be released for purchase in late Winter 2026 or early Spring 2027.

Call for Proposals – Now Open!

The call for proposals is now open! This year’s conference will focus on tracks of assistive technology for independent living, employment, and education. Presentations will be 60 minutes during breakout sessions, and a total of 15 presentations will be accepted for the 2027 conference. We especially welcome submissions that:
• Share unique stories, perspectives, practices, or programs
• Foster discussion and collaboration across disciplines or communities
• Engage participants in meaningful and interactive ways
Please share this call with colleagues and others who may be interested in participating.

Submit your presentation proposal! 

Sponsors and Exhibitors

Tech Tools for Life is grateful to host such a dynamic event that brings together individuals with disabilities, service providers, educators, and assistive technology professionals for a day learning, discovery, and connection – and we wouldn’t be able to do it without your support!

This year we have expanded our opportunities for engagement to include session sponsorships and conference advertising. All information regarding sponsor and exhibitor options can be found in the Sponsor and Exhibitor Prospectus.

Submit your Sponsorship engagement or register as an Exhibitor.

We look forward to receiving your proposals and to a captivating 2027 conference experience!

Categories
Announcement Events News and Events

Last Chance: Hands On Smart Home and AT for Leisure

Tech Tools for Life Hands on Series Logo

Hands On Smart Home and AT for Leisure

Sponsored by NEAT Center at Oak Hill

The Hands-On Series continues on October 2, 2026 with Hands on Smart Home and AT for Leisure, an interactive session designed to spark creativity and independence. Explore smart home technology and assistive technology that make leisure activities more accessible and enjoyable for everyone. From voice-controlled devices to adaptive entertainment options, you’ll get hands-on experience with tech that brings convenience and fun into everyday life. More details coming soon!

October 2, 2026
9:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
FREE!
NEAT Center at Oak Hill
33 Coventry Street, Hartford, CT

Register ASAP: NEAT’s Hands on Smart Home and AT for Leisure

NEAT logo
Categories
Announcement News and Events

Welcome to the CT Tech Act Project

Amy Rubin Mindell

Meet Amy Rubin Mindell the newest member of the CT Tech Act Project (CTTAP) Team and the Bridging the Digital Divide Program Manager!

Amy comes to CTTAP with over 35 years of experience in Assistive Technology (AT) and adaptive equipment. She has worked with individuals with disabilities in a variety of capacities from developing AT-related programs and services, to providing professional development to educators and school systems, as well as offering training

s, hosting conferences and events, working with smart home technology and more recently, delving into the area of AT for older adults.

Amy will be overseeing the new RHTP, Bridging the Digital Divide Program. She will be helping to get the word out to rural towns in Connecticut and working directly with community agencies and organizations that serve people with disabilities who are 18 and older, or aging adults who are 60 and older.

If you would like to connect with Amy, you can reach her at Amy.Rubin-Mindell@ct.gov or via her work cell number at (959) 276-6536. To learn more about the Bridging the Digital Divide Program, visit www.CTtechact.com/bridging-divide

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Announcement Services

Bridging the Digital Divide Returns!

Bridging the Digital Divide Logo

The Bridging the Digital Divide (BDD) Program is back and is made possible by the State of CT Rural Healthcare Transformation Program in partnership with the CT Tech Act Project.

Our goal is to help bridge the digital divide by providing free digital literacy services to adults with disabilities (18 and older) and aging adults (60 and older) who live in rural CT towns.

What is the Bridging the Digital Divide Program?

Bridging the Digital Divide helps seniors and adults with disabilities who live in rural towns across CT build the skills, confidence, and access they need to use technology in everyday life. With our partners at the NEAT Center at Oak Hill and UCP of Eastern CT we provide digital literacy training, one-on-one and group technology support, and Assistive Technology (AT) devices tailored to each person’s needs – helping to bridge the Digital Divide, expand access to telehealth and other virtual services, and reduce social isolation.

What Type of Training and Support is provided?

Our training and support can include basic technology set-up and operation, connecting to WiFi, using built-in accessibility features, and so much more! We want to help you access community programs, use telehealth, order groceries and shop online, and stay connected to your community, family and friends. We also share practical guidance on online safety and AI tools.
When appropriate, we disseminate assistive technology devices and technology based on individual goals and needs. These services can be provided in your home or can take place at libraries, senior centers, assisted living facilities, and community centers.

How do I know if I live in an Eligible Rural Town?

To find out if you live in an eligible rural town in CT visit the BDD Eligible Towns webpage at CTtechact.com/bdd-eligibletowns. Please review the Eligible Towns webpage to confirm eligibility and to see which agency you can contact to begin the process of receiving BDD services.

How Can Senior Centers & Other Community Programs get involved with BDD?

We also partner with local programs that serve our rural communities—such as public libraries, community centers, senior centers, assisted living centers, and similar organizations—by providing technical guidance and train-the-trainer sessions to help staff better support their clientele. Your program can receive services if located in an eligible town or if you serve individuals who live in one of the eligible towns listed at CTtechact.com/bdd-eligibletowns.

For questions about the Bridging the Digital Divide Program, contact Amy Rubin Mindell, BDD Program Manager, via email: Amy.Rubin-Mindell@ct.gov or phone: (959) 276-6536. Or visit our website at CTtechact.com/bridging-divide.

Bridging the Digital Divide program is operated out of the Department of Aging and Disability Services, CT Tech Act Project. This project is supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $154,249,105.53 in Budget Period 1 with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

Categories
News and Events Product Spotlight

ConnectAAC: Making Personalized Communication More Accessible

Ayana Singh stands behind an exhibitor table displaying the ConnectAAC app on a laptop and a QR code sign to try the app, with an Equal Speaks poster beside her at an event with other exhibitor tables and attendees in the background.

Written by Ayana Signh, Founder & CEO, Equal Speaks

My name is Ayana Singh, and I am a 16-year-old high school student and the founder and CEO of Equal Speaks, a youth-led nonprofit working to make communication more inclusive and accessible.

Equal Speaks began with a personal understanding of how difficult it can be for individuals and families to access consistent communication support. Seeing these challenges within my own family showed me that communication is not simply a convenience – it shapes a person’s independence, relationships, and ability to participate in everyday life. That experience motivated me to create ConnectAAC.

ConnectAAC is an AI-powered augmentative and alternative communication app designed to help people express themselves more easily. Traditional AAC systems can sometimes require users to move through several pages or categories before finding the words they need. ConnectAAC instead provides personalized, context-relevant communication suggestions based on what the user is trying to express.

For example, during a medical appointment, at school, or in a community setting, the app can present useful phrases related to that specific situation. The goal is to reduce the number of selections needed to form a response while still allowing the user to remain in control of what is communicated.

ConnectAAC is intended as an additional communication resource rather than a replacement for an individualized AAC evaluation or a professionally prescribed communication system. I hope it can complement existing supports while making flexible, personalized communication technology available to more people.

The app can be accessed through its web version at: https://connectaac-frontend.onrender.com/

ConnectAAC is also available for Android through the Google Play Store by searching for “ConnectAAC.”

To learn more about ConnectAAC, Equal Speaks, or opportunities to provide feedback and collaborate, please visit: https://www.equalspeaks.com/

At Equal Speaks, we believe every voice deserves to be heard. Through ConnectAAC, I hope to help build a future in which more people have the tools and opportunities to communicate in the ways that work best for them.

Who We Are

The Connecticut Tech Act Project (CTTAP) operates out of the CT Department of Aging and Disability Services. We help people with disabilities, family members, employers, educators and other professionals with access to Assistive Technology devices and services.

© CT Tech Act Project 2023. All rights reserved.

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