Author: Arlene Lugo
We are super excited about returning with a 2-day conference in June 2025!
Mark your calendar and save the dates of June 9 & 10 for our 2025 Tech Tools for Life Conference which will be held at the Bristol Event Center in Bristol, CT.
More information and registration options will be available soon!
The conference was hosted by the CT Tech Act Project & ATECH (a CTTAP AT Partner), with sponsorships from the Council on Developmental Disabilities, the Bureau of Rehabilitation Services (BRS), the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) and more.
On May 6 and 7, the CT Tech Act Project and ATECH combined our individual conferences into a 2-day conference focused on AT for independent living and remote monitoring on Day 1, and AT for college, work and independent living on Day 2.
We had over 250 attendees each day; 25 exhibitors showcasing a variety of technology, AT and services; and 30 presentations over the two days from experts in Connecticut and beyond. Sessions focused on built-in accessibility features, smart technology for the home, 3D printing, virtual reality, and we even had a 
ep from Apple Accessibility. Our keynote speakers, Curtis Hill and Todd Stabelfeldt, were amazing! They motivated us all, providing the energy and setting the stage for why Assistive Technology is such an integral part of an individual’s independence and success!
Enjoy our conference photos on the CT Tech Act Project page on Facebook.
We had a great turnout for the recent Virtual Reality In-person Demo with Bo Zamfir from SCSU, Center for Educational & Assistive Technology & Matt Berkowitz from FloreoVR. It was wonderful to have so many of our community AT Partners together. The participation, energy, questions and feedback were amazing!
Virtual Reality is a great way to provide immersive experiences, whether it’s for younger, neurodivergent individuals or teenagers and adults learning training skills, pre-vocational services, or job readiness. The CT Tech Act Project and SCSU/CEAT will work together to have multiple VR headsets along with the FloreoVR and another virtual reality software program called BodySwap available for CT Tech Act Project AT Partner agencies to borrow and use with their students and adults with disabilities, providing greater access to this cutting-edge technology.
We also plan to work with our AT partners who have 3D printers to create several adaptive cuffs to allow users with varying abilities be able to hold and utilize the controllers.
If you are an individual who is interested in trying a virtual reality headset contact an AT Partner agency near you.
Oak Hill lost our dear friend and colleague Steve Famiglietti in November of 2022. Steve was a member of our Oak Hill family for over twenty years, pioneering new, innovative services within the Eleanor Brooks Blindness Support Center. Under Steve’s leadership, the Eleanor Brooks Center helped scores of blind and low-vision individuals in Connecticut live full, joyful lives. We remember Steve as ever the patient teacher and trusted advocate for those in need. An avid storm chaser and lover of cuckoo clocks, we also remember Steve’s courage and undeniable zest for life.
On June 26th, 2024, members of the Oak Hill Community, Steve’s friends and family, and so many of the individuals he touched came together to celebrate his wonderful life and impact. Our friends at the National Federation of the Blind CT, Maryanne Melley and Mary Silverberg dedicated a beautiful bench in Steve’s honor. It will provide comfort and respite to visitors to Oak Hill’s campus for years to come.
To honor Steve and the incalculable impact he made on Oak Hill, we are proud to announce the establishment of the The Steve Famiglietti Memorial Fund. This fund will expand opportunities for blind and low-vision individuals in Connecticut to receive the enrichment and assistive technology services they need to reach the highest degree of independence. Thanks to the incredible generosity of the E. Matilda Ziegler Foundation, Steve’s impact will live on. Representatives from the foundation Cynthia Ziegler Brighton, Marcia Cleary, and Stephen Deltatto attended to dedicate a very generous gift in Steve’s memory. Please join us in expressing our heartfelt gratitude to the E. Matilda Zeigler Foundation for their commitment to building a more equitable world for blind and low-vision individuals!
To learn more about our blind service offerings at Oak Hill, or to make a gift in Steve’s memory, please contact Lucy McMillan, Chief Development Officer, at lmcmillan@gileadcs.org.
Reprinted with permission from the NEAT Center at Oak Hill, Summer 2024 Newsletter.
In the rapidly evolving world of digital publishing, one Connecticut-based company is making waves with its innovative approach to ebook accessibility. Keith Snyder, founder of Typeflow (typeflownyc.com), is on a mission to revolutionize how we think about and create accessible digital content.
Typeflow, which produces print books and ebooks for publishers ranging from indie presses to industry giants like Scholastic Books, has recently joined forces with Acme Books (acmebooks.ca), a Canadian ebook company led by renowned accessibility expert Laura Brady. This collaboration has already yielded impressive results, including an EPUB/DAISY pilot project for a major equitable digital access organization.
Snyder and his team aren’t content with the status quo. They’ve developed new accessibility features for their clients’ ebooks, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in digital publishing. However, Typeflow’s ambitions extend beyond mere technical innovations.
Drawing inspiration from the “Buffalo” bike project by World Bicycle Relief, Snyder sees a parallel between creating durable, accessible transportation and developing truly user-friendly ebooks. He emphasizes the importance of bringing together diverse stakeholders:
- Legislators who shape ebook accessibility laws
- EPUB and DAISY users who can provide invaluable feedback
- Publishers and developers committed to exceeding minimum standards
“We have opinions – good and bad – about how accessibility requirements are progressing in the US, Canada, and the European Union,” Snyder states. He’s particularly keen to address the tendency of some publishers to aim for minimum certification rather than focusing on user experience.
Typeflow is actively seeking to connect with ebook accessibility advocates in Connecticut. Whether you’re a legislator interested in expert input on ebook accessibility legislation, an EPUB or DAISY user willing to share your experiences, or a fellow professional in the field, or a nonprofit who would like to partner with Typeflow, Snyder invites you to join the conversation.
By fostering a community that includes users, advocates, legislators, and industry professionals, Typeflow aims to create ebooks that are not just accessible, but truly serve their users’ needs.
To learn more or get involved, visit typeflownyc.com or reach out to Keith Snyder directly at keith@typeflownyc.com.
On April 17, 2024, the U.S. Congress and the disability community celebrates National Assistive Technology (AT) Awareness Day. The day honors people with disabilities who require AT to access their education, workplace, community, and recreational activities. The day also recognizes the innovation of researchers, educators, and the dedication of AT experts whose knowledge and dedication make a meaningful difference with their critical work.
The CT Tech Act Project expresses sincere appreciation to all our Assistive Technology Partners throughout our local communities. Your collaboration and efforts are invaluable in ensuring these essential resources reach the individuals who need them most.
Let’s take this opportunity to raise awareness about the profound impact that you and assistive technology can have.
Want to share your articles, information and/or upcoming event?
We would love to hear from you & include your contributions in the next CTTAP News e-newsletter and on our blog! Article Submission Guidelines are as follows:
- Article topics should be related to Assistive Technology devices and or services, programs, success stories, new trends in AT or a spotlight on a specific device.
- The e-newsletter will contain one feature article of 1,200-2,000 words and several general articles.
- Articles related to Digital Accessibility tips are welcome!
- Preference is given to articles that include pictures. All pictures must include alt tags provided by the author.
- Please include details such as “article written by”, name, title, organization, etc.
- Upcoming events must include as much information as possible regarding target audience, location, website, and cost of the event.
- Articles will be vetted by our Team and may be included in the next e-newsletter and our blog. You will be notified if your articles is selected.
Want to discuss your ideas? Feel free to use this link Contact Us to send us an email.
Tech Tools for Life Assistive Tech at its Best!
When: May 6th & 7th, 2024
Where: Omni Hotel, New Haven, CT.
Meet, network, learn & share with people advancing independent living through technology.
Register now at the Early Bird rate at this link: https://atechconference.org and come back often to stay informed on:
- Conference sessions
- Speaker Announcements
- Exhibitors, and
- Sponsors
ATECH Conference 2024 is sponsored by the CT Tech Act Project & the Connecticut Council on Developmental Disabilities.
Written by Arlene Lugo, CT Tech Act Project Program Director
Every year ATIA puts on an amazing national conference in Florida where Assistive Technology professionals, exhibitors, individuals with disabilities, family members and many others come together to learn about trends in Assistive Technology services, see and interact with new AT devices, learn about services and programs and as ATIA says “connect, discover and inspire.” According to ATIA, this conference which took place at the end of January, hosted over 5100 attendees, in person and virtually. They had over 500 speakers across more than 350 sessions and about 125 exhibitors.
Some of the CT Tech Act Project’s AT Partners made it to the in-person event! Pam Fields, Founder & CEO of ATECH pictured here, had a table in the Exhibit Hall. Not only was she able to participate in the in-person events network with so many, she promoted CT’s upcoming Assistive Technology conference – Tech Tools for Life, Assistive Technology at its Best, this May.
Shannon Taber, Director, Inclusion & Accessibility at UCP of Eastern CT was selected to do a poster section where she highlighted the great work we are doing in CT with our Bridging the Digital Divide program. This was part of ATIA’s AT & Aging track, and this was the first year they’ve offered sessions in theme.
I was able to participate in ATIA virtually, and one of the sessions that stood out for me was the “What’s New with Apple Accessibility?” If you do one thing while reading this article, it has to be watching this video about Apple’s new feature Personal Voice and Live Speech. The video called “The Lost Voice” gave me chills. It was so moving!
Apple continues to innovate, introducing so many new Accessibility features. I also found this video called “The Greatest” with individuals with disabilities showing how they actually use Apple and their accessibility features in ways that work best for them. Since Shannon was at ATIA, I texted her right away about going to visit the Apple Experience room where participants could try out all of the built-in accessibility features. She sent me this selfie (pictured in the center, below) taken with the presenters, Janette Barrios, Senior Manager and Gus Shitama, Marketing Specialist who both work for Apple’s Global Accessibility Policy & Initiatives department.
Of her experience, Shannon stated, “To be honest, there were so many new tools available to see andtouch, I could have spent days walking from exhibitor to exhibitor.” This made me wish I had attended ATIA in person … maybe next year.
Until then, one more resource I want to share with you is Apple’s Accessibility playlist on YouTube which provides nearly 50 short videos about how to use their various accessibility features. I hope you find these as useful as I do.