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Tag: AT Awareness

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Tech Tools for Life Goes Hands-On in 2026!

Tech Tools for Life Assistive Tech at its Best Hands On Series 2026 logo

By Arlene Lugo, Program Director, CT Tech Act Project

As the seasons shift, the echoes of our 2025 Tech Tools for Life Conference still reverberate with excitement. As we enter the peak of the holiday season, it’s never too late to share the triumphs of our 2025 event while unveiling exciting plans for 2026!

How good was it?

Kara and Alice Brouhard give Keynote Address on Day 2

Our two-day Assistive Technology conference, held on June 9th and 10th at the Bristol Event Center, was a great success with an overwhelmingly positive response! We had almost 250 attendees daily and a wide array of 30 exhibitor tables and 15 dynamic breakout sessions each day.

2025 Tech Tools for Life Conference Exhibit hall with attendees visiting the Living without Limits table.

Our keynote speakers, Lynne Seagle on Day 1 and Kara and Alice Brouhard on Day 2 delivered moving insights that left attendees inspired and invigorated.

 

 

 

 

The Survey Says…

Visiting with UCP of Eastern CT’s exhibitor table.

Our Conference post-survey revealed a clear theme: attendees want more dedicated time for hands-on engagement with the AT devices and more interactive sessions.

About the Sessions:

“All sessions I attended were great! At times wish I could have been in 2 rooms at once.

Kudos for Keynotes:

“The keynote speaker was absolutely amazing!”

“Kara shared her story and a great real-life example of AT in practice.”

From an Exhibitor:

“My overall experience was top-notch.”

Favorite Sessions:

“I loved them all. Can’t possibly choose just one.”

You spoke – we listened!

As a result of the feedback we received, we have been working hard to establish the 2026 Tech Tools for Life, Assistive Tech at its Best: Hands-On Series.

Rather than a full two-day conference in 2026, we are planning a series of hands-on sessions across the state. You can tailor your AT learning experience by choosing sessions that interest you most and will give you the opportunity to engage directly with the latest in Assistive Technology. Dive into topics like Cooking with AT, DIY/Make & Take, Smart Home innovations, Accessible Gaming, Wearable Tech, Cutting-Edge Artificial Intelligence, and more. The Hands-on Series will begin in February 2026 and will run to the end of next year.

More information and details will be hitting your inbox soon. In the meantime, you can visit www.TechToolsforLife.org to find updates on the calendar for the Hands on Series for 2026, including location, registration links, payment information and more.

Tech Tools for Life Assistive Tech at its Best Hands On Series 2026 logo

For a Taste of What’s to Come

The Hands-On Series will kick off on February 12, 2026, from 10am – 2pm with our first session: Hands on… Aprons On: Cooking Without Limits presented by Living without Limits. This session will accommodate up to 50 attendees who will be cooking with the use of Assistive Technology devices and will be able to enjoy the food as they make it. A modest registration fee of $25 per person will be charged. More info to come soon!

Nigel and James from Living without Limits are Cooking with AT.
Nigel and James from Living without Limits are Cooking with AT.
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Register for Tech Tools for Life: Assistive Tech at its Best Conference

CT Tech Tools for Life, Assistive Tech at its Best, 2025 logo

Early Bird Registration Extended through April 11th!

Visit the Tech Tools For Life conference website for more information on session descriptions, key note presenters, and more. Register today before the early bird pricing ends.

If you are interested in being an Exhibitor tables are running low. Register for your table to secure your spot. We hope to see you there!

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Announcement News and Events

Save the Date for the 2025 AT Conference!

post it note with the words Save the date! written on it.

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!

 

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Announcement News and Events

2024 Tech Tools Assistive Technology Conference was a huge success!

2024 Tech Tools for Life conference booklet cover

 

conference attendees exciting about the Cooking with AT demonstration

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 2024 AT Conference attendees listening to the keynote speakerep 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.

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News and Events Product Spotlight

VIRTUAL REALITY DEMO at SCSU

Smita from SERC trying out the Virtual Reality headset

AT Partner agency staff testing out the VR headsets

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!

VR Counselors Erin Z and Laura S trying out the Virtual Reality headsets

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.

Nigel from ATECH volunteers to try the FloreoVR software for the group.

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.

 

 

 

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National AT Awareness Day! April 17, 2024

Thank you to our CTTAP Partner Agencies with logos for ACES, Berkshire Bank, CREC, EASTCONN, ATECH, NEAT, SCSU, SERC and UCP

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.

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General News and Events

Guidelines for Article Submissions

notepad with "Guidelines" written on it in blue highlighter, next to calculator with glasses folded on top
Photo by Nick Youngson, http://www.nyphotographic.com/ Original Image: https://www.thebluediamondgallery.com/notepad01/g/guidelines.html

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. 

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Register Now for CT’s AT Conference ! May 6 & 7, 2024

Tech Tools for Life AT conference logo

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.

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Announcement News and Events

The Assistive Technology Industry Association – Conference 2024

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.

Pam Fields at ATIA Exhibitor Hall

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.

Shannon Taber with presenters from Apple's Accessibilty session

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.

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Announcement News and Events

ATIA 2024 – A Fantastic Learning Experience!

clip art of a person giving a presentation to an audience

Written by Nicole Deary, AT Specialist, EASTCONN

My colleague and I recently attended the Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) conference in Florida, and we are thrilled to share our experience. The event was a treasure trove of information, providing valuable insights into the latest advancements in technology designed to support individuals with communication disorders and other disabilities. The conference showcased a diverse range of products and solutions that left us impressed and excited about the possibilities in our field.

One of the highlights was attending the comprehensive sessions that delved into the practical applications of various assistive technologies. These sessions covered everything from augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices to innovative apps and software designed to enhance communication skills. The presenters were experts in their respective fields, offering in-depth knowledge and practical tips that we can now integrate into our practice.

The exhibit hall was a bustling hub of activity, with numerous vendors showcasing their latest products. It was a delight to explore the myriad of options available, each catering to different needs and preferences. From cutting-edge AAC devices with customizable features to user-friendly apps that promote language development, the diversity of assistive technology was truly impressive.

Engaging with the vendors provided us with a hands-on experience, allowing us to better understand each product’s functionality and potential benefits. Additionally, networking with professionals from various disciplines, as well as from our own home state of Connecticut, opened up opportunities for collaboration and knowledge exchange. The vendor exhibit was not only a feast for our mind but also for the taste buds, as attendees were treated to delicious hot pretzels and refreshing ice cream, creating a delightful atmosphere for networking and informal conversations.

Overall, the conference was a fantastic learning experience, and we left feeling invigorated and inspired by the vast potential of assistive technology. The event not only deepened our understanding of the available tools but also reinforced the importance of staying abreast of technological advancements to better serve individuals with communication disorders. We are eager to incorporate our newfound knowledge into our practice and contribute to the continued advancement of assistive technology in our field.

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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