Michael EkstrandIf a blind student wants to do a CS undergrad (in US) specifically to work in assistive technology, what schools would be particularly good for that? (Feel free to boost for reach.)
Noah Liebman
Phil Lam@mdekstrand I'll bet my friend Dan would have a thing or two to say about that if you email him: https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/math-cs-stats/people/daniel-zingaro
Drew Mochak@mdekstrand None? </sarc>
Matt Campbell@mdekstrand By "work in assistive technology", do you mean joining an accessibility team at a mainstream company like Apple or Microsoft, joining an assistive technology company, starting their own, or something else?
Dan Liebling@mdekstrand University of Washington CSE or even the iSchool has a solid track record of accessibility research as well as accommodation for students. https://create.uw.edu/cse-course-sequence-designed-with-accessibility-from-the-start/
kimu@danyoel @mdekstrand seconding the University of Washington suggestion - they were the first place I thought of as well. In particular, check out AccessComputing - https://www.washington.edu/accesscomputing/. Once they’re in an undergrad program, they should check out the Tapia Conference: https://tapiaconference.cmd-it.org
allison@mdekstrand @ryanrandall not directly CS, but the NYU Ability Project is affiliated with our school of engineering and several related undergrad programs https://wp.nyu.edu/ability/ (my department is one of the cosponsors of the project and i'm happy to put the student in question in touch with folks who can give them more info!)
LaPingvino 🟙 
@mdekstrand I wish there was enough attention for that! Similar issue with sign language linguistics etc, although for the Deaf we have at least Gallaudet. For assistive technology for the blind we used to just have commercial companies providing solutions, now lucky enough we have some free and open source options, but I don't think I have seen much university involvement in those...
-dsr- (hypoparenthetically)In addition to Gallaudet, there's the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at RIT (Rochester, NY)
@dashdsrdash @mdekstrand even then, I'm Dutch and live in Portugal. It's wild that the only stuff for this period is in the US. There is in general too much thinking for and not enough thinking by I think...
Adlangx@mdekstrand https://groups.engr.oregonstate.edu/aten/home
A possibility.
TashPoetry@mdekstrand It depends on whether they are wanting to work in the research end or with people.
Occupational Therapists have a role in it as well, especially if they work for tech specific providers.
RonLichty@mdekstrand University of Maryland. When we were doing some of the earliest work on accessibility, at Apple, in the late 80s, our core advisor was Gregg Vanderheiden, Professor and Founder/Director Emeritus, Trace R&D Center, College of Information Studies (UMD iSchool), University of Maryland. Gregg, according to his LI profile, is still there. I've heard many others reference him, as well. https://www.linkedin.com/in/greggvanderheiden/
The Doctor
Evan B🥥ehs@drwho @mdekstrand That is for the deaf
Ellen Shapiro@eb @drwho @mdekstrand they have at least a few folks who work on accessibility more generally though, as seen with this project https://cair.rit.edu/teaching-accessibility/
Mendi@mdekstrand Last I knew Western Michigan had a program. I think there might be one in Mississippi too, but I wouldn't swear to that.
D. Creemer@mdekstrand @gvwilson Georgia Tech has a good reputation for assistive tech (or at least did many years ago)
Wyatt (🏳️⚧️♀?)@mdekstrand Not sure how they are for the blind, but RIT in Rochester New York has a ton of deaf students. Maybe there's something there for blindness too?
Do NOT Fear|🇺🇸🇺🇦🐊🦉🌊💙@mdekstrand a state school most likely, because they're more likely to be compliant with federal #ADA regulations
Herschvend@mdekstrand These are not specifically undergrad, but CSUN’s programs are absolutely worth exploring and researching as a starting point. They are long established and well respected in the field, and staff can point them toward undergrad-specific resources. I also know someone who went through their Assistive Technology Studies and Human Services program who can provide more information.
https://tsengcollege.csun.edu/programs/assistivetechnologyprograms
Assistive Technology Programs
Assistive Technology Programs Most careers in assistive technology – one of the fastest-growing segments of the rapidly expanding health and human services field – focus either on the design and development of devices that help persons with disabilities to function more fully or on the process of ensuring that such devices successfully address user needs.To prepare professionals for fulfilling careers in both of these areas, CSUN – through the Tseng College – offers two master’s degrees in assistive technology (AT): one centered on the development of devices and software and the other centered on the human-services aspects
myrmepropagandist@mdekstrand I know some students who would be interested in responses to this question so I’m putting a reply so I can find it again! #blind #BlindFedi #cs #ComputerScienceEducation
DNA schedule@mdekstrand I'm reading the responses here with interest, but would also gently push back on the idea that an undergrad in CS ought to prepare you for some specific industry and field of endeavor. The most accessible, joyful undergrad experience is also the best one for the field of your choosing, in almost every case. Graduate research or technical college are great places to look for application-specific education.
it's B! Cavello 🐝@mdekstrand I cross-posted this since I’m better connected to some communities on LinkedIn, in case any of these responses are helpful: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bcavello_michael-ekstrand-mdekstrandhcisocial-activity-7189726492082274305-VNKj
B Cavello on LinkedIn: Michael Ekstrand (@[email protected])
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