The NEAT team helps people learn more about the benefits of assistive technology (AT). Our excitement soars at the opportunity to demonstrate the powerful impact AT can have on the lives of individuals with different and unique abilities.
Our AT presentations, demonstrations and webinars are innovative and educational in nature. We strive to provide material in an accessible and relatable manner.
Upcoming Webinars- Register Today!
Beyond Voice Commands: Alternate Methods For Controlling Smart Home Technology
Date and Time: August 1, 2024 | 4:30pm - 5:30pm EST
Presented by: Kristen Gilfeather, AT Specialist; Maggie Wurm, AT Coach; Margie Hislop, AAC Specialist
NEAT Members, the CT SDE Subscription and CT Birth to Three Providers: FREE
General Public: $25
Description: Come learn the basics of smart technology, including how to control common appliances such as a microwave, ceiling fan, and lights. Usually, people use voice commands to control smart devices, but for those facing barriers to natural speech, there are other ways to interact with these devices. Learn how to automate your home using techniques beyond traditional speech commands. Discover the freedom of controlling of your home, whether it's flipping a cube to turn on a fan or using a communication device to turn on a TV!
Objectives:
-Learn about smart assistants
-Learn about other methods, beyond voice commands, to control common smart devices
-Learn how people who use communication devices (AAC) can gain independence in their homes
Register for Beyond Voice Commands
Free Webinars
The following webinars are FREE for everyone! To view, click here.
Communicating with People with Disabilities in Crisis Situations
Description: This presentation will continue to develop mandated reporters’ skills and confidence in engaging with children and adults with communication disabilities. This presentation will include a discussion of interaction and communication strategies to use during emergency situations related to certain disability characteristics (e.g., speech/language disorders, social language challenges, sensory challenges, etc.). Also included is a brief review of the prevalence of sexual assault and incarceration rates for individuals with developmental disabilities. Attendees will be educated on use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and provided with customized low-tech (printable) communication boards that could be utilized in real situations.
Presented by: NEAT AAC Specialists and Speech Language Pathologists
Learning More About Your SDE-Sponsored NEAT Subscription
Description: NEAT believes the most sustainable quality assurance plan is one that grows organically within each school district. To support this growth NEAT is offering the following professional development events geared specifically towards the needs of school-based teams. This will provide new information about subscription and membership benefits, explore best practices, and reinforce concepts for districts actively seeking to build their AT capacity.
Presented by: NEAT’s Director of AT Services, Elena Hurlburt
Learn More About Your 2023-2024 NEAT Membership Benefits
Description: NEAT Members receive exclusive access to assistive technology resources and benefits. Thanks to generous sponsorship from the CT State Department of Education, all CT LEAs will continue to receive NEAT Membership benefits at no cost to them during the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years. These resources can help professionals build their own AT skillsets and offer a manageable way for teams to get started with the AT consideration and implementation processes for individual students. Join Elena Hurlburt, Director of AT Services, as she explains the various opportunities available to CT LEAs and the way to get started with accessing these benefits right away!
Presented by: NEAT’s Director of AT Services, Elena Hurlburt
Exclusive, Archived Webinars for NEAT Members Only
A bank of AT and AAC resources and short, online training videos are provided to NEAT members with a private link. These videos can help you learn and develop your AT skills in short, personalized increments. These are a great way to learn more about AT recommendations provided in an AT evaluation or simply catch up on new features of various AT tools.
Because NEAT offers an annual membership, some benefits are included. To access these videos you will need to 1st, have a membership, and 2nd, register as a member. After your online registration, you will receive a welcome email and a member password to this video showcase. Let us know if you need access here.
If you already know where you’re going, check out the showcase here.
Some examples of exciting webinars you’ll find in the Showcase include:
Assistive Technology on a Shoestring
Description: Discover off-the-shelf products that are readily available at your fingertips and learn to turn them into functional assistive technologies for those with various disabilities! Benefiting individuals with low vision, minimal dexterity, sensory processing, and learning disabilities. These do-it-yourself no tech/low-tech assistive technology supports are affordable and are low cost. This webinar will rekindle your passion, allow you to revamp your toolkits, and encourage you to put them in place right away!
Using Voice Control on Apple Devices
Description: Learn the basics about the Voice Control setting on macOS and iOS devices. Voice Control can be used to navigate the device without the use of touch, or a mouse or keyboard. This feature allows users to have hand free access to their devices. See how synthesized speech can be used activate Voice Control; therefore, allowing non-speaking individuals, and those with unintelligible speech to use Voice Control.
Tech Tips and Demos
NEAT’s “Tech Tips & Demos” is a series of short demo videos, conducted by our brilliant AT and AAC Specialists and Coaches. We’ve made these available to the public through the generous sponsorship of the CT Tech Act Project.
Take an enjoyable journey through our growing list of videos. All of which includes clear, concise overviews of a variety of new and current Assistive Technology and Augmentative Alternative Communication devices and strategies. Explore today!
Hire Us for Personalized Services
Let us create a personalized presentation or webinar for you.
- We can provide a general overview of AT or meet the specific needs of your group.
- AT experts can provide information and resources on many topics including learning disabilities, cognitive and physical disabilities, visual and communication impairments, digital and gaming accessibility, smart home, etc.
- Great for college students, parent support groups, school districts, human service professionals, etc.
- Email us at CentersConnect@oakhillct.org for more information.
*Note: If your CT school district is part of Cohort C, as identified by the State Dept. of Education, you have the opportunity for personalized, professional development through your NEAT Subscription, at no cost to you. A list of districts in Cohort C, as well as other benefits.