Wink Harner, Assistive Technology Consultant, The Foreign Type
Heidi Scher, Associate Director, University of Arkansas
Disability Area: Topic Area:
Length of Session (in hours): 2
Format: Lecture
Expertise Level: Beginner
Type of session: General Conference
Summary of Session
Get Your Geek On: Learn about OOO AT for Newbies. This interactive workshop covers the `out-of-the box, obvious, and obscure\\\\\\\' solutions in identifying and using OOO AT.
Abstract
Get Your Geek On! OOO AT for Newbies (?Out-of-the-Box?, Obvious, and Obscure)
An interactive workshop which includes a presentation of resources & developing a network, hands-on, group work, and concluding with sharing of resources. For those who are new to the field of disability service provision, the area of assistive technology can be confusing and daunting - especially if one is \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"technology-challenged\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". Sometimes AT is a product straight out of the box, or obvious, such as specialized software or service options. Other times AT is obscure and hidden in a different application of a mainstream product or app.
The presenters will share tips and strategies on how to find resources and network; discover AT; assist students through a task-oriented approach to identify useful AT; and share discoveries in a meaningful manner.
Kepoints
Identifying Resources and Networking;
AT Discovery (Guidance for the newbie and for students)
Task-oriented approach for students to ID useful AT in academics; (4) Sharing resources
Speaker Bio(s)
Wink Harner
Wink Harner. BA, ABD - Has been an active member of ATHEN for 25 years and served for nearly a decade on the ATHEN Executive Board as Member-At-Large. Wink was invited as the keynote speaker for the 2019 Texas AHEAD conference and has been a keynote speaker at AZTAP in Arizona. She is the former director of disability services at Mesa Community College in Arizona, the Adaptive Technology Specialist for the DR office at Southern Oregon University. She currently works in freelance adaptive technology consulting and provides specialized alternative text conversions in math, sciences and foreign languages. She has been a professor of multiple languages for more than 25 years having completed her doctoral studies in Spanish, Portuguese, & French. Since August 2016, Wink developed and taught the adaptive technology in higher education core course for CUNY's Masters of Science in Disability Studies Program. In 2023 she developed a course in professional development for AHEAD in adaptive technology in higher education. She has presented at adaptive technology conferences for decades. For fun, Wink plays trombone in a wind symphony and a jazz band, as well as performing as a professional storyteller with the Portland Storytellers Guild.
Heidi Scher
Since July 2007, Heidi Scher has worked as a disability resource professional at the University of Arkansas’ Center for Educational Access. As the Associate Director, she is a resource for students with disabilities in a variety of areas, with primary focus on assistive technology and document conversion. Heidi also assists faculty, staff, and administrative personnel to ensure equitable access to the University community.
With her C.R.C., an M.S. in rehabilitation counseling from the University of Arkansas, and a B.S. in counseling services to the deaf with a minor in interpreting from East Center University in Oklahoma, Heidi’s past employment in this field has been varied. Previous responsibilities included working on multiple federal grants through a four-year university and as a disability service provider at a two-year institution.
Heidi has presented on a variety of disability-related topics at numerous city, state, regional, and national venues and has had numerous publications. A multi-term board member of Ark-AHEAD (Arkansas affiliate to the Association on Higher Education and Disability) and ATHEN (Access Technology Higher Education Network), she is also a long-time member of AHEAD.