May is National Speech-Language-Hearing Month, organized by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association to raise awareness about communication disorders and the practitioners, interventions, and technology that can make a difference in people’s lives. May is also when we celebrate Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), which falls on May 16th this year. GAAD focuses on digital access and inclusion. In recognition of both of these observances, we’re highlighting some of the NIDILRR grantees whose research and development includes technology and interventions that support people with communication disorders to fully participate in their communities, both online and offline.
Evaluating the Use of Mixed Reality Smart Glasses for Real-Time Captioning Display and Interpreting Services refines, incorporates, and pilots the use of tailored smart glasses to connect Deaf individuals to qualified sign language interpreters and real-time captioners that are critical to equitable educational, employment, and community opportunities around biomedical sciences and healthcare.
Project Open: Improving In-Person Expressive Communication with Open Source Technologies aims to improve the expressive communication of individuals with complex communication needs using augmentative and alternative communication technologies during in-person conversations and interactions.
Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Augmentative and Alternative Communication (The RERC on AAC) conducts rigorous evidence-based research for designing effective AAC technologies and interventions, develops and evaluates innovative AAC engineering solutions driven by consumer needs, and provides comprehensive training and dissemination to ensure that all individuals have access to effective AAC to enhance the communication of individuals with complex communication needs.
RERC on Technology for People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing aims to facilitate a shift in the role of technology and address the accessibility and usability of technology for consumers who are Deaf or hard of hearing, their family, and friends. Its mission is to support consumers in adopting twenty-first century technologies, changing how they use technology and services, taking control of their communication, and ultimately achieving greater access to all aspects of their lives, through the research, development and knowledge translation activities. This team has also collaborated on the Twenty-First Century Captioning Technology Metrics and Usability project to develop consumer-focused metrics for caption quality and improve caption usability on all devices.
Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Universal Access to Information and Communication Technology aims to address key accessibility gaps that inhibit or prevent the use of existing and emerging information and communication technology by people with disabilities. Projects include overlooked technology barriers, cross-disability access to kiosks, and accessibility standards and guidelines.
In addition to these, two Advanced Rehabilitation Research and Training (ARRT) Centers are focused on the next generation of researchers and developers who will be building the future of technology and interventions for communication access:
ARRT Career Advancement in Assistive Technology Practice, Research, and Policy (CAT-PReP) provides advanced interdisciplinary research training to increase the number of rigorously trained, extramurally competitive, and scientifically productive researchers specialized in assistive technology (AT) provision and policy for community living and participation.
ARRT: Interventions for Neurologic Communication Disorders provides a rigorous research training program to individuals with advanced degrees in communication sciences and disorders and related fields to prepare them for careers as independent rehabilitation researchers.
Are you interested in the latest research in communication disorders and inclusive technology? Explore our NIDILRR Program Database for current and recent grantees or search the REHABDATA database for the latest research literature indexed in our collection! You may also want to explore our Community Resources database, to find organizations, agencies, and online resources to connect to communications technology providers.