Keynote speaker
Shea Tanis, Ph.D., Associate Research Professor, U of Kansas, Director of the State of the States research project where she studies the use of Enabling Technology in all 50 states. She is the past Chair of the National Siblings Leadership Network and the sister of a person with disabilities
Jessica Daiger
Constance Harrington
Steve Sutter
Milton Neuenschwander
LaKesha Page
Pisanach Chinratanalab
Jennifer White
David Taylor
Jeremy Robbins
Katie Moore
Sessions Include
Remote Supports
SafeInHome
AI & Disability
Createability
Voice Tech for speech disabilities
Voiceitt
Telehealth
StationMD
Technology First in Action
Shift
Wearables
DDA
Employment
AbleOpps
Internet Apps for Independence
Cognitopia
Able Accounts for Technology
TN Treasury Department
Smart Health Technologies
Therap Services
Easy Ways to Keep Your Tech Up to Date
Lumicare
Remote Supports
NOSS
How to use AI in Your Daily Life
My Tech For All
Smart Aging: Tools for Independence & Connection
Enabling Tech Solutions
Past Training Sessions:
Mastering Safety on the Internet
Guide to Video Conferencing: Zoom, Teams & Google
Getting the Most Out of Alexa, Siri, & Google
AI: The Coming Revolution
Finding Your Way Using Travel Apps
Finding Jobs & Volunteer Opportunities
Cooking Tips and Recipes Online
Games and Entertainment
Friendships & Relationships
Celebrations and Vacations
Arts and Crafts apps
Learn from past attendees
Watch Janet, self-advocates and family members talk about using technology in their daily lives.
Watch the recent Webinar by Tom Keating, on using internet apps to support independence and self-determination for people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
Navigating the virtual seas of online technologies can sometimes be challenging, especially for individuals with disabilities. However, the rise of new technology has opened up new opportunities for accessible learning and communication, ensuring that everyone can dive into the digital realm with confidence.
Come to the training to:
- Meet new people
- Learn new things to do for fun, work, and school
- Stay in touch with friends and family
- Share information about things that are important to you
- Learn How to Stay Safe Online
Training Team
Mark Friedman
Professor,
City University of New York
Ruthie-Marie Beckwith
Professor,
City University of New York
David Taylor
Self-Advocate and
fellowship Harvard University
David Wetherow
Founder StarRaft,
Microboards and
Cooperative Housing
Peach Chinratanalab
Co-trainer
Mary Angus
Co-Host
Ann Formeller
Co-Host
Katie Moore
Co-trainer
Sandra Wilcox
Self-Advocate,
Uniting for Change
Webinars by Esteemed Experts
Time: 10-11:30am Central Time
11-12:30pm Eastern Time
4/23/2024
Toni Johnson and Alli Beth Freeman
Session Topic: Enabling Technology: Support for the Employment Pathway
Technology for All webinar on May 1st, 2024, 9:00-10:30am CT (10:00-11:30am ET).
Speaker Bio:
Toni Johnson is an Enabling Technology Coordinator (Tech Champion). She is the recipient of the Governor’s Excellence in Service Award in 2019. She is a graduate of MTSU, with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. Toni is also a Certified Person-Centered Thinking Trainer, Advocates in Motion mentor, and a Person-Centered meeting facilitator.
Speaker Bio: Alli Beth Freeman is an Employment Innovation and Community Inclusion Coordinator.
5/14/2024
Tony Gentry, Ph.D.
Session Topic: Smart Homes for Functional Independence
Session Description: Your home should be a safe haven and support for everyday activities, not an obstacle to function. If you have cognitive, sensory or mobility difficulties, home-based assistive technologies can help. From low-tech grab bars to high-tech smart appliances, an individualized suite of tools can help you manage your everyday tasks, while conserving energy and living safely at home. This talk will survey up-to-date and affordable assistive technologies, informational resources, and funding options for making your house or apartment a smarter, safer, more enabling home.
Speaker Bio: Tony Gentry, PhD OTR/L FAOTA is professor emeritus in the occupational therapy department at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia. He founded the Assistive Technology for Cognition laboratory at VCU, conducting research into the development and utilization of personal health technologies, including smart homes, mobile devices, wearables, and computer games to support people with cognitive-behavioral challenges, and is internationally recognized as a pioneer in this field.
Virtual Summit : Keynote Speaker
6/11/2024
Jennifer White
CEO, Able Opportunities
Smart home devices, smart phones and tablets, these off the shelf tech tools have radically changed accommodation. As a tool of the masses, these devices allow for very strong and affective incidental learning. Immersed in a life where tech is modeled everywhere, lessons, fixes, cool new apps and demonstration of use to navigate the world abound.
With one smart device, a person can access literally millions of apps for a plethora of uses; expressive and receptive communication, focus, self-care, health, organization, travel, access, safety, networking, production, reporting, education, participation, independent living, entertainment, and self-advocacy, to name a few. These tools increase choices at home, access in the community and success in employment.
Join us, to learn more about working models in this revolution!
Completed Webinars
11/1/2023
Shea Tanis, Ph. D
Session Topic: Technology solutions for a complex world
PowerPoints from the presentation available soon.
11/29/2023
Tom Keating, Ph.D.
Session Topic: Let’s Get Serious About Self-Determination! Innovative Tools to Make It Happen
Session Description: This session will demonstrate a suite of web-based applications for neurodiverse individuals to understand and communicate their strengths, interests, and preferences entitled the Cognitopia Platform for Self-Determination, It has user friendly routines using multimedia and goals to help neurodiverse individuals self manage their school, work, and life. The app enables self-direction, person-centered planning, and personal story-telling. A module on routines makes it easy to illustrate the steps of any activity with images, video, or text. New routines can be added by scanning a QR code. A calendar provided reminders, tracking progress and accomplishments. Everything can be shared with others.
Speaker Bio: Tom Keating, Ph.D. is founder and CEO of Cognitopia, home of the Cognitopia Platform for Self-Determination, emphasizing self-management and training tools for employment, independent living, and education. He is also a Courtesy Research Associate in the Computer and Information Sciences Department of the University of Oregon. Keating’s perspective in all of his work has been strongly influenced by his experience of 31 years as a caregiver for a brother who experienced autism.
3/26/2024
Constance Harrington
Session Topic: Around the Curve: Circumventing Roadblocks & Detours
Session Description: Technology adoption is a journey. And, like on all road trips, you can expect to encounter some roadblocks and detours along the way. In this presentation, we’ll discuss some of the most common challenges associated with the adoption and implementation of technology – from funding purchases to obtaining buy-in to locating reputable vendors – as well as identifying strategies for addressing each.
Speaker Bio: Constance Harrington is the Education and Accreditation Manager for SHIFT. She is a nationally recognized subject matter expert on enabling technology. From speaking at trainings and events across the country to advising decision-makers on best practices and policy development to serving as an all-around champion for the implementation of enabling technology – Constance has spent the past 20 years helping people learn about and experience how technology can make the seemingly impossible possible. Constance has earned her Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology and is a graduate of the National Leadership Consortium on Developmental Disabilities. She lives in Wisconsin and enjoys exploring the state’s beautiful parks with her husband and daughter.
Our Partners
Shea Tanis
Professor,
University of Kansas
Rachel Levy
VoiceiTT
Jessica Daiger
SafeInHome
Constance Harrington
Director of Education
TechFirst Shift
Tom Keating
Cognitopia
Steve Sutter
CreateAbility
Mark McKeown
Millar Rich
Tony Gentry
Director
Virginia University
Sheena Adams-Avery
Pathfinder
Chris Patterson
Night Owl Supports
Pisanach Chinratanalab
People First
Jennifer White
CEO
Able Opps
Toni Johnson
Tennessee Department
of Developmental
Disabilities (DIDD)
Alli Beth Freeman
Tennessee Department
of Developmental
Disabilities(DIDD)
Tech Host Agencies
- St. John’s Community Services (Ryan Tempel)
- Journey’s In Community Living (Felicia Martinez)
- Developmental Services of Dickson Co. (Travis Saine)
- Evergreen Life Services (Natasha Shipley)
- Core Services (Filarelli)
- BIOS (Amy Crowe)
- Community Options (Meika McClendon)
- Helen Tucker Center (Candice Burkheart)
The Digital Divide is Generally Defined As a Lack of...
and Devices
internet
Affordability
Support
skills
And Self- Confidence
The Purpose of The Technology For All Project
For people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities to have and use the same amount of technology the average American does to enhance their independence and self-determination.
Over the past two and a half years of the COVID Pandemic we have trained 5,000 people
Listen to Their Experience
Some of the 3,000 people and advocates trained at the Nebraska Person Centered Planning Initiative, funded by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and the Nebraska Council on Developmental Disabilities. Their experiences are just a few of the thousands we have trained.
Their experiences are just a few of the thousands we have trained.
And with a world increasingly reliant on digital means, the divide will keep growing… Unless we stop it.
Who Are We?
Blue Fire, Inc. is a small consulting company co-owned by Dr. Mark Friedman and Dr. Ruthie-Marie Beckwith. Both have 40 years’ experience teaching and training people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in advocacy and technology. Dr. Beckwith is the former ED of TASH and State Advisor to People First of Tennessee. Dr. Friedman is the former State Advisor to Speaking For Ourselves, Vice Chairperson of the Pennsylvania DD Council, technology researcher at Temple University. Both are currently Adjunct Professors at the City University of New York.
Over the past two and a half years of the COVID Pandemic we have trained 5,000 people with disabilities, family members, Service Coordinators, educators and professionals online through projects with the DD Councils in Nebraska, Michigan, Vermont and the City of Philadelphia using a virtual video conferencing platform.
Based on our experience in social change and advocacy, we have found training to be a critical element to create systemic change.
In order to address it, we will...
Train a critical mass of people to create a tipping point.
Conduct the training over multiple times to allow deep learning to occur.
How Our Training Works:
A total of 25 Weekly online training sessions targeted to people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, family members, Service Coordinators, educators and professionals on topics such as: Using Zoom, Staying Safe on the Internet, How to obtain Low cost Internet services through the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and the LifeLine program, Using an Internet Browser, and more.
Weekly training sessions will focus on the known best practices and methods to most effectively teach and support people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities to use technology to enhance their independence and lives. The training will focus on off the shelf technology that is widely available, used by the general public and less expensive than specialized technology. Two self-advocates will serve as co-trainers in all the sessions.
Tech Supporters will be recruited, nurtured and trained to help people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities use tech to enhance their independence and self-directions.
A Community of Practice will meet monthly to share stories, collaborate together and learn how to overcome issues and problems.
People identified from the Tech Supporters group will serve as paid presenters to tell their stories of success and challenges at conferences and disability gatherings.
Ten Webinars by national experts in the field of Technology First and Enabling Technology from other states successfully implementing technology for people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
Virtual Technology Summit will promote the use of tech for independence and self-direction. It will feature experts in the field, share success stories in Pennsylvania and nationally including providers, families and people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
Project Advisory Committee (PAC) – 25 people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, family members, Service Coordinators, AT experts, educators and professionals will serve on the PAC.
Tech Host Agencies will support people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities to participate fully in the training sessions.