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CONTACT: Mary Kay Walch: 651-294-2218

 

AbleNet Announces Five International Assistive Technology Grant Recipients

AbleNet Inc. proudly announces the names of five non-profit organizations chosen to receive AbleNet assistive technology tools designed for persons with disabilities as part of the AbleNet International Assistive Technology Grant Program.

St. Paul, MN April 7, 2008 - AbleNet Inc., a world leader in assistive technology products for persons with disabilities, today announced the recipients of five AbleNet International Assistive Technology Grants. The grants, awarded to non-profit organizations that provide assistive technology implementation or education programs in Ukraine, Russia and post-Soviet States, India, and Africa, include communication and access equipment valued at $2,000, along with training and AbleNet's commitment to effecting change within the geographic reach of each chosen organizations.

"The goal of the AbleNet International Assistive Technology Grant is to raise awareness and foster change in areas of the world that haven't previously benefited from widespread education or availability of assistive technology," said Adam Wing, Senior Director of International Business at AbleNet.

The five AbleNet International Assistive Technology Grant Award winners are as follows:

• PACER Center's Simon Technology Center in Minneapolis, MN purchased assistive technology for the Spastics Society of Karnataka (SSK) in Bangalore, India supporting the first comprehensive assistive technology center in India. Submitted by Bridget Ames, Coordinator of PACER Center's Simon Technology Center.

• The Bridge School in Hillsborough, CA to support the International Teacher-in Residence Program with training in South Africa. Submitted by Dr. Vicki Casella, Executive Director.

• Pomor State University and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and Early Intervention Centers for research, training, and client services in Russia and Post-Soviet states. Submitted by Lia Kalinnikova, Associate Professor and Director of the AAC and Early Intervention Center, and Magnus Magnusson, visiting Professor.

• The Timmy Foundation and their work with The Mission to the Ukraine to support speech-language AAC programs in the Ukraine. Submitted by Margo Kinzer Courter, Speech Language Pathologist.

• Department of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, India a Unit of Manipal University, which provides teacher training and client support. Submitted by Mili Mathew, Lecturer at the Department of Speech Language Pathology at Kasurba Medical College.

Each AbleNet International Assistive Technology Grant Program applicant submitted a statement describing the mission of their organization, a description of how the organization planned to utilize the equipment provided in the grant, and a strategy for measuring and evaluating the results of their project.

Assistive technologies are employed in a variety of settings and are used to improve access to everything within an individual's environment. For Margo Kinzer Courter, a Speech Language Pathologist representing The Timmy Foundation, the ability to communicate goes hand-in-hand with access, "We believe that the AbleNet products will broaden the communication opportunities for individuals with disabilities and will finally give them a voice."

Acknowledging the long-term benefits of the grant, Dr. Vicki R. Casella, Executive Director of The Bridge School said, "This grant allows us to add to the richness of what we can do and leave something behind that will have a lasting impact"

"We would like to thank everyone who applied for the AbleNet International Assistive Technology Grant. There are so many organizations doing such wonderful work that limiting the award to just five organizations was quite a challenge," said Jen Thalhuber, CEO of AbleNet. "The five grant recipients each demonstrated a deep understanding of the need to make assistive technology and training more accessible to the underprivileged. We are proud to provide the equipment, knowledge and support to all five grant recipients, and look forward to hearing their success stories in the very near future. Congratulations to all!"

About AbleNet

AbleNet offers a complete line of assistive technology products, including communication aids for non-verbal students, and access aids, such as switches and wheelchair mounting devices for students who require physical supports. The company is also recognized for developing research-based special education curricula that meet state and federal mandates. Located in Roseville, Minnesota, AbleNet is an ESOP company that sells its products through a network of distributors in more than 50 countries. AbleNet's products and programs have been used in tens of thousands of classrooms nationally for more than 20 years. For more information, visit www.ablenetinc.com.

About PACER

Founded in 1977, PACER Center was created by parents of children and youth with disabilities to help other parents and families facing similar challenges. Today, PACER Center expands opportunities and enhances the quality of life of children and young adults with disabilities and their families. PACER is staffed primarily by parents of children with disabilities and works in coalition with 18 disability organizations. The Simon Technology Center provides a variety of core services to help children, families, and professionals learn about the use of assistive technology. For more information, visit www.pacer.org.

About Spastics Society of Karnataka

Located in India, the Spastics Society of Karnataka is a Non-Government Organization (NGO) dedicated to the welfare of persons with Neuro-Muscular Disorders and Developmental Disabilities.

Spastics Society of Karnataka (SSK) started off as a branch of the Spastics Society of India in the year 1982, and went on to become autonomous in the year 1994. SSK is located on a 5 acre campus donated by the Government of Karnataka in Indiranagar, in the garden city of Bangalore. For more information, visit http://www.spasticssocietyofkarnataka.org/

 

About Pomor State University and AAC Center

The first AAC center in Russia started in 2007 in Archangelsk city in Russia. It was established at the central rehabilitation centre in the city with support from Pomor State University, the municipality of Archangelsk and the Swedish Institute. The center is involved in a lot of international cooperation, among other things with Belarus and Ukraine to establish common AAC courses for professionals as well as families. The cooperation hopes to involve the European community in the not too distant future. The Pomor State University was founded in 1932 and is one of the biggest classical universities in the European North of Russia. For more information visit: http://www.pomorsu.ru/eng/

 

About The Bridge School

The Bridge School was founded in 1986 as an educational program serving children who could benefit from the newly emerging field of augmentative and alternative communication. The Bridge School is a non-profit organization whose mission is to ensure that individuals with severe speech and physical impairments achieve full participation in their communities through the use of augmentative & alternative means of communication (AAC) and assistive technology (AT) applications and through the development, implementation and dissemination of innovative life-long educational strategies. For more information visit: http://www.bridgeschool.org/about.html

About The Timmy Foundation

The Timmy Foundation was founded in 1997 to channel resources to sustainable health projects in developing countries. The foundation is currently partnering with dynamic projects in seven countries, with the vision of a world in which quality healthcare and education are available to all children. For more information visit: www.timmyfoundation.org

About Kasturba Medical College

Kasturba Medical College (KMC), Mangalore started in 1955. Today, KMC degrees are recognized in over 40 countries. The physical facilities, faculty research work and student amenities have been steadily developed over the years. The 200-acre campus provides one of the finest environments for study in South Asia. KMC ranks among the top 10 medical colleges in India today. For more information visit: http://www.manipal.edu/manipalsite/Users/ManipalHome.aspx

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