AT+History

[|AT History]

Assistive technology has been developed and used for many years. The first typewriter was built by Pellegrino Turri in 1808 to help a blind friend write legibly. In 1876 Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone as a result of his work with the deaf and hearing aides were developed in a research division of Bell Labs in 1916. Several years later, in 1935, Talking Books were developed by the American Foundation for the Blind.

There has been a dramatic increase in the development of AT supported by legislation passed by the U.S. Congress. In 1988 the Tech Act was passed providing funding to meet the assistive technology needs of individuals with disabilities. This act also sought to promote cooperation among state agencies and other public and private entities to improve access to AT. In 1994 the Tech Act was amended requiring states to develop and monitor policies and procedures in order to improve access to and funding for AT devices and services. With the passage of the Assistive Technology Act of 1998, funding was provided to all 50 states to strengthen capacity and promote investment in AT.

In recent years a wide variety of devices have been developed including accessible computers, personal digital organizers, statewide and nationwide TTY relays, audio ATMs at banks, wireless electronic pages for the deaf, cochlear implants, real time captioning for classes and meetings, and stair-climbing wheel chairs.

Work is ongoing in many high tech areas. For example, there has been much progress in the field of high-speed noninvasive eye-tracking systems which allow human-computer interactions, including typing and computer command and control by handicapped individuals, and eye-based diagnosis of physiological disorders that affect gaze responses. (Source: axistive.com)

Even software giant Microsoft has gotten into the field, chartering an initiative called the Accessibility Interoperability Alliance (AIA). The AIA, an engineering collaboration between AT vendors, IT companies and key nongovernmental organizations, will enable developers to more easily create accessible software, hardware and Web-based products that will reduce barriers to information and communication technologies for people with disabilities. According to Rob Sinclair, director of the Accessibility Business Unit at Microsoft; “The AIA is an opportunity for the entire industry to come together to reduce the cost and complexity of accessibility, increase customer satisfaction, foster inclusive innovation and reinforce a sustainable ecosystem of accessible technology products.” (Source: eWeek)

Check out this [|site], and review this day in AT History! Choose a day and review the information which happened on that day which is relevant to AT! Post your synopsis of "This Day in AT History" in twitter using the hashtag #SVCATHistory

Here is a great [|AT timeline]from google. Click on a date and you will find more information.