The Family Center on Technology and Disability

Founded in 1961, the Academy for Educational Development (AED) is an independent, nonprofit organization committed to solving critical social problems in the U.S. and throughout the world through education, social marketing, research, training, policy analysis and innovative program design and management. Major areas of focus include health, education, youth development, and the environment. AED is dedicated to improving people's lives by increasing knowledge and promoting democratic and humanitarian ideals.

Representing AED is Jacqueline Hess, Family Center Director since 2001. Ms. Hess has an extensive background in the use of technology in education. For more than 12 years, she directed the National Demonstration Laboratory for Interactive Educational Technologies (NDL) housed at the Smithsonian Institution, the Library of Congress, and AED. In that capacity, she helped to create national standards for the evaluation of computer-assisted learning materials in both formal and non-formal learning environments. 

While working in the U.S. House of Representatives Ms. Hess authored omnibus education legislation aimed at providing services to at-risk children and to those with disabilities. As editor of academic publications for the Close Up Foundation, she produced curriculum resources for high school and college students. She is the author of the publications Distance Learning for Special Educators and Family Information Guide to Assistive Technology. Ms. Hess has directed the Family Center since 2001.

Ana-Maria Gutierrez, FCTD Technical Program Officer, has been with the Center since 2002. She is currently responsible for managing the Center's extensive e-mail list, for developing the Center's CD-ROMs, and for developing information dissemination tools. Ms. Gutierrez formats and distributes the FCTD's monthly newsletter, and supports the Center's extensive databases and website.

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The mission of the Alliance for Technology Access (ATA) is to connect children and adults with disabilities to technology tools. The power of technology to neutralize limitations and support participation in the mainstream of society is phenomenal. The ATA is accomplishing this by raising public awareness and implementing programs and initiatives that provide access to conventional, assistive and information technologies, related services and resources. Over the past 13 years, ATA has assisted almost 4.3 million Americans with disabilities.

Russ Holland has been involved in the field of assistive technology for the past 25 years. As a classroom teacher, the founder and director for nine years of Techspress (an ATA Center in upstate New York), and an independent consultant, he has been involved in advocacy work, training, and consulting directed at eliminating barriers faced by people with disabilities. He is co-founder of Adirondack AccessAbility Inc., an ATA Affiliate, and currently serves as the Program Director of the Alliance for Technology Access.

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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. PACER's mission is to expand opportunities and enhance the quality of life of children and young adults with disabilities and their families, based on the concept of parents helping parents.

Bridget Gilormini is coordinator of the Simon Technology Center, a project of PACER Center (Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights) in Minneapolis, MN. This community technology center offers free individual technology consultations, a device lending program, and assistive technology training for consumers, families, and professionals. Bridget has a degree in communication disorders and extensive experience as an assistive technology consultant. Her professional interests and specialty areas include professional development, universal design for learning, augmentative and alternative communication, web based resources, visual strategies, and literacy for all.

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InfoUse believes in a world in which information is empowering, and facilitating access to it is a pleasure. InfoUse develops information and presents it in ways that maximize the potential for people to use it to change the world for the better. InfoUse specializes in the development of health, disability, and rehabilitation information using computer technology. InfoUse has developed a research and development capacity in the areas of disability statistics, program evaluation, policy, analysis, and interactive multimedia production, and has produced interactive systems and materials for the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the State of California, and others. Susan Stoddard, Ph.D., founded the firm in 1984.

Lewis Kraus, Vice President and Senior Analyst, has degrees in public health and in city and regional planning with over 15 years experience in federal programs. Mr. Kraus serves as analyst and CEO of InfoUse and specializes in information needs analysis programs, microcomputer technology, and program planning and evaluation. He has designed, created, managed, and produced many projects, including CD-Roms, Web sites, accessible software, interactive videos, multimedia training materials, assessments, and analysis of various programs.

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