New assistive technology research focuses on iPad, communication skills

In what might result in great new strides for assistive technology, the National Center for Technology Innovation (NCTI) has announced the winners of its "Tech in the Works 2010" competition, which funds innovative projects that pair researchers with industry vendors to improve educational outcomes for all students—and especially those with special needs.

NCTI will award $20,000 to each of four researcher-developer teams this year. Each winning team has pledged to match this amount to facilitate its research project. "Tech in the Works," which began in 2005, promotes collaborative research in developing innovative and emerging assistive technologies. Funding for the competition is provided by NCTI's own grant money, which comes from the federal Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). "The key part of this program is collaboration," said Heidi Silver-Pacuilla, deputy director of NCTI. "What's crucial to getting these projects from the lab to the people who need it most ... is the partnership between researchers and vendors."