Last week I shared a survey that raised some questions with of the respondents, many of which were legitimate. Therefore, without seeking her permission first (I apologize for that), I forwarded Dr. Terri Hedgpeth's letter to the e-mail address listed on the note I originally received from Penny Reeder.
I received Ms. Pawnall's response today, and while it may not be as forthcoming as some would like (apparently a possible patent is involved, if the letter is to be believed, which I do), I think it gives some explanations as to what is going on.
Ted Chittenden
From: Heather Pownall <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2011 14:55:56 -0500
Subject: Re: RE: [VICUG-L] Fwd: Understanding the Needs of Blind & Visually
Impaired (University Survey)
To: ted chittenden <[log in to unmask]>
Hi Ted,
Thank you for sharing our survey with your colleagues. We are using a free
online survey account, so the amount of information and number of questions
we can include is limited, but I am happy to respond to the questions raised
by Dr. Hedgpeth.
We are a team of MBA, graduate and PhD students enrolled in a year-long
entrepreneurship program led by instructor Roger Debo. We are working with
Roger and two other professors, as well as our Technology Transfer office
and a team of technologists at NC State University to harness the potential
of a technology that was developed here at our university. I cannot go into
detail about the technology (a patent is pending), but we believe it can
serve as the basis for a refreshable Braille device that is significantly
better and more affordable than current alternatives. We are still in the
early stages of our project, and our mission right now is to better
understand the needs of individuals who are blind and visually impaired. We
have conducted dozens of interviews and this survey is just one piece of our
research. To answer the other questions: We were not asked to (nor did we)
seek IRB approval, but our survey was approved by our instructors. The
information we collect will be used to guide the development of our
technology into a product that solves some of the most pressing needs we are
learning about. Any email addresses shared with us will be used only in
conjunction with our research efforts, and will not be shared ever with
anyone outside of our student team.
I hope this is helpful, and that you'll pass along these responses to your
colleagues. Feel free to let me know if you have further questions.
Thanks,
Heather Pownall
MBA Class of 2011
North Carolina State University
Jenkins Graduate School of Management
919-830-4518
[log in to unmask]
On Mon, Feb 7, 2011 at 5:08 PM, ted chittenden <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Hi Heather.
>
> I forwarded the survey around to a few places (I liked the open-ended
> questions). However, below is the response sent to me by my boss's boss, Dr.
> Terri Hedgpeth, Director of the Disability Resource Center at Arizona State
> University.
>
> While the survey does not ask for any email addresses per se, I do think
> Dr. Hedgpeth's questions are valid and deserve a response.
>
> Ted Chittenden
> From: Terri Hedgpeth <[log in to unmask]>
> To: ted chittenden <[log in to unmask]>, "[log in to unmask]"
> <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2011 14:43:02 -0700
> Subject: RE: [VICUG-L] Fwd: Understanding the Needs of Blind & Visually
> Impaired (University Survey)
>
> I clicked on the survey link and they don't tell anything about who they
> are, how the information they collect will be used, if they have
> Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval through their university, who the
> faculty are that they are working with if any, What they will do with your
> email addresses, etc.
>
> ===================================================
> Terri Hedgpeth Ed.D.
> Director, Disability Resource Center
> PO Box 873202
> Arizona State University
> Tempe, AZ 85287-3202
> Assistant: (480) 965-3366
> Direct: (480) 727-8133
> Fax: (480) 965-0441
> E-mail: [log in to unmask]
> ==================================================
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Visually Impaired Computer Users' Group List [mailto:
> [log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of ted chittenden
> Sent: Monday, February 07, 2011 2:16 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [VICUG-L] Fwd: Understanding the Needs of Blind & Visually
> Impaired (University Survey)
>
> I'm forwarding this on because the open-ended questions do concern the use
> of both braille and computer technology by the blind. My assumption, given
> the email address in the text, is that the survey is legitimate.
>
> Ted Chittenden
> From: "pownallh" [log in to unmask]
>
>
>
> Subject: Understanding the Needs of Blind & Visually Impaired (University
> Survey)
>
>
>
> Date: Sunday, February 06, 2011 11:32 AM
>
>
>
> Hello,
>
>
>
> I'm part of a team of graduate students at North Carolina State University,
> and we're working on developing technologies into products that may help
> the
> blind and visually impaired. We are very interested in learning more from
> individuals who are blind and/or visually impaired so we can better
> understand the needs and problems that are present today, particularly
> regarding the accessibility of information.
>
>
>
> We are in the very early stages of research, and would be grateful for a
> few
> minutes of your time, if you can spare a moment to complete our brief
> 10-question survey and/or share it with others:
> http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Z8ZQRMF
>
>
>
> If you have any trouble with the link, please feel free to contact me at
> the
> email address below.
>
>
>
> With best regards,
>
>
>
> Heather Pownall
>
>
>
> MBA Class of 2011
>
>
>
> North Carolina State University
>
>
>
> Jenkins Graduate School of Management
>
>
>
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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>
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