From: Jennison Asuncion <[log in to unmask]>

The Adaptech Research Project out of Dawson College In Montreal,
Canada, is pleased to announce that we are now online and
interactive.

What is Adaptech? The Adaptech Research project is a grant funded
investigation examining the use of computer, information and
adaptive technologies by students with disabilities in public
colleges and universities across Canada.

The goals of this investigation are (1) to evaluate the use and the
utility of computer technologies in the post-secondary education of
students with disabilities and (2) to make available descriptive
and correlational data to better advise students, service
providers, planners, policy makers, as well as developers and
suppliers of mainstream and adaptive technologies.

In particular, the project has the following objectives.

* Explore what aspects computer user students with various
disabilities find particularly useful
* Look at what educational and social goals are met by computer
technologies.
* Explore the question of whether there are students who could
benefit from computer technologies but fail to use them, and, if
so, why
* Identify how systemic variables such as the availability of free
Internet access, Government programs, and training, interact with
individual differences, such as gender and specific disability, to help or
hinder the use of computer technologies.
* Evaluate the existing trend to adapt software to the needs of
people with disabilities

We are well under way with our research, currently conducting a
series of thirty structured telephone interviews with male and
female college and university students with disabilities in both
English and French.  Similar telephone interviews will be conducted
with college and university service providers shortly.  Our
research will culminate with the distribution of 3000 two page
questionnaires this fall across Canada in English and French, and
in alternative formats.  Additionally, we are involved with a number of
related activities.


Come visit us at

<http://omega.dawsoncollege.qc.ca/cfichten/adaptech.htm>.  We also
have an Adaptech moderated e-mail discussion forum, information on
which you can find on our web site.

Jennison Asuncion
M.A. Student in Educational Technology
Concordia University, Montreal