Mark Coppin, ACC Assistive Technology Director, will have a unique opportunity to spend turkey day in Turkey this year.
He will be traveling to Ankara, Turkey over the Thanksgiving holiday to help organizers set up a TechnoCamp. He will be leaving on the 18th
of November and returning on the 26th. “The goal,” Mark said, “is to raise awareness of how assistive technology can benefit people with disabilities.”
TechnoCamp is currently a one week camp held each summer at Elks Camp Grassick, south of Dawson, ND. The program enhances the
campers’ use of communication systems and technology to allow them to participate fully in the camping experience. The technology focus provides individuals the opportunity to further develop skills with technology adaptations.
The Turkish Education Ministry wanted to explore the camp idea after watching one of Mark’s students in an online video. That camper learned how to use adapted technology at TechnoCamp to perform video editing. Despite having limited control of her arms and legs, she was able to complete her project with the use of head switches and smart software. “The organizers were impressed to see how much she could do in spite of her disability” said Coppin. “They realized that they could be doing more to support individuals with disabilities.”
Mark will be working with David Niemeijer of Assistiveware.com who showed Mark’s video to the Education Ministry and developed the video editing software. They will be joined by members of the Education Ministry itself, assistive technology resellers, and representatives from Bilkom who is sponsoring the event.
The camp will be held close to the Turkish Parliament building and it has drawn the attention of the President of Parliament and the Turkish Prime Minister. Both men will meet with the camp organizers during the week to learn more about the project.
Ten day-campers with varying physical disabilities will participate in the Turkish TechnoCamp. The curriculum will focus on adaptive: videography, photography, music, and art.
The Anne Carlsen Center provides assistance for individuals of all ages with a wide variety of developmental disabilities, including autism, and medical fragility. Through the care and expertise we provide on our Jamestown campus, and throughout our offices in North Dakota, we nurture abilities and change lives.
Karla Olson
December 2, 2011