SBIR Phase II: Promoting STEM Education for Students Who are Blind or Print Disabled through the Development of the First Talking Pocket Size Scientific Data Collection Device

SBIR 第二阶段：通过开发首款会说话的袖珍科学数据收集设备，促进盲人或印刷品阅读障碍学生的 STEM 教育

• 批准号: 1127412
• 负责人: Ronald Supalo
• 金额: $ 50万
• 依托单位: Independence Science, LLC
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-11-01 至 2016-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1127412&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; II; Promoting; STEM

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will produce technology to provide students with print disabilities (i.e., blindness, low vision, and learning disabilities that inhibit processing of text), who are commonly relegated to being passive observers in science classrooms, with the ability to directly participate in scientific data collection and analysis. Science education involves the collection, manipulation, and examination of data, most of which is in visually based textual form, which is problematic for students with print disabilities. The project objectives involve the development of non-visually-based technology for the collection and manipulation of data. The LabQuest, a popular scientific data-collection device used in many mainstream classrooms, is currently not accessible by students with print disabilities because it is operated through a text-rich, visual touch-screen menu. The objectives of Phase II focus on making all features of the LabQuest accessible to students with print disabilities through fully incorporating text-to-speech software (resulting in an enhanced version of the Talking LabQuest developed during Phase I), non-visual collection and manipulation of data, the development of software interfaces between the Talking LabQuest and peripheral devices such as Braille note-takers (non-visually-based computerized devices frequently used by individuals with visual impairments for storing and manipulating data) and embossers for producing tactile graphs. All features, functions, and interfaces developed will be field tested by individuals with print disabilities for ease of operability. Based on Phase I successes, it is anticipated that individuals with print disabilities will be able to independently operate the proposed technology.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project concerns the inclusion in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and professions of a population that has typically been disenfranchised from these fields. Persons with print disabilities are underrepresented in postsecondary studies and careers in STEM fields. Behavioral research suggests that self-belief in one's capacity to independently function in a particular field is an important determining factor in whether one chooses that field as a career path, and that hands-on experiences contribute to one's self-belief regarding the capacity to independently function. Data from Phase I of this SBIR project are consistent with behavioral science research; specifically, it was demonstrated that the technology can be independently operated by students who are blind or visually impaired to collect and manipulate data. Phase I findings also indicated that these hands-on science experiences were associated with increased beliefs in students? capacity to independently function in science activities, increased inclination to consider postsecondary studies and careers in STEM, and improved academic outcomes. These data suggest that wide commercial availability of the proposed enhanced technology will help increase the representation of individuals with print disabilities in STEM studies and professions. Persons with print disabilities will be able to work independently in science classrooms and laboratories, and will be able to choose educational and career paths based on aptitude and interest. Additionally, because individuals with disabilities are frequently unemployed or underemployed and receive government assistance, their increased entry into STEM fields may reduce taxpayer burden.

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目将产生技术，为学生提供打印残疾（即，失明、视力低下和学习障碍（这些障碍阻碍了文本的处理），他们通常在科学课堂上被降级为被动的观察者，有能力直接参与科学数据的收集和分析。科学教育涉及数据的收集、处理和检查，其中大部分是基于视觉的文本形式，这对于有印刷障碍的学生来说是有问题的。该项目的目标是开发收集和处理数据的非视觉技术。LabQuest是一种流行的科学数据收集设备，在许多主流教室中使用，目前没有印刷障碍的学生使用，因为它是通过一个文本丰富的视觉触摸屏菜单操作的。第二阶段的目标是通过充分整合文本语音转换软件，使有印刷障碍的学生能够使用LabQuest的所有功能（导致在第一阶段开发的Talking LabQuest的增强版本），非视觉数据收集和处理，开发Talking LabQuest与盲文笔记记录器等外围设备之间的软件接口（非视觉计算机化设备，经常被有视觉障碍的人用于存储和操作数据）和用于产生触觉图形的绘图仪。开发的所有特性、功能和界面将由打印障碍人士进行现场测试，以便于操作。基于第一阶段的成功，预计打印障碍的个人将能够独立操作所提出的技术。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力涉及将通常被剥夺这些领域权利的人群纳入科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）教育和职业。有印刷品阅读障碍的人在STEM领域的中学后学习和职业中的代表性不足。行为研究表明，在一个特定领域独立运作的能力的自信是一个人是否选择该领域作为职业道路的重要决定因素，而实践经验有助于一个人关于独立运作能力的自信。该SBIR项目第一阶段的数据与行为科学研究一致;具体而言，已经证明该技术可以由盲人或视障学生独立操作，以收集和操作数据。第一阶段的研究结果还表明，这些动手科学的经验与学生的信念增加？在科学活动中独立运作的能力，增加了考虑STEM的中学后学习和职业的倾向，并提高了学术成果。这些数据表明，拟议的增强技术的广泛商业可用性将有助于增加STEM研究和专业中印刷障碍者的代表性。有阅读障碍的人将能够在科学教室和实验室独立工作，并能够根据能力和兴趣选择教育和职业道路。此外，由于残疾人经常失业或就业不足，并接受政府援助，他们更多地进入STEM领域可能会减轻纳税人的负担。