Integrated Accessible Microscopical Workstation for Students with Disabilities

摘要本计划的目标是建立一个整合的、可存取的显微镜工作站，使残障学生能够独立完成常见的生物实验室技术，从而使个人能够积极参与科学实验，并有机会在SMET领域从事职业。这个多功能工作站主要供行动不便的人使用。集成工作站的所有方面都将通过中央计算机接口进行操作，该接口将用于自动控制和监视外部外围设备，以便进行生物实验。使用计算机作为用户界面和可访问实验室工作站的中央控制是理想的，因为个人计算机可以使用不同的指向设备和可访问软件实用程序来适应各种残疾。将强调集成工作站的总按键控制。本提案的目的是开发一个可访问的实验室工作站，允许有行动障碍的学生和研究人员在最小的帮助和设置下执行大多数显微镜和组织学实验室程序，尤其是在生物科学中。集成显微镜工作站将使用软件来控制操作的所有功能，包括自动显微镜，电动工作台，散装载玻片自动装填机和数字摄像机。该工作站将允许残疾学生独立加载多达50个单独的幻灯片，聚焦，改变目标，滤光轮，照明器和聚光器，并在X和Y方向上平移定位显微镜标本，并使用theta控制旋转-所有这些都通过计算机控制，该计算机还将捕获组织学组织的图像进行管理和分析，用于解剖学研究。因此，残疾学生唯一需要的帮助就是有人来加载幻灯片。显微镜和图像分析的所有其他阶段都可以在没有进一步帮助的情况下进行。可访问的显微镜工作站将在进行典型的本科和研究生生物实验的教室环境和执行复杂实验室程序的研究实验室环境中进行评估。十名行动不便的高中生和大学生将在第一年通过他们使用计算机的能力和与无障碍工作站建设相关的特定人体工程学来评估。在第二年，学生将测试他们使用工作站完成各种实验室程序的能力。教育工作者也将被问及他们将工作站融入课堂环境的能力。大学和当地高中教育工作者、特殊教育专家以及全州范围内的组织，如印第安纳州残疾人志愿者/组织理事会（COVOH）和印第安纳州通过意识辅助技术委员会（ATTAIN），他们提倡为残疾人使用辅助技术，将被用来传播研究结果并促进综合显微镜工作站的使用。

AbstractThe goal of this project is to construct an integrated accessible microscopicalworkstation that will allow students with disabilities to independently perform commonbiological laboratory techniques, thereby enabling individuals to actively participate inscientific experimentation and the opportunity to pursue a career in the SMET fields.This multi-purpose workstation is to be used primarily by persons with mobilityimpairments. All aspects of the integrated workstation will be operated from a centralcomputer interface, which will be used to automatically control and monitor externalperipheral devices so that biological experiments can be performed. Using a computeras the user interface and central control of the accessible laboratory workstation isideal, because the personal computer can accommodate various disabilities usingdifferent pointing devices and accessibility software utilities. Total keystroke control ofthe integrated workstation will be emphasized.The intent of this proposal is to develop an accessible laboratory workstation that willallow students and investigators with mobility impairments to perform the majority ofmicroscopical and histological laboratory procedures, most notably in the biologicalsciences, with minimal assistance and setup. The integrated microscopy workstationwill use software to control all features of operation, including an automatedmicroscope, motorized stage, bulk slide autoloader, and digital video camera. Theworkstation will allow a student with a disability to independently load up to fiftyindividual slides, focus, change objectives, filter wheels, illuminator and condensor, andposition the microscopy specimen translationally in X and Y directions and rotationallyusing theta control - all controlled through a computer that will also capture images ofthe histological tissues to be managed and analyzed for anatomical studies. Thus, theonly assistance the student with a disability requires is for someone to load the slides.All other phases of microscopy and image analysis can be performed without furtherassistance.The accessible microscopy workstation will be evaluated both in a classroom settingthat performs typical undergraduate and post-graduate biological experimentation andin research laboratory setting that performs sophisticated laboratory procedures. Tenhigh school and college students with a range of mobility impairments will be assessedin the first year by their ability to use a computer and their specific ergonomics relatingto the construction of the accessible workstation. In the second year the students willbe tested on their ability to use the workstation to accomplish a variety of laboratoryprocedures. Educators will also be queried as to their capability of incorporating theworkstation into the classroom environment.University and local high school educators and Special Education specialists andstatewide organizations, like the Council of Volunteers/Organizations for Hoosiers withDisabilities (COVOH) and Assisting Technology through Awareness in Indiana(ATTAIN), which advocate the use of assistive technologies for persons with disabilities,will be utilized to disseminate findings and promote the use of the integrated microscopyworkstation.