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= | ==Proposal Narrative== | ||
== | |||
Our colleague Brian is blind. He is amazingly self sufficient in life with his wife and 3 kids. He loves technology and the ways it empowers him in his daily routine. He uses JAWS, a screen reader, to use his computer and programs it to automate and solve his own problems. He even writes a blog about his trials and tribulations with accessibility. | |||
We treat Brian no differently than we treat anyone else at our space. The day he found us we put an Arduino in his hand and expected him to program it. Arduino was designed to make electronics design, programming and prototyping easy enough for kids, but deep enough for professionals. It took some time to explain its non accessible layout to him but within a few hours he had programmed it to play Pink Panther through a speaker! | |||
He was hooked on programming which could make changes in the real world, where he could solve his own problems. He decided to pursue a degree in computer engineering. However, when he talked to the Disability Resource Office they warned that his chances of success in that degree program would be very limited. Without a tactile representation of the different components and access to the tools needed to interact with these components they couldn't guarantee a fair playing field. | |||
We talked with Brian many nights about this, about his success with Pink Panther, and about the problems he had to admit to himself. The Arduino IDE was barely accessible. He was only able to program the Arduino in the first place because a sighted person counted out the pins on the board to him and gave him the speaker explaining which pins would go where on the board. | |||
But there was too much potential for this device for blind people. If the micro processor could control robots, access wifi, control cameras, lights, speakers, and lots of other components for sighted users, why could it not do the same for the blind? | |||
Blind people love technology because it allows them to be self sufficient and solve their own problems. There are devices out for the blind that cost hundreds of dollars if not thousands to assist them in measuring water, identifying colors, and notify them of things around them. But how can the world be made accessibly by those who don't understand the needs of the blind? And how can the blind solve their problems if the tools are not accessible? | |||
With the Arduino the blind person could program their own device to do these same functions for a fraction of the cost, or solve NEW problems. | |||
And it wouldn't be that difficult to make Arduino accessible. All of the hardware and software designs are available for free online. The Arduino team is a loose confederation of liked minded individuals around the world working to make the product better. | |||
We intend to make TOOLS of life accessible to the blind so they can participate and solve their problems on their own. | |||
Join us. | |||
=Mission= | ==Program Participants== | ||
What is your mission and vision and any key points of approach? If you have any principles or values that are actively used in your programs and management please include them as well. | |||
<!-- | |||
==Program Participants Description== | |||
Who are your program participants and how many will you serve? What are the key | |||
characteristics of these participants and are they in any way different from | |||
the full set of people who have the problem? | |||
In characteristics, we are interested not just in such factors as gender and | |||
race, but also defining who you serve by the degree of the challenge to get to | |||
the result you intend. We know, for example, that it is much harder to get | |||
children to the right literacy level if they are two, rather than one, grades | |||
behind in reading and if their primary language is not English. Please know | |||
that we view it as a sign of strength that a program/project has defined the | |||
people who are most likely to benefit from a particular approach. It is rare | |||
that one program is the best fit for everyone. | |||
--> | |||
The focus of this project is directed towards the blind and/or low vision. Students, professionals, kids, adults, it doesn't matter. Anyone with a passion for technology and a love of problem solving and learning. As a development project, though, we would need some software engineers with a knowledge of the Arduino software and the java langauge. We would also need hardware engineers that can make changes to the Arduino hardware. | |||
==For Whom Will You Address This Cause== | |||
<!-- | |||
==For Whom Will You Address This Cause Description== | |||
Specifically state for whom you will address this cause. | |||
--> | |||
The program will directly effect the blind and low vision technology | |||
enthusiasts around the world who have never before had access to programming or | |||
building on a micro processor. As an open source program the Arduino IDE will | |||
benefit blind users around the world with a simple download. The Arduino | |||
hardware is a micro processor that is low in cost ranging any where from $30 to | |||
$80 depending on the components included. | |||
==Providing Service== | |||
<!-- | |||
==Providing Service Description== | |||
What level of intensity (i.e. frequency of service) and duration (i.e. period | |||
in which you provide service for a person) are needed for your approach to | |||
deliver results? Once you give the number add your thought on rationale. | |||
--> | |||
The Arduino language has great tutorials found online, along with example | |||
scripts found right in the menu of the IDE. For the blind users we will provide | |||
a detailed layout and description of the hardware,. Also as a supplement to the | |||
description of the hardware we will have Braille or tactile labels for each | |||
component of the hardware. There are online forums and mailing lists directed | |||
towards programmers of the arduino found online at www.sparkfun.com. | |||
==Partners & Organizations== | |||
<!-- | |||
==Partners & Organizations Description== | |||
The Arduino language has great tutorials found online, along with example | |||
scripts found right in the menu of the IDE. For the blind users we will provide | |||
a detailed layout and description of the hardware,. Also as a supplement to the | |||
description of the hardware we will have Braille or tactile labels for each | |||
component of the hardware. There are online forums and mailing lists directed | |||
towards programmers of the arduino found online at www.sparkfun.com. | |||
--> | |||
Locally we have ties with the CUBIC lab at Arizona State University. For a decade they've worked on accessibility problems from the user point of view. | |||
ACBVI locally works to enhance the quality of life for blind and visually impaired. Cubic has worked with them to understand the needs of the blind community and to evaluate products in development. | |||
Other important establishments to reach out to will be blind schools such as state schools | |||
for the Deaf and Blind, and training centers for the blind as in Colorado | |||
center for the Blind. Partners like this could be trained and deliver the | |||
training to many ethnic backgrounds, age groups, and genders of the blind | |||
community. | |||
Global community of other makerspaces. | |||
==Verizon Volunteers== | |||
<!-- | |||
==Verizon Volunteers Description== | |||
Could you possibly use Verizon employees or retirees as volunteers in this or | |||
other programs/projects? (required) We'd like to alert Verizon employees and | |||
retirees who live or work in your area to your need for more help to go with | |||
any financial investment we might make. Please think creatively about how you | |||
might use additional hands-many of them are very skilled in a variety of ways | |||
as mothers and fathers and civic contributors-not just as productive members of | |||
our company. | |||
--> | |||
I think this could be useful if we get to a point where we need drivers to | |||
locations, assistance in training, or in making calls for feedback and stats. We could also look into an accessibility tech support chatline and hotline to answer questions. | |||
==Mission== | |||
<!-- | |||
What is your mission and vision and any key points of approach? If you have | |||
any principles or values that are actively used in your programs and management | |||
please include them as well. | |||
==Guidance:== | ==Guidance:== | ||
We see mission as what you do and vision as the end state you wish to achieve. The best mission and vision statements are short and clear. If yours is over the length here allowed, please distill to the essence. We are especially interested in how your mission gives you concentration and focus—discouraging you from simply taking on more projects because money is available. Finally, if you have points of approach (values, principles, whatever you might call them) that guide where you go or how you work, do name them and be specific about how they shape your actions. | We see mission as what you do and vision as the end state you wish to achieve. | ||
The best mission and vision statements are short and clear. If yours is over | |||
the length here allowed, please distill to the essence. We are especially | |||
interested in how your mission gives you concentration and focus—discouraging | |||
you from simply taking on more projects because money is available. Finally, if | |||
you have points of approach (values, principles, whatever you might call them) | |||
that guide where you go or how you work, do name them and be specific about how | |||
they shape your actions. | |||
==Examples:== | ==Examples:== | ||
The mission of the Davis Health Alliance is to insure that low income and at risk individuals in our county get and use health care services. Our vision is of a county in which no preventable illness or condition goes unaddressed and no gap in health outcomes based on means, ethnic status or other measure creates disparity. | The mission of the Davis Health Alliance is to insure that low income and at | ||
risk individuals in our county get and use health care services. Our vision is | |||
of a county in which no preventable illness or condition goes unaddressed and | |||
no gap in health outcomes based on means, ethnic status or other measure | |||
creates disparity. | |||
We have a core belief that behavioral choice is as consequential to health as | |||
is the full total of medical science and its delivery. | |||
The mission of School Turnaround is to reverse decline in failing public | |||
schools. Our vision is of American schools in which all students achieve at or | |||
above grade level. Our strong belief is that every child achieves—no | |||
exceptions, no excuses. We are driven by the belief that a child should only be | |||
in first grade once. | |||
--> | |||
HeatSync Labs' mission is to provide the tools, space and the community for | |||
students, entrepreneur, artists and garage tinkerers to come together and | |||
create their dreams. We are a community workshop which promotes Do-It-Yourself | |||
science and education and prides ourselves on application -in addition- to | |||
theory. | |||
Our vision is a world where we re-awaken our population and reinstate the | |||
knowledge of creation in opposition to our throw-away society. We will empower | |||
our population delivering the confidence to once compete on a global scale. | |||
= Achievements = | = Achievements = | ||
What have you achieved in the past three years for persons in your programs that are most like the project for which you seek our support? | <!-- | ||
What have you achieved in the past three years for persons in your programs | |||
that are most like the project for which you seek our support? | |||
==Guidance:== | ==Guidance:== | ||
Please know we are much more impressed with how many people have tangibly improved their life than on how much money you have attracted or what awards you may have received—unless the recognition is clearly based on participant outcomes. Also, we do not equate growth with achievement. Just focus on the tangible human gains you have created for those you serve. | Please know we are much more impressed with how many people have tangibly | ||
improved their life than on how much money you have attracted or what awards | |||
you may have received—unless the recognition is clearly based on participant | |||
outcomes. Also, we do not equate growth with achievement. Just focus on the | |||
tangible human gains you have created for those you serve. | |||
==Examples:== | ==Examples:== | ||
In the past three years we have worked with 210 women at risk for low birth weights and other problems. Doctors estimate that for this group, about 15 women would be expected to give birth to a child with a generally preventable condition. With our program, that number was seven. | In the past three years we have worked with 210 women at risk for low birth | ||
weights and other problems. Doctors estimate that for this group, about 15 | |||
women would be expected to give birth to a child with a generally preventable | |||
condition. With our program, that number was seven. | |||
We have worked to date in 52 schools. In 50 of these academic achievement gains | |||
of 15% or more in numbers of children at grade level in critical subjects were | |||
realized. | |||
--> | |||
Monthly we run a free to attend arduino workshop where we train kids to adults | |||
how to program microcontrollers. Hundreds of people, from children to adults | |||
have attended our monthly meetings with the goal of empowering themselves with | |||
technology to solve their own problems. MORE HERE | |||
Most recently we had been asked to create a workshop series on soldering and | |||
programing for UrbanStew another local nonprofit. Again, we wanted to instill | |||
the values of creation, having our attendees actaully BUILD the computer they | |||
would eventually program. Demystifying these devices which are increasingly | |||
becoming ubiquoutous. | |||
We have hosted over 24 free public educational events this year. Every 1st and | |||
3rd Thursday we invite in a speaker to invigorate us, and them. From | |||
materials, to tools, to processes we want to empower our people with the | |||
knowledge they need to succeed. Topics have included: *Astronomy | |||
*Astronomy | |||
*Eagle PCB Layout and Design | *Eagle PCB Layout and Design | ||
*PCB Chemical Etching,Heat Transfer, with FeCl | *PCB Chemical Etching,Heat Transfer, with FeCl | ||
| Line 89: | Line 226: | ||
Throughout this past year we also took time out to coach a pair of First Lego | |||
League teams. Our kids, mostly 9r olds, worked throughout 2010 Body Forward | |||
Challenge, as the FLL put its to "explore the cutting-edge world of Biomedical | |||
Engineering to discover innovative ways to repair injuries, overcome genetic | |||
predispositions, and maximize the body's potential, with the intended purpose | |||
of leading happier and healthier lives." They learned computer programming, | |||
mechanical engineering and biological engineering concepts culminating in a | |||
team presentation and robot competition! The goal, again here, was to empower | |||
them to solve THEIR OWN problems. It was entirely discovery learning and the | |||
adults were only there to supervise and answer questions. It was the first | |||
year for our kids and they had amazing fun. In addition our mentor won best | |||
mentor for the season. | |||
=Similar Groups= | =Similar Groups= | ||
In your geographic area what groups are most similar to you? And what differentiates you from them? | <!-- | ||
In your geographic area what groups are most similar to you? And what | |||
differentiates you from them? | |||
==Guidance:== | ==Guidance:== | ||
Few groups are so unique they have no comparable organizations. We want to know who you see as most similar so that we can both look at a broader picture of groups approaching the same issues within an area and gain a sense of how you are different. This question encourages you to tell us what we should remember about you that makes you stand out in some ways. Please do not do so by a critique of other groups. Speak to your own strengths. | Few groups are so unique they have no comparable organizations. We want to | ||
know who you see as most similar so that we can both look at a broader picture | |||
of groups approaching the same issues within an area and gain a sense of how | |||
you are different. This question encourages you to tell us what we should | |||
remember about you that makes you stand out in some ways. Please do not do so | |||
by a critique of other groups. Speak to your own strengths. | |||
==Examples:== | ==Examples:== | ||
The Care Network of St. Mary’s Hospital and the Health Advocacy Forum are the closest organization we can define. The Network is somewhat different in providing a vertical connection from prevention to post-treatment services for patients and customers of this 450 bed hospital. We, in contrast, are looking horizontally and community wide at how to integrate health providers and services. The Forum is distinct in that it focuses on the rights of people—especially those low income and minority—to health care access. We are less focused on defending rights than meeting needs. | The Care Network of St. Mary’s Hospital and the Health Advocacy Forum are the | ||
closest organization we can define. The Network is somewhat different in | |||
providing a vertical connection from prevention to post-treatment services for | |||
patients and customers of this 450 bed hospital. We, in contrast, are looking | |||
horizontally and community wide at how to integrate health providers and | |||
services. The Forum is distinct in that it focuses on the rights of | |||
people—especially those low income and minority—to health care access. We are | |||
less focused on defending rights than meeting needs. | |||
We have several kinds of comparable groups. One is the set of alternative programs that focus on professional development for principals and other administrators. Over 100 discreet “packaged” programs exist for purchase and use by school districts and regional agencies. None have substantial market share. The other comparable area is programs that focus on reversing failure in programmatic rather than leader-driven ways. An example is Success For All, a major reading program used in hundreds of schools nationwide. It provides a prescribed approach for using a dedicated block of time devoted daily in schools to literacy development. | We have several kinds of comparable groups. One is the set of alternative | ||
programs that focus on professional development for principals and other | |||
administrators. Over 100 discreet “packaged” programs exist for purchase and | |||
use by school districts and regional agencies. None have substantial market | |||
share. The other comparable area is programs that focus on reversing failure in | |||
programmatic rather than leader-driven ways. An example is Success For All, a | |||
major reading program used in hundreds of schools nationwide. It provides a | |||
prescribed approach for using a dedicated block of time devoted daily in | |||
schools to literacy development. | |||
We are different from these and other groups primarily because of our strong intervention approach. We literally see turnaround as a way of hitting failure hard. At the same time we are compatible in that we work with a wide variety of existing programs—be they for professional development, curriculum, or teaching. Our focus is on helping principals spark and lead change and on fully executing existing models and approaches—many of which work but only if more robustly implemented. | We are different from these and other groups primarily because of our strong | ||
intervention approach. We literally see turnaround as a way of hitting failure | |||
hard. At the same time we are compatible in that we work with a wide variety of | |||
existing programs—be they for professional development, curriculum, or | |||
teaching. Our focus is on helping principals spark and lead change and on fully | |||
executing existing models and approaches—many of which work but only if more | |||
robustly implemented. | |||
--> | |||
We're most like a vocational school, though without the classes. We're also like a traditional academic incubator model mixed with the newer accelerator model where entrepreneurs and skilled tradespeople who don't wish to work | |||
We're most like a traditional academic incubator model mixed with the newer | in an office alone but would rather work side by side with the other brightest | ||
minds in the community in order to build their workspace in public | |||
More specifically, we are part of a larger maker/do-it-yourself culture | |||
exemplified by Make Magazine. There are spaces are popping up throughout the | |||
united states, and globally, all with different visions and goals, but all | |||
listing themselves at hackerspaces.org. | |||
Locally we are most like our peer coworking/collaboration sister and previous landlord, | |||
Gangplank. Gangplank, much like us, intends to revolutionize education, | |||
community, and collaboration. They currently are comprised more of web and mobile development, marketing and branding. | |||
What makes us different from all these is our focus on infrastructure and creation. Even our schools are cutting vocational work due to budget constraints. We refuse to back down. We intend to bring the tools of creation back to the people. | |||
= Participants = | = Participants = | ||
Who are your participants? What are the characteristics of the people you will actually include in your program and are they in any way different from the full set of people who have the problem within your geographic focus? | <!-- | ||
Who are your participants? What are the characteristics of the people you will | |||
actually include in your program and are they in any way different from the | |||
full set of people who have the problem within your geographic focus? | |||
==Guidance: == | ==Guidance: == | ||
Please know that we view it as a sign of strength that a program has defined the people who are most likely to benefit from a particular approach. Think of how Southwest Airlines wanted only those passengers who valued reliability and low cost over other amenities. In the nonprofit world, it is rare that one program is always the best. Some kids, for example, thrive on a permissive and open learning environment while others need tight structure. We want to know if you have thought through the best fit with your treatment, approach, intervention or program by another name with specific people it will most help to achieve. | Please know that we view it as a sign of strength that a program has defined | ||
the people who are most likely to benefit from a particular approach. Think of | |||
how Southwest Airlines wanted only those passengers who valued reliability and | |||
low cost over other amenities. In the nonprofit world, it is rare that one | |||
program is always the best. Some kids, for example, thrive on a permissive and | |||
open learning environment while others need tight structure. We want to know | |||
if you have thought through the best fit with your treatment, approach, | |||
intervention or program by another name with specific people it will most help | |||
to achieve. | |||
This section also gives you a place to tell us about relative degree of challenge and to relate cost to degree of barriers. We know, for example, that the difficulty and expense to get someone a job who is drug-addicted, has poor English, or lacks a high school degree is very different than for people who have none of these core issues. We also encourage your speaking to the assets and strengths of your participants on which you can build. | This section also gives you a place to tell us about relative degree of | ||
challenge and to relate cost to degree of barriers. We know, for example, that | |||
the difficulty and expense to get someone a job who is drug-addicted, has poor | |||
English, or lacks a high school degree is very different than for people who | |||
have none of these core issues. We also encourage your speaking to the assets | |||
and strengths of your participants on which you can build. | |||
==Examples: == | ==Examples: == | ||
Our approach is best fitted to pregnant women – whether young or older who lack both knowledge of pre-natal care value and of a place to go to get it. We are less well suited to persons with more education and means who may well have access to health care but don’t now choose to use it. Many smoke to excess, use alcohol or drugs, and have problems with weight gain. Our cost is relatively high as we are dealing with people who have historically had or used virtually no health care. We will work with 100 women in this category, most of whom have incredible self-reliance capabilities on which we can build. | Our approach is best fitted to pregnant women – whether young or older who lack | ||
both knowledge of pre-natal care value and of a place to go to get it. We are | |||
less well suited to persons with more education and means who may well have | |||
access to health care but don’t now choose to use it. Many smoke to excess, use | |||
alcohol or drugs, and have problems with weight gain. Our cost is relatively | |||
high as we are dealing with people who have historically had or used virtually | |||
no health care. We will work with 100 women in this category, most of whom have | |||
incredible self-reliance capabilities on which we can build. | |||
Our focus is on the principal and we believe we can be most successful when they share two characteristics: 1) they have not been head of a failing school for more than three years. (Beyond that we think they are more likely to be part of the problem than the solution.) and 2) they must believe that their school is failing some of its students and that this is strongly unacceptable. (This eliminates the principals who acknowledge low test scores but note that the reason is demographics, not anything they could do differently.) This means that out of a market of 12,000 failing schools, we believe our approach is fitted to about 3,000 schools. We will work with 50 schools next year within the latter group. | Our focus is on the principal and we believe we can be most successful when | ||
they share two characteristics: 1) they have not been head of a failing school | |||
for more than three years. (Beyond that we think they are more likely to be | |||
part of the problem than the solution.) and 2) they must believe that their | |||
school is failing some of its students and that this is strongly unacceptable. | |||
(This eliminates the principals who acknowledge low test scores but note that | |||
the reason is demographics, not anything they could do differently.) This | |||
means that out of a market of 12,000 failing schools, we believe our approach | |||
is fitted to about 3,000 schools. We will work with 50 schools next year | |||
within the latter group. | |||
--> | |||
We will utilize our members and connections to the blind community to leverage our technological skills. We are technologists who have several blind in our midst, friends and families. In addition we will utilize our allies within the blind community including XXXX | We will utilize our members and connections to the blind community to leverage | ||
our technological skills. We are technologists who have several blind in our | |||
midst, friends and families. In addition we will utilize our allies within the | |||
blind community including XXXX | |||
=Approach= | =Approach= | ||
<!-- | |||
What approach are you using to achieve results? | What approach are you using to achieve results? | ||
==Guidance: == | ==Guidance: == | ||
Most programs are not a random set of activities. They are a coherent strategy to achieve a result. Please do not offer us a detailed work plan. Rather, tell us a few core elements of your particular way of solving a problem and why you think it is the best way to engage participants and help them get to the success you have stated. If you could place this in the context of other approaches you might have used but didn’t, that would add to our understanding. | Most programs are not a random set of activities. They are a coherent strategy | ||
to achieve a result. Please do not offer us a detailed work plan. Rather, tell | |||
us a few core elements of your particular way of solving a problem and why you | |||
think it is the best way to engage participants and help them get to the | |||
success you have stated. If you could place this in the context of other | |||
approaches you might have used but didn’t, that would add to our understanding. | |||
==Examples:== | ==Examples:== | ||
Our approach has two key elements: 1) to develop a personal relationship with pregnant women at strong risk of not getting and following medical guidance in such areas as diet, smoking, and exercise. We see this relationship (which most often is through a mentor, adult friend of other person who has a relationship with the young woman) as critical to identify and build. And 2) we provide all needed support services to the pregnant woman to deal with the issues that stand between that person and a healthy baby. These can involve housing, money, or other factors beyond health. | Our approach has two key elements: 1) to develop a personal relationship with | ||
pregnant women at strong risk of not getting and following medical guidance in | |||
such areas as diet, smoking, and exercise. We see this relationship (which | |||
most often is through a mentor, adult friend of other person who has a | |||
relationship with the young woman) as critical to identify and build. And 2) we | |||
provide all needed support services to the pregnant woman to deal with the | |||
issues that stand between that person and a healthy baby. These can involve | |||
housing, money, or other factors beyond health. | |||
Before deciding on this approach we looked at other models such as media | |||
campaigns. Our conclusion: No amount of information or pleading without this | |||
personal relationship as the key to informing and persuading would be effective | |||
with these young women. | |||
Our approach is intervention—with a set of principles used in turnaround in | |||
business, hospitals, and other organizations. We focus solely on the principal | |||
as the key to a successful school and enter in the form of an intervention | |||
agent—our school turnaround specialist. We use six specific strategies: | |||
diagnosis, target-setting, messaging, use of data, alignment, and successful | |||
classrooms. These are described in the separate document conveyed with this | |||
proposal. We are not successful because we have better ideas of improving | |||
schools. Our comparative advantage lies in executing strategy within schools in | |||
a robust way—and concentrating our attention on the building leader as the key | |||
to change. | |||
--> | |||
We then must survey and poll the blind and low vision community to find out more about their needs. We intend to hold workshops documenting the struggles blind and low vision users have when attempting to utilize the Arduino platform. | |||
Our goal here is to specifically not reinvent the wheel. We will extend the existing Arduino hardware and software to make them accessible. Our approach will be to talk extensively with existing Arduino community on how to make our changes in such a way that they will be accepted with the least amount of resistance. | |||
Our work will be focused in three areas: | |||
Hardware-figure out a way to leverage existing technologies to represent braille on a pcb to identify components, inputs and outputs | |||
--through holes? | |||
--solder mask? | |||
--label chips somehow? | |||
-replace lights with motor or sound feedback | |||
Schematics | |||
-its like a map really, how might they see maps now | |||
-really should jump in with fritzing somehow | |||
Software-figure out how to make ide interface accessible | |||
-rewrite so screen readers can utilize all areas | |||
-debug and error messages, line numbers | |||
To do this we will need to hire a software engineer to modify the IDE, a hardware engineer to modify the hardware designs, and a blind liaison to connect with the community and work with us day to day as we develop our solutions. | |||
=Intensity of Approach= | =Intensity of Approach= | ||
What level of intensity (i.e. frequency of service) and duration (i.e. period in which you provide service for a person) are needed for your approach to deliver results? | <!-- | ||
What level of intensity (i.e. frequency of service) and duration (i.e. period | |||
in which you provide service for a person) are needed for your approach to | |||
deliver results? | |||
==Guidance: == | ==Guidance: == | ||
Our sense is that many programs fail not because they are a bad approach but because they are not implemented with enough intensity or duration to make a lasting difference. This is your chance to tell us what it really takes to achieve a result that sticks! We are impressed with groups that have clear assumptions in this area and would rather invest in lower numbers that get a result than high numbers who just get a service. | Our sense is that many programs fail not because they are a bad approach but | ||
because they are not implemented with enough intensity or duration to make a | |||
lasting difference. This is your chance to tell us what it really takes to | |||
achieve a result that sticks! We are impressed with groups that have clear | |||
assumptions in this area and would rather invest in lower numbers that get a | |||
result than high numbers who just get a service. | |||
==Examples:== | ==Examples:== | ||
We work intensively with two participant groups: pregnant women and friends/relatives who are influential with and supportive of that person. We average five hours of contact with the helper and two with the pregnant woman per month during pregnancy and for one month after birth. Any less of an effort would not we believe, have an effect on the health of the babies. | We work intensively with two participant groups: pregnant women and | ||
friends/relatives who are influential with and supportive of that person. We | |||
average five hours of contact with the helper and two with the pregnant woman | |||
per month during pregnancy and for one month after birth. Any less of an effort | |||
would not we believe, have an effect on the health of the babies. | |||
We include 6-8 site visits by a turnaround specialist to each school in our program. Any fewer would not keep up the focus. And more would lead to other forms of relationship that could well inhibit our intervention approach. We are not trying to be the best friend or shoulder to cry on. We are a change partner, accepted if not initially embraced for our ability to help principals lead to academic success. | We include 6-8 site visits by a turnaround specialist to each school in our | ||
program. Any fewer would not keep up the focus. And more would lead to other | |||
forms of relationship that could well inhibit our intervention approach. We are | |||
not trying to be the best friend or shoulder to cry on. We are a change | |||
partner, accepted if not initially embraced for our ability to help principals | |||
lead to academic success. | |||
--> | |||
=Intended Outcomes= | =Intended Outcomes= | ||
What results are you committed to achieving — meaning outcomes from services — and for how many persons? Please put the number who achieve in the context of those who participate. | <!-- | ||
What results are you committed to achieving — meaning outcomes from services — | |||
and for how many persons? Please put the number who achieve in the context of | |||
those who participate. | |||
==Guidance:== | ==Guidance:== | ||
The fact that people have completed a program, read your materials, sat through counseling or a workshop is not a result. The result is what they get from what you offer. This distinction is critical. Please—focus on changes in behaviors and conditions for people—not on their activities in your programs or their level of satisfaction. Please put the number who achieve in the context of the number you serve. | The fact that people have completed a program, read your materials, sat through | ||
counseling or a workshop is not a result. The result is what they get from what | |||
you offer. This distinction is critical. Please—focus on changes in behaviors | |||
and conditions for people—not on their activities in your programs or their | |||
level of satisfaction. Please put the number who achieve in the context of the | |||
number you serve. | |||
In most cases, you succeed because people change their behavior—whether to quit smoking, exercise, wear a seat belt, or anything else. We urge you to focus on behaviors rather than attitudes because they are critical to success and much more readily verified. We do not know the value of increased self-esteem or creating more positive attitudes toward something until you tell us as your result what people can achieve with higher self-esteem or more positive attitudes than they could achieve without them. | In most cases, you succeed because people change their behavior—whether to quit | ||
smoking, exercise, wear a seat belt, or anything else. We urge you to focus on | |||
behaviors rather than attitudes because they are critical to success and much | |||
more readily verified. We do not know the value of increased self-esteem or | |||
creating more positive attitudes toward something until you tell us as your | |||
result what people can achieve with higher self-esteem or more positive | |||
attitudes than they could achieve without them. | |||
In a few situations, you are focusing on a condition more than a behavior. For example, the quality of a body of water or of a community’s level of social capital. In either case, the more specific you are the better. | In a few situations, you are focusing on a condition more than a behavior. For | ||
example, the quality of a body of water or of a community’s level of social | |||
capital. In either case, the more specific you are the better. | |||
We urge you to suggest a clear result as you develop your program but then revisit it when you have covered all elements in our format and thought it through as carefully as possible. The best targets are shaped by a complete understanding of your program. | We urge you to suggest a clear result as you develop your program but then | ||
revisit it when you have covered all elements in our format and thought it | |||
through as carefully as possible. The best targets are shaped by a complete | |||
understanding of your program. | |||
==Examples:== | ==Examples:== | ||
We will work with about 200 pregnant women at risk for low birth weight and other preventable infant issues in a 24 month period. Of these, 175 or more will deliver babies without preventable problems and within normal birth weights. | We will work with about 200 pregnant women at risk for low birth weight and | ||
other preventable infant issues in a 24 month period. Of these, 175 or more | |||
will deliver babies without preventable problems and within normal birth | |||
weights. | |||
Of the 35 schools in our program, at least 32 will achieve their turnaround targets set for one school year. The minimal gain is a 15% increase over the previous year in key specified subjects by those student groups (often minorities) that are lagging behind. | Of the 35 schools in our program, at least 32 will achieve their turnaround | ||
targets set for one school year. The minimal gain is a 15% increase over the | |||
previous year in key specified subjects by those student groups (often | |||
minorities) that are lagging behind. | |||
--> | |||
We will empower the blind to solve problems for themselves by making the tools of creation accessible. Specifically blind and low vision users will be able to hold and understand a commodity microcontroller board, utilize the programming environment through their screen reader, hold commodity products and understand them and how they connect, read schematics, and develop prototypes to enrich their lives. | |||
=How will you know?= | =How will you know?= | ||
How will you know when your expected results have been achieved? What information or evidence will you use to verify success? | <!-- | ||
How will you know when your expected results have been achieved? What | |||
information or evidence will you use to verify success? | |||
==Guidance:== | ==Guidance:== | ||
Foundations often ask you for an evaluation plan. We are much more concerned with your looking at assessment as an integral part of what you do to track to and verify success. Think of it this way: forget us—how will you know when to celebrate success? | Foundations often ask you for an evaluation plan. We are much more concerned | ||
with your looking at assessment as an integral part of what you do to track to | |||
and verify success. Think of it this way: forget us—how will you know when to | |||
celebrate success? | |||
Verification (yes or no—did you achieve stated results?) is easier and less costly than evaluation (to answer the questions about what happened) but it is not easy to approach. | Verification (yes or no—did you achieve stated results?) is easier and less | ||
costly than evaluation (to answer the questions about what happened) but it is | |||
not easy to approach. | |||
You may well be able to use existing data bases or rely on existing measuring instruments. Or you may be able to use observations and reports by others, or in some cases self-reported behaviors. | You may well be able to use existing data bases or rely on existing measuring | ||
instruments. Or you may be able to use observations and reports by others, or | |||
in some cases self-reported behaviors. | |||
==Examples:== | ==Examples:== | ||
We will verify achievement by hospital records and doctor reports as needed. While confidentially rightly restricts any individual information, the 3 hospitals at which mothers in our program deliver have agreed to give us an aggregate report (no names—just overall numbers) for the names we give them. They have checked with ethics sources and agreed to do this as long as they report five or more babies. With a smaller number they do not believe confidentiality is preserved. | We will verify achievement by hospital records and doctor reports as needed. | ||
While confidentially rightly restricts any individual information, the 3 | |||
hospitals at which mothers in our program deliver have agreed to give us an | |||
aggregate report (no names—just overall numbers) for the names we give them. | |||
They have checked with ethics sources and agreed to do this as long as they | |||
report five or more babies. With a smaller number they do not believe | |||
confidentiality is preserved. | |||
We use scores on the high stakes test to verify achievement. In those instances where the test is considered unreliable, we agree upon a different test. In those instances where we might conceivably focus on creative writing, problem-solving or other skills not readily measured by “tests”, we will rely on established and explicit rubrics that are competency based and verified by persons not associated with those students or our program. | We use scores on the high stakes test to verify achievement. In those instances | ||
where the test is considered unreliable, we agree upon a different test. In | |||
those instances where we might conceivably focus on creative writing, | |||
problem-solving or other skills not readily measured by “tests”, we will rely | |||
on established and explicit rubrics that are competency based and verified by | |||
persons not associated with those students or our program. | |||
--> | |||
=Percentage user reached?= | =Percentage user reached?= | ||
About how many of the people in your result might reasonably achieve this gain if your program/project were not undertaken? How does your intended result compare with what would have happened without you? That is, how many people would get to the result you state if you did not exist? | <!-- | ||
About how many of the people in your result might reasonably achieve this gain | |||
if your program/project were not undertaken? How does your intended result | |||
compare with what would have happened without you? That is, how many people | |||
would get to the result you state if you did not exist? | |||
==Guidance:== | ==Guidance:== | ||
Our return on grant investment is not the result you set. It is the difference between your result and what would have happened without you. If for example, a program says that it will get 70 people out of 100 in a program to the achievement of getting and keeping a job but that evidence suggests that for people like those served 50% generally get a job in a year, the value of the program is 20 jobs, not 70. | Our return on grant investment is not the result you set. It is the difference | ||
between your result and what would have happened without you. If for example, a | |||
program says that it will get 70 people out of 100 in a program to the | |||
achievement of getting and keeping a job but that evidence suggests that for | |||
people like those served 50% generally get a job in a year, the value of the | |||
program is 20 jobs, not 70. | |||
We are not asking you do original research. Just rely on whatever information exists about outcomes at the most specific level you can get it. Past rates of achievement in a school or neighborhood beat a district or a city. And a city beats a state or the nation. If no information exists, use the most educated guesses you can find. Guidance counselors, for example, can often look at a description of your participants (or, better yet, a sample of names) and tell you with reasonable accuracy about how many are likely to pass next year, become pregnant, use drugs, or experience another outcome. | We are not asking you do original research. Just rely on whatever information | ||
exists about outcomes at the most specific level you can get it. Past rates of | |||
achievement in a school or neighborhood beat a district or a city. And a city | |||
beats a state or the nation. If no information exists, use the most educated | |||
guesses you can find. Guidance counselors, for example, can often look at a | |||
description of your participants (or, better yet, a sample of names) and tell | |||
you with reasonable accuracy about how many are likely to pass next year, | |||
become pregnant, use drugs, or experience another outcome. | |||
==Examples:== | ==Examples:== | ||
Of the 100 high risk women with whom we will work the best projection is that 20 will give birth to a child with some preventable issue, including low birth weight. Our target of no more than 5 women experiencing this problem is 15 healthy babies beyond what would have happened without our help. | Of the 100 high risk women with whom we will work the best projection is that | ||
20 will give birth to a child with some preventable issue, including low birth | |||
weight. Our target of no more than 5 women experiencing this problem is 15 | |||
healthy babies beyond what would have happened without our help. | |||
The schools with whom we work have generally seen no rise in test scores in the past 2-3 years in the subjects where we set targets. Beyond this, our results of a 15% higher test score are set not to last year’s scores but what would be predicted by a trend line. For example, if a school has been going up by 5% a year in achievement in an area, we set a target of 20% to be 15% higher than what would be projected without us. | The schools with whom we work have generally seen no rise in test scores in the | ||
past 2-3 years in the subjects where we set targets. Beyond this, our results | |||
of a 15% higher test score are set not to last year’s scores but what would be | |||
predicted by a trend line. For example, if a school has been going up by 5% a | |||
year in achievement in an area, we set a target of 20% to be 15% higher than | |||
what would be projected without us. | |||
--> | |||
=Broader Gains?= | =Broader Gains?= | ||
Are there broader gains and benefits that will be realized if you are successful that we should be aware of when considering your project/program? | <!-- | ||
Are there broader gains and benefits that will be realized if you are | |||
successful that we should be aware of when considering your project/program? | |||
==Guidance:== | ==Guidance:== | ||
| Line 252: | Line 600: | ||
==Examples:== | ==Examples:== | ||
The average added cost nationally of a low birth weight baby in the first three years of life is $30,000. For the 75 such conditions we anticipate preventing the cost savings (to insurers and payers) is $2.25 million. In addition the disposition and skill in these women of getting and using information to change what they do to be successful is clearly generalizable to many aspects of their life. | The average added cost nationally of a low birth weight baby in the first three | ||
years of life is $30,000. For the 75 such conditions we anticipate preventing | |||
the cost savings (to insurers and payers) is $2.25 million. In addition the | |||
disposition and skill in these women of getting and using information to change | |||
what they do to be successful is clearly generalizable to many aspects of their | |||
life. | |||
The impacts of a failing school are substantial. Our average size school is 700 students and our program, on average, is a direct factor in at least 25 students staying in school and graduating high school. The cost of each dropout (which is primarily due to lack of academic success) is projected at over $1 million in lost earnings and $600,000 for cost of added government support. The total cost savings per school over the lives that are changed is $40 million. The long term gains in quality of life from core literacy and numeracy capabilities are equally compelling. | The impacts of a failing school are substantial. Our average size school is | ||
700 students and our program, on average, is a direct factor in at least 25 | |||
students staying in school and graduating high school. The cost of each | |||
dropout (which is primarily due to lack of academic success) is projected at | |||
over $1 million in lost earnings and $600,000 for cost of added government | |||
support. The total cost savings per school over the lives that are changed is | |||
$40 million. The long term gains in quality of life from core literacy and | |||
numeracy capabilities are equally compelling. | |||
Another impact concerns our methodology. We are showing many education funders the indispensable value of coupling the up-front design work they do on buildings, curriculums, and other matters with an in-school presence to insure robust implementation of design. | Another impact concerns our methodology. We are showing many education funders | ||
the indispensable value of coupling the up-front design work they do on | |||
buildings, curriculums, and other matters with an in-school presence to insure | |||
robust implementation of design. | |||
--> | |||
We will bootstrap an incredibly successful microcontroller project, make subtle changes to make it accessible, and push those changes back into the main project for them to include in all future releases of the hardware and software. | |||
As a result, this work will only need to be funded once. Every Arduino microcontroller made then now on and every download of the Development Tools by sighted users from now on will be accessible should the user be blind or visually impaired. | |||
This is because Arduino is Open Source Hardware and Software. It is how the Arduino platform was built and why we're able to do this project, and why people after us will be able to build on our work. | |||
=Half Way goal?= | =Half Way goal?= | ||
Half way through your project, how will you know if participants are on course to achieve results with the time and money remaining? | <!-- | ||
Half way through your project, how will you know if participants are on course | |||
to achieve results with the time and money remaining? | |||
==Guidance:== | ==Guidance:== | ||
The easy answer to this question is that we have spent half the money and are on course with our work plan. This, unfortunately, says nothing about the relationship between money spent and participant progress. The key is to shift the focus from what you do to what your participants are getting. We call these interim success point milestones. | The easy answer to this question is that we have spent half the money and are | ||
on course with our work plan. This, unfortunately, says nothing about the | |||
relationship between money spent and participant progress. The key is to shift | |||
the focus from what you do to what your participants are getting. We call these | |||
interim success point milestones. | |||
There are two ways to approach milestones that may work for you. First, you can list your key activities and ask of each just what participants need to get. For example, your activity might be to offer three workshops. The milestone question is what do participants need to get from those sessions to predict that they will later change their behavior in the desired direction. | There are two ways to approach milestones that may work for you. First, you can | ||
list your key activities and ask of each just what participants need to get. | |||
For example, your activity might be to offer three workshops. The milestone | |||
question is what do participants need to get from those sessions to predict | |||
that they will later change their behavior in the desired direction. | |||
The second approach is just to ask yourself what predicts success. What do we know to look for during the middle of a program that says participants are “getting it” or in other ways on track? This approach as the value of insuring a focus on predictive factors, which may well include: 1) how many people have already achieved the result; 2) the number who are reflecting changes to predict later success; and 3) any key “infrastructure needed for full success-whether a curriculum designed, an assumption tested, or anything else. | The second approach is just to ask yourself what predicts success. What do we | ||
know to look for during the middle of a program that says participants are | |||
“getting it” or in other ways on track? This approach as the value of insuring | |||
a focus on predictive factors, which may well include: 1) how many people have | |||
already achieved the result; 2) the number who are reflecting changes to | |||
predict later success; and 3) any key “infrastructure needed for full | |||
success-whether a curriculum designed, an assumption tested, or anything else. | |||
==Examples:== | ==Examples:== | ||
Our key predictive factors are as follows: | Our key predictive factors are as follows: | ||
Establishing the key relationship we rely upon before the end of the first month of pregnancy. We look for women who say they want to stay in touch with this person and value the connection. | Establishing the key relationship we rely upon before the end of the first | ||
month of pregnancy. We look for women who say they want to stay in touch with | |||
this person and value the connection. | |||
Early evidence of a person following medical or broader health advice. If we do not see a change in behavior by the end of the second month (whether eliminating smoking or excess drinking, exercising, or anything else) we are not likely to see more major changes later. And we run out of time for changes to be consequential. | Early evidence of a person following medical or broader health advice. If we do | ||
not see a change in behavior by the end of the second month (whether | |||
eliminating smoking or excess drinking, exercising, or anything else) we are | |||
not likely to see more major changes later. And we run out of time for changes | |||
to be consequential. | |||
Where we are in danger of missing these milestones we get mobilized—up to and including an intervention with the woman in which substantial influence by caring individuals is introduced but with no explicit coercion. | Where we are in danger of missing these milestones we get mobilized—up to and | ||
including an intervention with the woman in which substantial influence by | |||
caring individuals is introduced but with no explicit coercion. | |||
Our principals work with teachers to gain readings on child progress at four points during the year. These are not “practice tests” but rather clear demonstrations of the knowledge and competency that needs to build if a child is to pass the high stakes test in the Spring and become proficient in a core subject. | Our principals work with teachers to gain readings on child progress at four | ||
points during the year. These are not “practice tests” but rather clear | |||
demonstrations of the knowledge and competency that needs to build if a child | |||
is to pass the high stakes test in the Spring and become proficient in a core | |||
subject. | |||
When insufficient number of students are on track at these four points in time, course corrections are made, first at the individual teacher level and then with broader resource realignments as needed. | When insufficient number of students are on track at these four points in time, | ||
course corrections are made, first at the individual teacher level and then | |||
with broader resource realignments as needed. | |||
--> | |||
This project is naturally divided between hardware and software projects, which are about equal in time and effort required. The natural progression is that we would be halfway done when either the hardware prototype is ready to be manufactured, or when our software changes our in the mainline Arduino IDE. | |||
However, these efforts could also be done in parallel if more than one person is hired to work on the project. The general progression is an iterative development process, where a number of prototypes are developed before the final product is completed. After our initial design phase, we would have a good overview of how many iterations we would need, and would be able to define milestones and dates. | |||
=Key People= | =Key People= | ||
Who are the persons you see as critical to program/project achievement and what attributes of these people most predict success? | <!-- | ||
Who are the persons you see as critical to program/project achievement and what | |||
attributes of these people most predict success? | |||
==Guidance: == | ==Guidance: == | ||
This is a critical element in predicting project success. People are more powerful than great plans, a big committee, or even a lot of money in achieving results. While you may first consider resume details - e.g., degrees and years of experience—do recognize that in many areas, there is no strong correlation between these factors and ability to run an effective project. Much research suggests, for example, that on-job learning is far more useful to people than is what they learned in a classroom years ago. And when a person has 20 years of experience that may be good or it may not! For more depth on some characteristics of successful project leaders click here for http://www.rinstitute.org/sparkplugleaders. | This is a critical element in predicting project success. People are more | ||
powerful than great plans, a big committee, or even a lot of money in achieving | |||
results. While you may first consider resume details - e.g., degrees and years | |||
of experience—do recognize that in many areas, there is no strong correlation | |||
between these factors and ability to run an effective project. Much research | |||
suggests, for example, that on-job learning is far more useful to people than | |||
is what they learned in a classroom years ago. And when a person has 20 years | |||
of experience that may be good or it may not! For more depth on some | |||
characteristics of successful project leaders click here for | |||
http://www.rinstitute.org/sparkplugleaders. | |||
==Examples:== | ==Examples:== | ||
Suzie Johnson has strong passion about all babies having full life expectancy by being born within normal weight range and with no preventable health issues. | Suzie Johnson has strong passion about all babies having full life expectancy | ||
by being born within normal weight range and with no preventable health issues. | |||
She has shown strong success at personally working with pregnant women and | |||
those who most influence them to get and follow prenatal care while at the | |||
Guilford Hospital for 8 years. She is tenacious and very energetic—and her | |||
enthusiasm spreads to all staff who works with her. She is not an expert in | |||
prenatal care but knows how to connect participants to people who are. | |||
Turnaround Specialist, Margarita Sanchez commits to achieve the academic achievement gains stated for the four Ft. Worth elementary schools with which she will work. In addition to turning around two elementary schools while principal, Margarita last year worked with six elementary schools, in School Turnaround, which all hit their targets. She is considered by the principals with whom she works to be “strong medicine”. They like her much better at the end of the year when for the first time they are progressing than they do after one month! | Turnaround Specialist, Margarita Sanchez commits to achieve the academic | ||
achievement gains stated for the four Ft. Worth elementary schools with which | |||
she will work. In addition to turning around two elementary schools while | |||
principal, Margarita last year worked with six elementary schools, in School | |||
Turnaround, which all hit their targets. She is considered by the principals | |||
with whom she works to be “strong medicine”. They like her much better at the | |||
end of the year when for the first time they are progressing than they do after | |||
one month! | |||
--> | |||
=Key partners/intermediaries= | =Key partners/intermediaries= | ||
Are any partners or intermediaries who must play a key role for you to achieve success? If so, please list them here along with the role must they play and the evidence that they are committed to play that role. | <!-- | ||
Are any partners or intermediaries who must play a key role for you to achieve | |||
success? If so, please list them here along with the role must they play and | |||
the evidence that they are committed to play that role. | |||
==Guidance:== | ==Guidance:== | ||
Some grant makers are fond of getting letters of support from political and other leaders. For example, a banker notes that his bank is committed to lending $50 million to a given neighborhood. That’s impressive only until you stop to think that is what banks do to make money! Unless there is a specific commitment to lower rates or change credit standards, this is not a powerful statement. | Some grant makers are fond of getting letters of support from political and | ||
other leaders. For example, a banker notes that his bank is committed to | |||
lending $50 million to a given neighborhood. That’s impressive only until you | |||
stop to think that is what banks do to make money! Unless there is a specific | |||
commitment to lower rates or change credit standards, this is not a powerful | |||
statement. | |||
Please focus on those groups who have to play a role for you to be successful and on their commitments to play that role. An intermediary is a group or person (often a gatekeeper) whose behavior you do not control who must do something for you to succeed—and often just to enter a setting. A partner is a group whose skills or talents augment or counterbalance your own as a part of program delivery. | Please focus on those groups who have to play a role for you to be successful | ||
and on their commitments to play that role. An intermediary is a group or | |||
person (often a gatekeeper) whose behavior you do not control who must do | |||
something for you to succeed—and often just to enter a setting. A partner is a | |||
group whose skills or talents augment or counterbalance your own as a part of | |||
program delivery. | |||
==Examples:== | ==Examples:== | ||
We rely on three major medical practices to change what they do to offer a “warmer” first experience for our at risk pregnant women. Here are their commitments. | We rely on three major medical practices to change what they do to offer a | ||
“warmer” first experience for our at risk pregnant women. Here are their | |||
commitments. | |||
Dear Joyce, | Dear Joyce, | ||
We of the Woodson Gynecology Group understand that the women you serve are not used to getting medical health and may resist coming to us. We commit to providing a nurse-practitioner highly skilled at welcoming and encouraging a relationship to be the first person your participants meet here. | We of the Woodson Gynecology Group understand that the women you serve are not | ||
used to getting medical health and may resist coming to us. We commit to | |||
providing a nurse-practitioner highly skilled at welcoming and encouraging a | |||
relationship to be the first person your participants meet here. | |||
We are dependent on the school district to support our principals and to stay out of their ways. Here is the letter from the Superintendent: | We are dependent on the school district to support our principals and to stay | ||
out of their ways. Here is the letter from the Superintendent: | |||
Dear Mildred, | Dear Mildred, | ||
We commit as a condition of School Turnaround to not introduce any new programs to Frowein Elementary School this year without your agreement and to release Principal Marvin from district meetings and programs that would directly interfere with his participation in School Turnaround. We understand that our keeping this pledge is a condition of your warranty for school success. | We commit as a condition of School Turnaround to not introduce any new programs | ||
to Frowein Elementary School this year without your agreement and to release | |||
Principal Marvin from district meetings and programs that would directly | |||
interfere with his participation in School Turnaround. We understand that our | |||
keeping this pledge is a condition of your warranty for school success. | |||
--> | |||
Latest revision as of 20:30, 30 March 2024
Proposal Narrative
Our colleague Brian is blind. He is amazingly self sufficient in life with his wife and 3 kids. He loves technology and the ways it empowers him in his daily routine. He uses JAWS, a screen reader, to use his computer and programs it to automate and solve his own problems. He even writes a blog about his trials and tribulations with accessibility.
We treat Brian no differently than we treat anyone else at our space. The day he found us we put an Arduino in his hand and expected him to program it. Arduino was designed to make electronics design, programming and prototyping easy enough for kids, but deep enough for professionals. It took some time to explain its non accessible layout to him but within a few hours he had programmed it to play Pink Panther through a speaker!
He was hooked on programming which could make changes in the real world, where he could solve his own problems. He decided to pursue a degree in computer engineering. However, when he talked to the Disability Resource Office they warned that his chances of success in that degree program would be very limited. Without a tactile representation of the different components and access to the tools needed to interact with these components they couldn't guarantee a fair playing field.
We talked with Brian many nights about this, about his success with Pink Panther, and about the problems he had to admit to himself. The Arduino IDE was barely accessible. He was only able to program the Arduino in the first place because a sighted person counted out the pins on the board to him and gave him the speaker explaining which pins would go where on the board.
But there was too much potential for this device for blind people. If the micro processor could control robots, access wifi, control cameras, lights, speakers, and lots of other components for sighted users, why could it not do the same for the blind?
Blind people love technology because it allows them to be self sufficient and solve their own problems. There are devices out for the blind that cost hundreds of dollars if not thousands to assist them in measuring water, identifying colors, and notify them of things around them. But how can the world be made accessibly by those who don't understand the needs of the blind? And how can the blind solve their problems if the tools are not accessible?
With the Arduino the blind person could program their own device to do these same functions for a fraction of the cost, or solve NEW problems.
And it wouldn't be that difficult to make Arduino accessible. All of the hardware and software designs are available for free online. The Arduino team is a loose confederation of liked minded individuals around the world working to make the product better.
We intend to make TOOLS of life accessible to the blind so they can participate and solve their problems on their own.
Join us.
Program Participants
The focus of this project is directed towards the blind and/or low vision. Students, professionals, kids, adults, it doesn't matter. Anyone with a passion for technology and a love of problem solving and learning. As a development project, though, we would need some software engineers with a knowledge of the Arduino software and the java langauge. We would also need hardware engineers that can make changes to the Arduino hardware.
For Whom Will You Address This Cause
The program will directly effect the blind and low vision technology enthusiasts around the world who have never before had access to programming or building on a micro processor. As an open source program the Arduino IDE will benefit blind users around the world with a simple download. The Arduino hardware is a micro processor that is low in cost ranging any where from $30 to $80 depending on the components included.
Providing Service
The Arduino language has great tutorials found online, along with example scripts found right in the menu of the IDE. For the blind users we will provide a detailed layout and description of the hardware,. Also as a supplement to the description of the hardware we will have Braille or tactile labels for each component of the hardware. There are online forums and mailing lists directed towards programmers of the arduino found online at www.sparkfun.com.
Partners & Organizations
Locally we have ties with the CUBIC lab at Arizona State University. For a decade they've worked on accessibility problems from the user point of view.
ACBVI locally works to enhance the quality of life for blind and visually impaired. Cubic has worked with them to understand the needs of the blind community and to evaluate products in development.
Other important establishments to reach out to will be blind schools such as state schools for the Deaf and Blind, and training centers for the blind as in Colorado center for the Blind. Partners like this could be trained and deliver the training to many ethnic backgrounds, age groups, and genders of the blind community.
Global community of other makerspaces.
Verizon Volunteers
I think this could be useful if we get to a point where we need drivers to locations, assistance in training, or in making calls for feedback and stats. We could also look into an accessibility tech support chatline and hotline to answer questions.
Mission
HeatSync Labs' mission is to provide the tools, space and the community for students, entrepreneur, artists and garage tinkerers to come together and create their dreams. We are a community workshop which promotes Do-It-Yourself science and education and prides ourselves on application -in addition- to theory.
Our vision is a world where we re-awaken our population and reinstate the knowledge of creation in opposition to our throw-away society. We will empower our population delivering the confidence to once compete on a global scale.
Achievements
Monthly we run a free to attend arduino workshop where we train kids to adults how to program microcontrollers. Hundreds of people, from children to adults have attended our monthly meetings with the goal of empowering themselves with technology to solve their own problems. MORE HERE
Most recently we had been asked to create a workshop series on soldering and programing for UrbanStew another local nonprofit. Again, we wanted to instill the values of creation, having our attendees actaully BUILD the computer they would eventually program. Demystifying these devices which are increasingly becoming ubiquoutous.
We have hosted over 24 free public educational events this year. Every 1st and 3rd Thursday we invite in a speaker to invigorate us, and them. From materials, to tools, to processes we want to empower our people with the knowledge they need to succeed. Topics have included: *Astronomy
- Eagle PCB Layout and Design
- PCB Chemical Etching,Heat Transfer, with FeCl
- Haptic interfaces
- Lock Picking
- Cube.ly 3D printer
- PaperCraft
- Thermoforming
- Idaho Near Space Project Balloon Communications Payload
- High Speed Photography
- Haystack Project
- Working with acrylic
- Glass Working
- Rep Rap made easy
- Teardown party(everyone brings a peice of electronics to tear down for parts in order to understand)
- Lathing for fun and profit
- EL Wire
- Monster plush party (Disassembling plush dolls and sewing them back together with electronics)
- Coffee Science and Arduino
- Arduino and VOIP - Dial-a-Lulz
- CAD/CAM introduction
- Home Brewing
Throughout this past year we also took time out to coach a pair of First Lego
League teams. Our kids, mostly 9r olds, worked throughout 2010 Body Forward
Challenge, as the FLL put its to "explore the cutting-edge world of Biomedical
Engineering to discover innovative ways to repair injuries, overcome genetic
predispositions, and maximize the body's potential, with the intended purpose
of leading happier and healthier lives." They learned computer programming,
mechanical engineering and biological engineering concepts culminating in a
team presentation and robot competition! The goal, again here, was to empower
them to solve THEIR OWN problems. It was entirely discovery learning and the
adults were only there to supervise and answer questions. It was the first
year for our kids and they had amazing fun. In addition our mentor won best
mentor for the season.
Similar Groups
We're most like a vocational school, though without the classes. We're also like a traditional academic incubator model mixed with the newer accelerator model where entrepreneurs and skilled tradespeople who don't wish to work in an office alone but would rather work side by side with the other brightest minds in the community in order to build their workspace in public
More specifically, we are part of a larger maker/do-it-yourself culture exemplified by Make Magazine. There are spaces are popping up throughout the united states, and globally, all with different visions and goals, but all listing themselves at hackerspaces.org.
Locally we are most like our peer coworking/collaboration sister and previous landlord, Gangplank. Gangplank, much like us, intends to revolutionize education, community, and collaboration. They currently are comprised more of web and mobile development, marketing and branding.
What makes us different from all these is our focus on infrastructure and creation. Even our schools are cutting vocational work due to budget constraints. We refuse to back down. We intend to bring the tools of creation back to the people.
Participants
We will utilize our members and connections to the blind community to leverage our technological skills. We are technologists who have several blind in our midst, friends and families. In addition we will utilize our allies within the blind community including XXXX
Approach
We then must survey and poll the blind and low vision community to find out more about their needs. We intend to hold workshops documenting the struggles blind and low vision users have when attempting to utilize the Arduino platform.
Our goal here is to specifically not reinvent the wheel. We will extend the existing Arduino hardware and software to make them accessible. Our approach will be to talk extensively with existing Arduino community on how to make our changes in such a way that they will be accepted with the least amount of resistance.
Our work will be focused in three areas:
Hardware-figure out a way to leverage existing technologies to represent braille on a pcb to identify components, inputs and outputs --through holes? --solder mask? --label chips somehow? -replace lights with motor or sound feedback
Schematics -its like a map really, how might they see maps now -really should jump in with fritzing somehow
Software-figure out how to make ide interface accessible -rewrite so screen readers can utilize all areas -debug and error messages, line numbers
To do this we will need to hire a software engineer to modify the IDE, a hardware engineer to modify the hardware designs, and a blind liaison to connect with the community and work with us day to day as we develop our solutions.
Intensity of Approach
Intended Outcomes
We will empower the blind to solve problems for themselves by making the tools of creation accessible. Specifically blind and low vision users will be able to hold and understand a commodity microcontroller board, utilize the programming environment through their screen reader, hold commodity products and understand them and how they connect, read schematics, and develop prototypes to enrich their lives.
How will you know?
Percentage user reached?
Broader Gains?
We will bootstrap an incredibly successful microcontroller project, make subtle changes to make it accessible, and push those changes back into the main project for them to include in all future releases of the hardware and software.
As a result, this work will only need to be funded once. Every Arduino microcontroller made then now on and every download of the Development Tools by sighted users from now on will be accessible should the user be blind or visually impaired.
This is because Arduino is Open Source Hardware and Software. It is how the Arduino platform was built and why we're able to do this project, and why people after us will be able to build on our work.
Half Way goal?
This project is naturally divided between hardware and software projects, which are about equal in time and effort required. The natural progression is that we would be halfway done when either the hardware prototype is ready to be manufactured, or when our software changes our in the mainline Arduino IDE.
However, these efforts could also be done in parallel if more than one person is hired to work on the project. The general progression is an iterative development process, where a number of prototypes are developed before the final product is completed. After our initial design phase, we would have a good overview of how many iterations we would need, and would be able to define milestones and dates.