Assistive Technology User Group: A Consumer Driven Forum for the Techie in You!
ATUG (Assistive Technology User Group) was founded by Art Cabanilla of Six Sense Solutions Technology training for the blind computer user and Island Skill Gathering Technology Specialist Mel Nakahara in July 2000. The pair created a group forum for the Honolulu disabled community focusing on high and low-tech devices such as computers with screen readers and voice navigation capabilities, magnification equipment such as CCTVs and lighted magnifiers, and assistive listening and alerting devices like a pocket –sized amplifier and vibrating alarm clocks. Mr. Nakahara has handed the baton to Mr. Cabanilla to run with the well-established group, and Mr. Cabanilla has done so, maintaining a lively group of technology enthusiasts through which many friendships have been born.
ATUG has been meeting on a monthly basis for the past 4 years at the home office of Island Skill Gathering – on the open-air deck in Kapahulu. Meetings are held from 7 – 9pm, usually on the third Friday of each month. Beginning year 2005, meetings will be held quarterly with its first meeting scheduled for Friday, January 21, 2005. The focus of the meeting will be on the BookCourier a portable reading device for the blind.
The group continues to flourish and evolve through its members from various backgrounds. About a dozen or more members gather quarterly to exchange ideas and information on technology and community services offering technology-related support services. The forum is open to helping members utilize current technology, as well as keep members up-to-date on new and future products and services.
In the past, the ATUG group has had a number of presentations by various members sharing and showing their own use of technology in their daily lives. Such “show and tell” presentations included computer notebook and Braille display set ups for blind people accessing the internet, video magnification devices like the EVS Flipper and Jordy II for low vision folks in classroom situations, and comparisons of similar software applications.
ATUG welcomes all folks to its quarterly meetings who may have an interest in assistive technology. There seems to be a current focus on technology for people who are blind or have low vision; a majority of ATUG’s membership is blind. However, anyone interested in computer tips and tricks would enjoy the group for its friendship, fellowship, and any other ship that might come up for discussion. Members range from the novice to the experienced, so there is a good chance help with your technology challenge can be found.
If you can’t make a monthly meeting, perhaps you can get on the ATUG e-mail list. The list serves as a forum for member questions and the posting of technical questions and notices for new products and services. Group announcements and more are also posted there. Examples of such postings have been, notices regarding ATM access and a surgical procedure that is designed to improve the sight of those who are losing vision due to macular degeneration or rentinitis pigmentosa. In the past, there have been articles regarding software that makes the Nokia Communicator speak, accessible music composition software, and other accessible games.
If anyone is interested in joining ATUG, the mailing list can be found at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ATUGHI/. Or, contact Art Cabanilla at sixsense@hawaii.rr.com for more information.