University Advancement

Public Relations and Strategic Communications

MEDIA RELEASE

Thousands to Gather at Global CSUN Conference that
Links Technology with People with Disabilities

(NORTHRIDGE, Calif., Feb. 6, 2008) — In corners and meeting rooms near Los Angeles International Airport next month, technological revolutions—some minor, others may be major—will be taking place as people with disabilities, academics, and some of the world’s leading technology entrepreneurs meet to explore ways technology can make life easier for persons with disabilities.

Nearly 5,000 people from around the world are expected to converge at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott and Renaissance Montura hotels March 10-15 to take part in Cal State Northridge’s 23rd Annual International Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference. The conference showcases the latest technologies designed to eliminate barriers to personal, academic and career success for persons with disabilities. The conference is the largest of its kind in the world.

"This year’s conference will be an outstanding opportunity for participants to explore technology as a means to eliminate barriers that persons with disabilities face as they pursue their educational, career and personal goals," said Mary Ann Cummins-Prager, CSUN’s associate vice president for student access and support services and director of the university’s Center on Disabilities, which puts on the conference.

"Those who attend will be able to network with visionary thinkers, learn about innovative solutions and interact with technology that has the potential to change lives in a hands-on environment," she said.

The conference addresses all aspects of technology and disabilities, and features a faculty of internationally recognized speakers, more than 275 workshops and more than 150 exhibitors displaying the latest technology for persons with disabilities in exhibit halls in both hotels.

Scheduled as this year’s keynote speaker is Jim Fruchterman, an electrical engineer-turned-entrepreneur and a 2006 McArthur Fellows award recipient. He founded the non-profit company, Benetech, which serves people with visual impairments and learning disabilities. Fruchterman is known within the disabilities community as one of the leading innovators in the field of assistive technology.

The conference also will feature a special presentation by Ray Kurzweil, founder of nine businesses in cybernetic art, optical character recognition, speech recognition, financial investment, music synthesis, virtual reality, reading technology and other areas of artificial intelligence. He will discuss “The End of Handicaps” and explore ways emerging technologies will be the "great leveler" in eliminating the handicaps associated with sensory and physical disabilities.

A special feature of this year’s conference is the Alliance for Technology Access’ 20th anniversary gala. The celebration will include an assistive technology history exhibition, silent auction, dinner and guest speaker, actor Robert David Hall from the CBS television series "CSI."

Pre-conference workshops and general session topics run the gamut of disability and technology issues, from workplace concerns and improving learning outcomes in the classroom to promoting inclusion with technology and increasing access to the Internet and the World Wide Web.

For more information about the conference or how to register to attend, visit the Center on Disabilities’ Web site at www.csun.edu/cod or call the center at (818) 677-2578 V/TTY.

Through a wide array of services, CSUN’s Center on Disabilities assists Cal State Northridge students in realizing their academic and career goals. A team of disability and educational specialists are available to students on a year-round basis. In addition, students may receive training on assistive technology, access the help of peer mentors, and are encouraged to participate in the wide range of cultural and social activities offered at the university. The annual internationally recognized assistive technology conference provides training programs to expand the knowledge base of professionals and introduce newcomers to the disability field.