TECHNOLOGY FAIR

Disability Services at Arkansas State University hosts a Technology Fair every other year.

Technology is the wave of the future and Disability Services (DS)feels it is necessary to inform students, faculty, staff, teachers, families, medical professionals, and others by providing information about equipment and assistive devices available for individuals with and without disabilities. Various activities are held throughout the day. Drawings for door prizes are usually held every hour. In the past DS has included a silent auction. The silent auction has included such items as gift baskets, gift certificates, planters and other various items in order to raise money for a Learning Disability Scholarship.

The technology fair has been successful because it has always been of special interest not only to faculty and students, but to Northeast Arkansas as a whole. In the past, Disability Services set up an accessible office and conducted demonstrations for classes. The accessible office encouraged people to understand how inexpensive it is to employ someone who needs adaptive devices. Students attending the Fair for class credit receive a certificate of participation to present to their instructor. In order to receive the certificate, students must visit each exhibit. If you would like for your class to attend the Technology Fair, please let us know the time and number of students in advance.

We display technology in the areas of electronic notetaking devices, chair lifts for home furniture, artificial limbs, wireless phones, braces, therapeutic shoes, mastectomy prostheses, doorbells, alarm clocks, powered wheelchairs, low air-loss mattress, computers with adapted accessories, switches,  accessibility tools and numerous other items. The goal of the Technology Fair is to help students understand there is no barrier too great in the search for knowledge. Please share this information with your colleagues. Your participation in this effort is greatly appreciated. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact  Christina Laurentia or Dr. Jenifer Rice-Mason at (870) 972-3964.

First Technology Fair not connected with Disability Awareness Week - Fall 2000

To promote greater awareness of adaptive and assistive technology, Arkansas State University Disability Services hosts a technology fair each fall semester. The fall of 2000 was the first technology fair that was not held in connection with Disability Awareness Week. Approximately 60 people representing 30 vendors, 5 from out of state and 25 from across the state set up exhibits at the Disability Services Technology Fair.  The vendors were visited by over 300 people from ASU and the local community.  The objective of this program was to provide information concerning technology based adaptive and assistive equipment for individuals with and without disabilities.  Since technology is rapidly improving and changing, those in the community need the opportunity to learn more about what is here today and on future horizons.