It's about time!

p.s. I finally updated my blog background. It was still fall oriented until today (yeah, that time's definitely come and gone) so I decided to do a holiday one rather than just Christmas because considering how on top of changing the background I am...it may have stayed Christmas until Valentines or something. Not so great. So yeah, enjoy. And oh yeah.....HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Eagle Eyes

Eagle Eyes was the same as I had imagined it but also very different. I really liked how the electrodes are a lot smaller than they used to be. I can see how that would make a huge difference on children and smaller faces. It already pulled and stung a little when trying to pull off the stickers from our faces so I can only imagine those huge (and very sticky!) things they used to use. I liked learning how to apply the technology onto each other, and the students we tried it with, rather than just having it only being done to us. I think practicing applying to one another and having it done to us helped us realize which spots are a little more sensitive or where maybe extra tape needs to be used over the stickers.
Using Eagle Eyes was a lot harder for me than I first thought it was going to be. I felt like I really had to concentrate hard on where I wanted the cursor to go and almost over exaggerate where I was looking. I realize now, after talking about it a little more, that it could have just been because it wasn’t centered correctly and things like that. But even still it made me appreciate, even more than before, those students that we have seen who can use it so well. (Like Alex- see post below :)
I think Eagle Eyes is a very good technology and is a great concept, although like we mentioned in class last week, I know it’s also not a miracle technology that’s going to help every student. I do think Eagle Eyes is very beneficial for children and students with Cerebral Palsy and needs that are similar to that. For children who do not have full capability of their body (motor skills) and those who do not speak, Eagle Eyes is something that can definitely help them. It can help them make others realize that they truly are an individual with a personality and thoughts and not just someone sitting in a wheelchair who can’t talk. I think one of the most important things that I have learned from our CPSE 463 class is that we need to make sure to give everyone a fair chance at expressing themselves and for some people Eagle Eyes is the way they can do that.

Awesome technology is taken to Romania!

Okay, so I know this is happened awhile ago and I don't really know if this is really mine to share but I'm going to do it anyway...
So yes, I went to Romania about 2 years ago but it doesn't mean I stopped loving the children there. One of the boys in the orphanage, Alex, has cerebral palsy and recently created this painting basically with his eyes! One of my special ed. teachers let us know about it. Alex was just given the device Eagle Eyes (not to be confused with the movie) which is basically a mouse controlled by your eyes. So freakin awesome. Love it, love him, love Romania! Love technology and the things it does for people with disabilities!