Technical Exploration Center

Summer 2008

In this issue ...

News From Lynn and Colleen

The New TetraMouse

Latest Software at TEC

New items in our Inventory

New Office Location

TEC Assists Microsoft

Monthly Product Demos

Take a Look at Our Inventory

Telcom Equipment on Display

How Can We Help?

Calendar of Events

News from Lynn & Colleen:

Summer is upon us and with it comes lots of opportunities for recreation like gardening, swimming, fishing, and hiking to name a few.  If you or someone you know is finding it difficult to engage in these activities, why not inquire at TEC about assistive technology that might be helpful in making the task easier?  Whether it is low-tech or high-tech, TEC staff can help you find solutions, resources or vendors to help.  Give us a call or, better yet, come visit the center for ideas.

We would like to share with you our progress of the TEC-Assist program designed to offer affordable and quality used assistive equipment.  We have acquired a space to house the program.  It is located just 5 minutes from the Technical Exploration Center Library.  With the help of many generous volunteers we have designed the space with a showroom, efficient and roomy storage area, receiving and sanitization rooms, and technician's workshop.  Our brochures have been designed by students from NESCOM and are in print as we speak.  We are VERY close to opening our doors for business and invite you to stay tuned to our calendar for the big event.

We want to announce that our outreach site at the Ellsworth Career Center is no longer available for our use.  We are in the process of finding another space and, again, will let you know where that will be.  TEC is currently looking for a location in Ellsworth to serve the Downeast community and it is our hope to have a new site beginning in the month of August.

The staff of TEC diligently continues to reach out to all Maine citizens with access to and education and awareness of assistive technology.  We accomplish this in a variety of ways such as exhibiting at area conferences, offering workshops, collaborating with other Maine organizations knowledgeable in the field of assistive technology and those agencies who serve folks who may benefit from the library and available technologies.

Wishing you all a wonderful and safe summer!

TEC has a new outreach center in Ellsworth!

                                                                                        ^ Top

TETRAMOUSE is now available at TEC!!!

The TetraMouse is a low-cost, full-featured, dual joystick computer mouse designed to be operated with the lips, chin, etc., or with the tongue for people with no head movement. One joystick positions the mouse pointer and the other performs left, right and middle (scroll) button functions as well as selection of four adjustable pointer movement speeds. Selected speed is indicated by the color-coded "lightbar" along the top of the unit. Speed control and positive positioning make this unit capable of precision mouse operation in demanding applications while still easy to use for web browsing or word processing. No additional software is required (the computer "sees" it as a normal mouse). Optional software is provided on CD including on-screen virtual keyboard, utilities to make "drag and drop" operations easy and more. Connectes to USB or PS/2 mouse port. External switch jacks, no-head movement (tongue operation) option and other options are available.

Solo Literacy Suite Software

Because some students require support throughout the literacy continuum, while others struggle only with specific aspects, SOLO Literacy Suite places all of the right tools, and a wide-range of embedded learning supports, at their fingertips.  SOLO includes word prediction, a text reader, graphic organizer and talking word processor—putting students in charge of their own learning and accommodations. Students of varying ages and abilities have access to, and make progress in, the general education curriculum.

^ Top

TEC at New Location

On December 1, 2006, TEC moved to it new location in downtown Bangor. An Open House was held on January 10, 2007 to celebrate the new location.

Here are some images of the Open House.

The new address is 34 Summer Street, Suite 2A, Bangor, Maine 04401 and the phone number is (207) 992-9270 and the fax is (207) 992-9273.

TEC’s email and website address will remain the same.

The building is wheelchair accessible with ample parking and is located near the Downtown area of Bangor. Call or email TEC staff for further information.

See the Contact page for directions.

^ Top

TEC assists Microsoft in MARC Program

The Technical Exploration Center is proud to announce we have been designated one of 46 Microsoft Accessibility Resource Centers (MARC) nationwide.

What this means for you is that TEC can be your resource to showcase the numerous accessible technology options available on today’s computers. Our staff will be able to provide accessibility training to business employees, or accessibility consultation to businesses looking to create an accessibility strategy.

TEC is equipped with video demonstrations and accessibility tutorials that show how to make computing easier, more convenient, and more comfortable. Our professional staff is on hand to answer questions and help visitors learn how to adjust their personal computers. Free Microsoft Accessibility Resource CD sets are also available so visitors can take the information home with them.

^ Top

TEC Offers Monthly Product Demos

Assistive technology covers such a wide range of equipment and devices and it can be very difficult to keep up with the technology of the times. TEC wants to help make this task a little easier and fun for you. It is one thing to read about assistive technology and another to see the products demonstrated in the context of practical application with functional tasks of everyday life.

We are beginning our monthly demonstrations with Freedom Scientific products to aid individuals with low vision or blindness. (See our Calendar of Events for details)

Future demonstrations will include augmentative and alternative communication systems, technologies that aid manipulation and control of the environment, mobility and positioning technologies, computer based technologies such as accessible hardware and adaptive software, aids for the deaf and people who have hearing impairments, and so much more.

We invite you to join us each month for a new product demonstration as they are posted on our website at http://www.tecmaine.org/. They will be FREE and open to the public. Our goal is to offer new and exciting information to assist you in the acquisition of assistive technology.

^ Top

Take a Look at Our Inventory

The long awaited inventory database has begun to take shape on the TEC website. Please take a moment to browse through the inventory section of this site. What you will find are descriptions of some of the equipment we have for loan.

Our hope is that this added feature enhances the search for assistive technology needs. We will continually add to the database throughout the spring and summer until our inventory has been displayed.

If you should have any questions regarding specifics on any equipment, we encourage you to contact TEC staff for personal assistance. We hope you enjoy the convenience of “window shopping” from a distance.

^ Top

Telecommunications Equipment on Display

Is using the telephone a problem for you?

The Technical Exploration Center is pleased to welcome the Maine Center on Deafness (MCD) to our facility in a collaborative effort to inform the public of their telecommunication equipment lending and cost-sharing programs. MCD offers specialized equipment to telephone customers with disabilities in Maine.

Equipment such as amplified telephones, TTY’s, voice-activated speaker phones, and telephone signalers are among the items being displayed at TEC. This long-term display will allow people from the mid-Maine area and North to access the equipment without traveling to Portland.

Staff from MCD is more than willing to arrange presentations to include overviews of the features of the equipment, education on the Maine Relay Service, and more detailed information about their equipment program. Please call TEC to express your interest in arranging one of these presentations.

^ Top

How Can We Help?

Check out all the ways we can work with you

Equipment Loan: TEC houses more than 2000 pieces of assistive technology. Communication, computer software and hardware, items for hygiene, mealtime, telephones, TV control.

Evaluations: Unsure what types of assistive technology you need to be more successful at school or work? Need help keeping or increasing your independence at home? Speak with us about an evaluation.

Consultations: Need help working with the assistive technology you have? Our staff can help you or the people who work with you to create a plan to use the assistive technology equipment.

Inservices: We love to talk about our services, the inventory, creative uses for the equipment you have and many other topics. We are available for 1-hour inservices as well as full day. Call for more information.

Training: TEC staff is beginning to offer 1:1 training on computer software such as word prediction or voice input technology.

^ Top

Calendar of Events

Please go to the complete Calendar of Events for registration information

DONATIONS ACCEPTED:

If you have equipment you are no longer using, we would like to help someone else benefit from it. Equipment can be placed with the condition it would be returned if needed in the future. This works well for school systems, day programs and other service providers.

We regret we do not have room for a large amount of durable medical equipment; however we would be happy to direct you to agencies which need or lend this equipment.

Another option is to use the new GetATStuff service which allows people to buy, sell or donate assistive technology devices.

^ Top