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Arjan KhalsaCo-Founder, CEO
IntelliTools, Inc.
Arjan Khalsa has been the CEO of IntelliTools, Inc., based in Petaluma, CA, since 1991. His enthusiasm, good humor, and broad vision have made him an active leader in the field of assistive technology as well as an informative, entertaining and motivational public speaker.
Arjan's background is in education and curriculum development. After a number of years as a classroom teacher, his concern for students and their education led him to take a position on the faculty of U.C. Berkeley as an author of FOSS, a fully inclusive science curriculum.
In 1985, Arjan joined Unicorn Engineering (later to become IntelliTools) where he served as lead inventor of IntelliKeys - the most commonly used and highly awarded computer access device of its kind. Since that time, he has led major research efforts funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health to develop curriculum software to serve needs of today's diverse classroom community.
He has designed numerous award-winning products, has given many speeches and presentations around the world, has volunteered effort for nonprofits, and has led a number of federally funded research projects.
Arjan continues to play an instrumental role in promoting public awareness of students with disabilities. His energy and creativity have helped position IntelliTools as an international leader in the field.
Trish DavidsonTeam Leader
CENMAC/London CAP
"I have been teaching since September 1977, starting out as an Infant teacher. I worked in both rural and inner city schools. My first brush with a computer was when my class was timetabled for access to a 480Z for one week each term. In 1985, I began work at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in the Tuition Unit. At this point, I started to work with pupils who required extra support and took my first post as the IT coordinator in the days of the Nimbus 186. I worked within the Department of Child Psychiatry, supporting pupils who required specialist teaching and help with building up their self-confidence. They were given intensive classes on the use of the supportive software available at the time to build up their IT skills. In the last year of the ILEA, I completed a one-year course run by ILECC on the use of IT to support Special Needs (Speccal). I moved to Richard Cloudesley School in September 89 working as the communication teacher, mainly with the switch users. This is when I began my links with CENMAC. In September 1992, I began work in CENMAC as an Advisory Teacher. I work with pupils in mainstream schools who require the use of an augmentative writing aid. I also work in the majority of special schools in the Inner London area with pupils who are starting out with simple communication aids and/or switches to access the curriculum. My work includes assessment, reviews of the pupil's progress, training the staff who work with the pupils on the equipment and how to develop the use of switches. Over the past years, I have arranged and delivered training at day conferences on social communication, symbol use and supportive software in particular switch accessible and symbol software. I have written material for the Becta Inclusion website on the development of switch access and also been involved in the testing of the site.
In September 2001, I became Team Leader at CENMAC. CENMAC is a partner in the London Cap Centre working with the Wolfson Centre. My strengths are that I have worked in schools with pupils who require varying degrees of support, understanding the difficulties faced by both the staff and the pupils. I now continue to work in schools as an advisory teacher to encourage good practice and access for all.
I continue my links with people with disabilities, volunteering as a waterski instructor and British waterski judge at the British Disabled Waterski Association's national site."
Maggie WagstaffBecta
Maggie Wagstaff has been an advisory teacher with responsibility for SEN ICT. She is currently working for the Warwickshire County Disability Support Service (DISCS) in the Physical disability team and is on a part time secondment with Becta for this year. Her work includes the UK online centres adapted equipment project, speech recognition software and the wider issues experienced by students who have recording difficulties.
Carol AllenHadrian Education Centre
Carol Allen is a teacher from North Tyneside who works with children and students from birth to 19. Currently working with children who have visual impairments, she has worked in both mainsteam schools and schools for students with severe and profound learning difficulties. Utilising ICT to support the learning of all students with SEN underpins all her working practice.
Bob
BlackEducation Information Officer
The Down's Syndrome Association
Bob Black is the Education Information Officer for the Down's Syndrome Association and has years of experience supporting schools and families through the education system. Bob is well known as an advocate of properly resourced inclusive education and has written extensively on the use of ICT as an aid to learning. Bob is co- author of the NASEN/TES award winning 'Support Pack for Schools, Primary and Secondary' published by the Down's Syndrome Association and The ICT unit in the 'Down's syndrome Issues and Information' series by the Down Syndrome Education Trust. Bob also worked as a trainer on the specialist NOF training for children with severe and complex needs as well as writing special needs software in his own right.
Lisa PetitMayer-Johnson
I received a B.S. in Psychology and Biology from the University of Maryland and a M.S. from Johns Hopkins University in Special Education. I was a special education teacher in Maryland. I currently work for Mayer-Johnson, Inc. as an Educational Specialist. I train teachers, speech pathologists, and parents on the products that Mayer-Johnson offers.