You Need
Press Release
18th January 2002, Orlando Florida
Inclusive Group Chairman, Martin Littler, joins the ATIA Board
Last night Martin Littler was elected to the Board of the Assistive Technology Industry Association as ATIA Board Director - Europe. The election took place at the annual conference of the Association in Orlando, Florida.
"Assistive Technology" includes the special computer related devices and software which help people with disabilities to communicate and learn. ATIA is the largely American, trade association that represents seventy of the high-tech companies involved in this field.
The United States is the biggest market for these products and the home of most assistive technology companies. The United Kingdom is the second largest user of assistive technology and has often led the world in sectors of the market like learning support for pupils with learning disabilities and in switch assessable software for those with severe and profound physical and or cognitive disabilities.
|
Martin Littler's role will be to extend the reach of the ATIA into Europe. Martin, once a teacher himself, said: "There are children who have huge additional barriers between themselves and the ability to communicate and learn. They may be without speech or perhaps without the physical ability to play with bricks or toys. Their only form of communication, a nod or a noise, may rely totally on being asked the right question at the right time. What a prison!" "Often the resources that could help these children to make a choice or make a contribution to a school activity already exist" he continued "perhaps in another country. "ATIA can help spread knowledge across national boundaries so that teachers and therapists will know the range of resources available to help those with severe and complex special needs to be included in communication and learning". |
 |