New Staff, Updated Equipment in AT Lab - June 16th, 2009

Austin sitting at table with a selection of Assistive Devices including lights, radio, fan, blender and a control unit

Austin Mulloy, new AT Lab Manager, displays a new environmental control unit, with some of the items that can be managed with it.

Austin Mulloy has become the manager of the Assistive Technology (AT) Lab. The AT Lab, which displays and demonstrates specialized equipment for people with disabilities, is housed in the LTC and jointly run by the LTC and the Department of Special Education. Austin replaces Marcie Bump, who has moved to Houston to teach at the University of Houston-Clear Lake while she completes her dissertation.

Austin is a Special Education doctoral student in autism and developmental disabilities. His interests include assistive technology interventions and research methodologies, such as meta-analysis of single subject research data.

The AT Lab will also have a new Teaching Assistant. Guliz Kurt, who has served as the lab's TA for several years, will leave at the end of summer. Sathiya Ramdoss, a Special Education doctoral student, will be trained this summer to perform the T.A. duties and present the AT orientations.

The three will also work on updating the orientations, in part based on an analysis of the student surveys collected over the last two years. The surveys, given at the end of each orientation, clearly show that students prefer hands-on exercises and demonstrations rather than lectures. The revised orientations will reflect these and other preferences.

They are also busy incorporating new software and equipment into the lab's exhibits. In particular, more environmental control units are being added to the Home Area. These devices are switches that allow easy control of TV, lights, and kitchen equipment. They will make the Home Area much more "high-tech" than it has been in the past.

The AT Lab will host an Open House in the fall to highlight the new additions. For more information on the AT Lab, contact Austin Mulloy.

—Laurie Caldwell, LTC Communications Coordinator