Dr Vicki Hanson has been involved in working with people with disabilities for almost 30 years so it is not surprising that she is to be a key note speaker at the 12th Annual Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education (ITiCSE). The main them of the conference is inclusive education in computer science. The conference has attracted interest from around the world and will take place in Dundee from 25th to 27th June 2007.
Recognised as an expert in her field Dr Hanson manages the Accessibility Research Group at IBM's T J Watson Research Center. Her presentation will focus on raising awareness of the needs of disabled users when creating computer applications. There will be a live demonstration of an exciting new technique for understanding user needs. Interactive sessions with conference attendees will consider issues raised in this demonstration and how these insights might be applied in the teaching of computer science.
She comments, "My work has focussed on people with disabilities since the outset and more recently has developed to include the issues faced by those with disabilities in relation to computer access.
"It is important that we recognise that barriers to computer access exist. However as well as acknowledging them we also need to highlight their existence and work to remove them."
Dr Janet Hughes the Assistant Head of Learning and Teaching in the School of Computing at the University of Dundee, is a key figure in organising ITiCSE 2007.
She says, "Dr Hanson is respected around the world for her work. In 2004 the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) made her an ACM Fellow in recognition of her contributions to computing technologies for people with disabilities. We are delighted that Dr Hanson will be delivering a key note speech at ITiCSE 2007."
Between 1978 and 1986, first as a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Laboratory of Language and Cognition at the Salk Institute and subsequently as a Research Associate in the Reading Research Group at Haskins Laboratories, Dr Hanson conducted research in the areas of American Sign Language and reading. In 1986 Dr Hanson joined the IBM Research Division and has worked extensively with deaf children and adults.
More information about ITiCSE 2007 can be found at http://iticse2007.computing.dundee.ac.uk/
For more information about the Dundee & Angus Convention Bureau please visit http://www.angusanddundee.co.uk/convention or telephone 01382 527531.
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