>
>College of New Jersey Signal, NJ, USA
>
>CAPTION: Cary Supalo, a blind biochemist, wants
>to help blind chemistry students succeed in science.
>
>Biochemist introduces technologies for blind students
>By: Thomas Briechle
>Posted: 11/19/08
>
>Last Wednesday, Cary Supalo, a blind biochemist,
>introduced a group of students and teachers to the
>tools he is developing to help visually impaired
>students succeed in chemistry.
>
>Supalo, who graduated from Pennsylvania State
>University in 1999 and is currently a member of the
>National Federation of the Blind, said many
>blind students feel they suffer from a lack of
>opportunity. He questioned whether or not the
>"passive approach" many teachers currently take toward
>blind students in the classroom would encourage
>anyone to pursue a career in science.
>
>He recalled a time during high school when he
>was extremely excited to take calculus but found out
>his high school was unwilling to support him. He
>remembered telling a teacher, "I am always going to
>be limited in what I achieve."
>
>"That's how I truly felt in high school," he said.
>
>As a result, Supalo is determined to "foster a
>more hands-on experience" for blind students in the
>chemistry lab. He feels the key to making
>students passionate about a particular subject is to give
>them the confidence to do the work by themselves.
>
>He noted that blind students like to be in front
>of the class so they are less distracted by noises
>some students would consider insignificant, such
>as "the infamous candy wrapper." In addition,
>students should read the lab before class so
>they can "predict what they think is going to happen."
>
>Supalo discussed several technological
>developments to assist blind students in the classroom.
>
>He introduced a program called JAWS (Job Access
>with Speech), designed to convert computer text into
>audible speech. Supalo and his colleagues
>managed to make JAWS compatible with the various lab
>probes created by Vernier Technologies. Thanks
>to Supalo and his team, more than 125 probes are now
>able to convert text to speech.
>
>Supalo discussed the Submersible Audible Light
>Sensor, or SALS. This device consists of a
>submersible sensor attached to a control box,
>which contains a speaker. The SALS allows blind
>students to recognize when a combination of
>chemicals yields a new result. Since the student is
>unable to see the reaction, the SALS produces a
>certain pitch when it is submerged in liquid. When
>two chemicals combine, a completely different
>pitch is produced due to the change in light content,
>indicating to the student a change has taken
>place in real time. Supalo demonstrated the SALS to the
>audience, and it was clear that many people were
>impressed with the technology.
>
>Another device showcased at the lecture was the
>Color Analysis Laboratory Sensor, or CALS. Like the
>SALS, this device consists of a probe connected
>to a control box. The CALS identifies the values of
>red, green, blue and white to tell the student
>the color of a specific solid or liquid. The CALS can
>identify certain shades of colors, such as
>"light red" (pink) or "dark blue" (navy). It currently
>has a 95 percent success rate, and Supalo is
>working to make it even more accurate.
>
>In addition to the SALS and CALS, Supalo also
>mentioned a new stopwatch for blind students he helped
>develop. It is the only one of its kind that
>allows for accuracy up to one hundredth of a second.
>
>Supalo told the audiences these devices could be
>used in a variety of modified experiments for blind
>students, such as a "freezing point depression" lab.
>
>Supalo concluded that above all else, he wanted
>to "maintain a high expectation for blind students."
>
>"It is important to educate blind students so
>they feel that they really can do this stuff," he
>said.
>
>Eva Scott, a teacher in the visually impaired
>program at the College, thought Supalo's presentation
>was "awesome."
>"He's right that there are so many blind
>students that are easily discouraged, and I think this is
>opening a lot of doors," she said.
>
>© Copyright 2008 The Signal
>
>SOURCE
><http://media.www.signal-online.net/media/storage/paper771/news/2008/11/19/News/Biochemist.Introduces.Technologies.For.Blind.Students-3549756.shtml>http://media.www.signal-online.net/media/storage/paper771/news/2008/11/19/News/Biochemist.Introduces.Technologies.For.Blind.Students-3549756.shtml
>
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