E. A. Draffan

Fellow’s Profile

E. A. Draffan

Fellow’s Profile

E. A. Draffan

Multimedia assessment and training for literacy skills

Fellowship

Themes

Focus

Supporting those with special education needs in literacy by employing supporting technologies

Countries

Fellowship year

1995

Locality

South East

Biography

I trained as a speech and language therapist and worked in London hospitals supporting people with communication difficulties. Later working in schools where children had special educational needs, I began to use strategies involving the emerging technologies of the 1990s.

My Fellowship introduced me to Assistive Technology (AT) centres in the USA. On my return I started a regional centre at the University of Sussex, liaising with others to introduce the concept of equal access to teaching and learning for those with disabilities. Then, working with a national AT organisation led to more digital accessibility work, involving strategies to make online content easier for use by anyone with physical, sensory or cognitive difficulties.

A move to the University of Southampton resulted in EU collaboration and research using Artificial Intelligence to further improve access to digital content. I am involved with the development of an open licensed pictographic symbol repository, and training materials for those who struggle with speech. Thanks to a Covid-19 Churchill grant we have a free communication chart builder, and Global Symbols is now used across the world and working with UNICEF.

Activity

Disclaimer

All Reports are copyright © the author. The moral right of the author has been asserted. The views and opinions expressed by any Fellow are those of the Fellow and not of the Churchill Fellowship or its partners, which have no responsibility or liability for any part of them.

Activity

Disclaimer

All Reports are copyright © the author. The moral right of the author has been asserted. The views and opinions expressed by any Fellow are those of the Fellow and not of the Churchill Fellowship or its partners, which have no responsibility or liability for any part of them.

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