Jane Vincent, A.M.L.S., Assistive Technology made practical

Resume

Summary

Experienced consultant, presenter, trainer, writer, researcher, and service provider in the field of technology use by Boomers, seniors, and people with disabilities. Proven effectiveness in advocating for and implementing assistive technology use, particularly in libraries and other public settings. My breadth of employment and professional activities provide me with a unique range of knowledge to address any issue related to computer accommodations for people with disabilities.

Work History

2001-present: Independent Consultant.

Provide consultation, presentations, and trainings on a wide range of topics involving technology accessibility. Clients include the California State Libraries, InFoPeople, David Roche, and the University of Michigan.
Provide grant evaluations for NIDRR and the National Science Foundation.

1997-present: Usability/Accessibility Manager, Center for Accessible Technology, Berkeley, CA.

Consult with and provide training to organizations on selection and implementation of assistive technology, website accessibility, and disability awareness. Clients include public libraries in Alameda, Berkeley, Oakland, Cerritos, Glendale, Yuba City, Ventura, and Whittier. Non-library clients include TechSoup, Golden Gate Regional Center, Developmental Disabilities Area Board 3, and ILRC-San Francisco.
Provide evaluations, trainings, and materials to businesses and organizations resulting in improved website, software, and hardware accessibility. Clients include Cisco Systems, Yahoo!, California State Libraries, Los Angeles Community College, The Gap, and the Bay Area Metropolitan Transportation Commission.
Project manager for multiple contracts and grants. Topics include researching assistive technology reuse and loan programs throughout California, assistive technology provision to underserved communities, improved accessibility of recycling, and providing paraprofessional training in assistive technology.
Team member on a wide range of projects, including a unique planning initiative to maximize technical accessibility for a state-of-the-art building that will house multiple disability agencies (Berkeley, CA) and evaluation of transportation signage (Vancouver, BC).
Write articles, reports, white papers, cheat sheets, and other collateral to explain assistive and mainstream technology concepts for audiences with various levels of computer experience and disability awareness.
Provide assistive technology evaluations, trainings, and information dissemination for individuals with all types of disabilities.

2000: IDEAS Manager, World Institute on Disability, Oakland, CA

Coordinated logistics for a five-year NIDRR grant on networking among disability initiatives in ten countries.
Generated ideas for, researched, and wrote articles for bimonthly DisabilityWorld webzine, covering a variety of issues and trends affecting the lives of people with disabilities in multiple countries.
Researched and abstracted articles for major database of international writings about disability.

1997-1999: Public Relations, Pacific DBTAC, Berkeley, CA.

Developed and modified key information-tracking databases.
Maintained Bobby-approved website and produced quarterly newsletter.
Provided information on the Americans with Disabilities Act to the public.

1995-1997: Computer Access Specialist, InfoUse, Berkeley, CA.

Developed widely disseminated guidelines on Internet accessibility.
Created briefing books for program reviews of NIDRR-funded projects.
Member of two teams that produced unique software and websites for math education of children with disabilities.

1993-1995: Computer Consultant, El Cerrito, CA.

Freelance work included grant writing for the World Institute on Disability and providing computer consultation to people with disabilities.

1991-1993: Access Products Manager, Berkeley Systems, Inc., Berkeley, CA.

Supervised six-member team producing innovative software that allows blind people to use graphical operating systems.
Developed and co-wrote user manuals.

1988-1991: Campus/Library Access Specialist and Database Coordinator, Trace Research and Development Center, Madison, WI.

Provided on-site and telephone consultation to businesses, colleges, and libraries on implementation of electronic technology for people with disabilities.
Developed unique checklists for use in implementing accessibility in campus and library computing labs.
Provided input on creation of product development guidelines.

Selected Presentations and Papers

Contributor, Access on Main Street blog, 2005-. http://www.accessonmainstreet.net/
"The Comfortable Computer" blog and newsletter, 2006- . http://www.comfortablecomputer.com/
No Grant Needed! Cheap and Easy Accommodations for People with Disabilities (with Goddard, M., and Cutler, L.) Presentation at the Public Library Association National Conference, 2008.
"Technology for Serving Seniors" Preconference presentation at the CSUN Conference on Technology and Persons with Disabilities, 2008.
"Accessible but not Usable?: A Look Beyond Design Guidelines" Presentation given at World Usability Day, 2007.
"Assistive Tech and Baby Boomers: Can They Get Along?" Presentation given at World Usability Day, 2006.
"Breakout Topic: Adaptive Technology." Position paper commissioned by the National Spinal Cord Injury Association, 2005.
"Budgeting and Buying" and "Keyword Index."In Computer and Web Resources for People with Disabilities. 4th ed. Alameda, CA: Hunter House Publishers, 2004.
"Talking Speech Input."(with Whitford, G.). Communication Disorders Quarterly 23 (Spring 2002): 155-57.
"Accommodating the Effects of Aging and Computer Injury for Seniors Who are Long-Time Computer Users." Paper presented at the "International Conference on Technology and Aging," Toronto, ON, September 12-14, 2001.
"Internet Resources on Toys for Children with Disabilities." DisabilityWorld, no. 3 (2000).
"International Websites Relating to Assistive Technology and Universal Design." DisabilityWorld, no. 2 (2000).
"Generation I: Implications of Aging-Related and Computer-Related Causes of Disability for Computer Interface Design." Paper presented at the "Promoting Independence and Quality of Life for Older Persons" conference, Arlington, VA, December 2-4, 1999.
"Boon or Bust? Access to Electronic Publishing by Individuals Using Adaptive Computer Technology."Journal of the American Society for Information Science 45, no. 10 (1994): 753-59.
Issue editor/contributor, "Adaptive Technologies for Accommodating Persons with Disabilities." Library Hi Tech News 41, no. 1 (1993).

Affiliations

Committee Member, Library Services to an Aging Population (RUSA), 2008-2010.
Committee Charter Member, Services to Patrons with Learning, Cognitive, Social, and Medical Disabilities (ASCLA), 2008-.
Committee Member, World Usability Day, 2006, 2007.
Team Member, California Commission on Aging Long Range Strategic Planing on Aging, Assistive Technology Task Team, 2004-2005.
Board Member, Ed Roberts Campus planning committee, 2000-2001.
Vendor Representative, Alliance Planning Team, Alliance for Technology Access. 1992-1994.
Vice Chair, Equal Access to Software and Information (Project EASI). 1991-1992.
Board Member, Culture! Talent! Disability! (formerly Corporation on Disability and Telecommunications). 1993-present.

Education

Masters of Arts in Library Science, University of Michigan, 1986
Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, Lawrence University, 1981

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