Noa Nitzan – Occupational Therapist, Technology Consulting Center, Beit Issie Shapiro
Noa Nitzan’s Presentation on the main stage at the BETT Conference held in London about the use and development of assistive technologies among students with disabilities. The presentation focused on implementation in the field, ideas for creative uses, working with the family, as well as our entrepreneurship and app development.

Chairperson: Ms. Jean Judes – Executive Director, Beit Issie Shapiro
Today’s technological entrepreneurs have an array of support systems – ecosystems – which provide them with the comprehensive network needed to turn a good idea into a marketable product. Such an ecosystem has yet to be developed focusing on developing accessible technologies for people with disabilities.  This side event will focus on the importance of and challenges in developing a disabilities-focused network of support that will provide entrepreneurs with access to knowledge, guidance, resources and community – through a multi-facetted discussion featuring experts from different sectors.

Lecture of Jean Judes, Beit Issie Shapiro’s Executive Director, at the conference on the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, about assistive technology, collaborations and disabilities.

The lecture analyzes different models of play for children with disabilities, while relating to play with objects and with technological means. It describes how technological games are expressed in the participation of children with disabilities in different games and how play related skills improve, while addressing professional and ethical dilemmas and issues and the question whether various computer game and applications encourage playfulness and other play characteristics.

Play is important to children’s development and helps children with disabilities fully realize their potential. LUDI is a pan-European network with representatives of 27 countries which conducts joint activities aiming to study games for children with disabilities. The lecturer descries the network’s structure, importance and activities.

Mr.  Encarnação describe a study of a technology intended to support the participation of children with neuro-motor disabilities in learning activities in the classroom.