The UPS Foundation has been sponsoring North Jersey Elks Developmental Disabilities Agency (NJEDDA) since 2004. Each year the foundation has contributed to the purchase of equipment for the Assistive Technology Lab. This includes items such as Mimio systems, iPads, laptops, and even a Smartboard on wheels. Last year with a generous donation of a portable Tobii eye gaze system with laptop, Communicator 5 software and games, NJEDDA was able to create a training system available to all students. This system allows a student to have access to latest eye-gaze technology to assist with the development of augmentative communication abilities, visual tracking, attention and perception. These skills are necessary to utilize a speech-generating device. The Tobii eye gaze system includes Communicator 5 software that converts text and symbols into speech and gives a student computer access. This system package combines eye tracking which allows an individual to communicate, interact with a computer, surf the web and control their environment. Eye tracking technology is used to control a computer with eyes in place of a keyboard or mouse. This high-level technology empowers those with physical disabilities to enhance their everyday lives and improve their overall ability to lead an independent life.

Tony Harley has spastic quadriplegia cerebral palsy and a seizure disorder. He is dependent on others to fulfill all of his immediate needs. He is a pleasant young man with a brilliant smile. He is unable to speak or use his upper and lower extremities in a functional manner, meaning he cannot walk or write. He is wheelchair bound. He began training on the eye gaze system about a year ago. Initially, when he began school at NJEDDA, he was unable to attend to therapy situations and keep his head up for learning purposes. His therapy team consisting of physical, speech and occupational therapists worked hard to improve his ability to be a candidate to utilize a speech-generating device such as the training tool donated by The UPS Foundation. Using this technology, he is now able to learn numbers, spelling skills and participate in conversations by using his eyes to gaze at icons on a grid to answer with one word. His progress has been so amazing in that his therapists have begun the paperwork to ascertain a device of his own.

NJEDDA’S mission is to increase independence and enrich the quality of the lives of our children and adults through state-of-the-art educational and therapeutic programs. We envision each student reaching their maximum physical, intellectual and emotional competency levels. Through the years, The UPS Foundation has allowed us to achieve our mission and vision goals we set. Using equipment from UPS, a student like Tony has the best technology for independent living. Without this equipment, he would not be able to let someone know his basic needs. Imagine not being able to express you have pain or are hungry. At NJEDDA, we depend on the help of The UPS Foundation to assist us with fulfilling our dreams for our students. For more information about NJEDDA, augmentative technology and our relationship with UPS see our website at www.njedda.org