UAB Summer Camp Goes High-Tech for Kids With Disabilities

Registration is open for University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Education Camp Terrific New Technology (TNT)-Yakity Yak for children with autism, cerebral palsy and cognitive disabilities that make communication difficult.

May 12, 2010

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Registration is open for University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Education Camp Terrific New Technology (TNT)-Yakity Yak for children with autism, cerebral palsy and cognitive disabilities that make communication difficult.

Camp TNT-Yakity Yak will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays, with programs for children in grades preschool-2 June 7-10, grades 3-5 June 21-24 and grades 6-8 June 28-July 1 at Mountain Chapel United Methodist Church, 2541 Rocky Ridge Road in Birmingham.

At this camp, UAB special education students will teach children with disabilities how to use technologies such as Apple iPads, Nintendo Wii sports and physical fitness equipment, talking books, communication boards, MP3 players, digital photography and interactive white boards. This year, campers also will learn to use a SMART table, which has a touch-sensitive, interactive surface that enables groups of people to work or play collaboratively.

In addition to all of the high-tech activities, the campers will take part in more traditional camp activities such as making their own snacks, participating in team-building exercises and singing traditional camp songs.

"Our focus is to expose campers to many forms of technology for learning, music, communication and fitness and recreation," says Betty Nelson, Ph.D., UAB associate professor of special education and interim chair of the UAB Department of Leadership, Special Education and Foundations. "We want to expand the resources that the children, their teachers and their parents can access and give the children the opportunity to make new friends and establish networking and communication links that they can use in the future."

For the third time, the UAB School of Education's Regional Inservice Center will host a program for the campers' parents, teachers and special education coordinators. The event is tentatively scheduled for Friday, June 25. The details of the event will be provided upon registration.

The camp is operated by the UAB Department of Leadership, Special Education and Foundations, in collaboration with United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Birmingham and the UAB Regional Inservice Center.

Space is limited. Tuition is $200 per week per child, which includes snacks and lunch. A limited number of scholarships are available. Donations are welcome. For more details, or to register, contact Nelson at 205-975-6760 or benelson@uab.edu.