Assistive Tech Program to Start in Valley

The problem with hiring workers or finding a job in the assistive technology industry, as most in it will tell you, is that there is no certification for the field’s professionals.

Now Cal State Northridge’s Center on Disabilities has developed an “Assistive Technology Applications Certificate Program” for those who work with the disabled.

Assistive technologies help people with disablities become more independent and productive, enabling them to use everything from special jar openers to voice-recognition computers.

Upon completion of the program, participants will receive a certificate from CSUN--a way to achieve distinction in the growing field--in addition to gaining better knowledge of the tools of their trade.

The program, which runs Sunday through July 25 in San Francisco, will address the range and scope of assistive technologies as well as funding, policy and practical applications.

Topics of lectures and demonstrations include toy adaptation, which helps children with disabilities learn and use toys; instruments that allow those who can’t speak to communicate; and environment control, including the use of devices for turning on appliances and answering the phone.

One course will include the examination of computers for the vision-impaired. A Windows or Mac interface is useless if you can’t see what you’re double clicking on. Participants will explore voice synthesizers that read aloud what’s on the screen, as well as cursor aides that allow for screen navigation.

For more information on assistive technology or CSUN’s Center on Disabilities, call (818) 677-2578 or visit https://www.csun.edu/cod/

CYBERSPACE

* Tuesday is the 68th annual All-Star game, so if baseball’s your sport, check out Major League Baseball’s official Web site at https://www.majorleaguebaseball.com. It’s got rosters, a trivia game, history and even a virtual tour of the ballpark. At the Sporting News (https://www.sportingnews.com/features/allstar/), you can vote for your all-time All-Star team and read about the player of the hour. The game is being shown on Fox, and at its Web site you’ll find All-Star notebooks (who should have made the team) as well as a trivia game. Fox Sports Online’s All-Star guide is at https://www.tvguide.com/sports/baseball/features/mlb97as/index.sml

* “The Home of Roasts, Toasts & Fine Cigars” is now open to everyone . . . sort of. The Friar’s Club Web site (https://www.friarsclub-ca.org) will tell you how it all began and how you can take part (if you’ve got the dough). There is also a photo gallery of the rich and famous in the Cigar Night Gallery.

* Some Orange County citizens are upset about the reuse plan for the El Toro airport. At https://www.eltoroairport.org, there’s airport news, information about upcoming meetings, articles about airport issues and litigation updates, and ways to join community groups fighting the project. For Orange County’s side of the issue, go to https://www.oc.ca.gov/eltoro/. The site also has news, updates and community groups.

* BookWire has news and articles about books as well as reviews and picks. Point your browser to https://www.bookwire.com

* The American Natural History Museum is online at https://www.amnh.org. Among the exhibitions featured on the New York museum’s site are “Endangered! Exploring a World at Risk” and Fossil Halls.

* If Japanese anime is more up your alley, why not go to the Black Moon Family Web Site (https://www.black-kat.com/blackmoon)? Sailor Moon and the gang are online to promote the “appreciation and understanding of Japanese animation.” You can also check out the winners of the Sailor Moon fan art contest.

* The Animal Network (https://www.petchannel.com) is a great resource for information and links about your pet, be it dog, cat, fish, reptile, horse, ferret or other. There also are community forums (arranged by animal) where you can discuss your pet with other animal lovers.

*

Site suggestions can be sent to cutting.edge@latimes.com