Transition AbleAideTM: A needs-based computer system for matching assistive technology and home automation devices to students transitioning from school to adult life.

This project will demonstrate the technical merit and feasibility of Transition AbleAideTM, a needs-based system for assisting special educators and related service providers in matching students with disabilities with appropriate disability accommodations (including assistive technology, home automation devices, and other simple accommodations) to aid the transition from school to adult life, but only if there are effective means to match the technology to specific student needs. The proposed system is based upon an innovative task-analytic methodology for matching students with disabilities with needed accommodations developed by Meeting the Challenge, Inc. under a National Science Foundation research project. This methodology utilizes a student capability assessment and task requirements analysis to direct the search of a comprehensive database of accommodations selected specifically to meet the unique needs of students transitioning from school to adult life. Specific aims for Phase I are to implement a subset of this matching methodology in a PC-based software prototype to assess its utility for matching accommodations to the specific needs of transition students.