Suncor Energy donated more than $250,000 to support College of the North Atlantic (CNA) with the infrastructure necessary to install nine assistive technology labs at seven campuses throughout the province. The technology will help remove barriers for learning opportunities and enhance learners’ overall college experience.
Assistive technology labs (also known as Whisper Rooms) provide a quiet space and the controlled environment necessary for learners who have difficulty filtering distractions and disruptions. The centralized area contains all software and hardware necessary to accommodate learners with diverse needs and provides an area to deliver group-based programs and services and broader access to CNA staff support.
“Assistive technologies are a necessary response in meeting the increasing demands, and to the future successes, of learners with disabilities,” said CNA President and CEO, Ann Marie Vaughan. “The investment made by Suncor will increase our learners’ likelihood of success across their subject areas, not only for examinations, but in all aspects of their studies. These resources will also provide learners with renewed independence and confidence during their studies that will transition well into the workforce.”
In addition, 50 laptops have been equipped with Kurzweil 3000 software. The software offers assistive technology solutions that enable English language learners, those with dyslexia, dysgraphia and other learning disabilities, to succeed.
“We wanted to help CNA fill gaps in their service offering to students who could benefit from assistive technology,” said Sandy Martin, vice-president, East Coast, Suncor Energy. “Outfitting the Whisper Rooms with the Kurzweil 3000 technology helps create greater capacity within the college, and we were very pleased to make this contribution.”
The introduction of the Whisper Rooms and the addition of 50 new laptops with Kurzweil resources will help to bridge an identified gap in accessibility for learners to access textbooks, study notes and program testing.
“I use Kurzweil for testing and I find it really beneficial - I definitely do better on my tests when I use the assistive technology,” said Tyler Somerton, a first-year Instrumentation student at Seal Cove campus who has dyslexia. “I wouldn’t want to be evaluated without it because there are a lot of things that I would miss if I was reading it on my own. When using Kurzweil, I get all the information.”
The assistive technology labs are being assigned to campuses based on the number of learners with varying disabilities, and the locations that have challenges associated with providing accommodations to these students. The labs are located at Bay St. George (three building locations), Carbonear, Corner Brook, Gander, Grand Falls-Windsor, Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Seal Cove campuses.
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Media Contacts:
Roger Hulan
Communications Specialist
College of the North Atlantic
(709) 643-7938
roger.hulan@cna.nl.ca
John Downton
Manager, Communications & Stakeholder Relations
Offshore Operations, Exploration & Production
Suncor Energy Inc.
(709) 778-3692
jdownton@suncor.com