National Science Foundation

The Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics ON THE AIR! website was made possible by support from the National Science Foundation under grant number HRD-0332765. The site was redesigned under grant number HRD-0833247 to be fully accessible to people with disabilities. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed on this website are those of the author(s) and the people or subjects covered in each radio segment featured and do not necessarily reflect those of the National Science Foundation.


Access to Advancement

An Audio Exploration of the National Effort to Increase the Role of Women with Disabilities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

Part 1

SCI-VIS Makes Space Camp Accessible to Students with Visual Impairments

   Read Now Transcript

Space Camp for Interested Visually Impaired Students (SCI-VIS) is a weeklong camp at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, AL, that helps middle and high school students who are blind or who have low vision to learn about space and space-related technology. The students experience simulated space missions using equipment that is adapted with Braille and large print, and computer programs that convert text to speech. Students also build confidence by scaling a 49-foot climbing wall and controlling their movements with a joystick in a "Manned Maneuvering Unit."

To hear more about the program from a SCI-VIS alumnus, listen to the Part 2 story, Anneliese DeVyldere.

For more information about SCI-VIS, please visit www.tsbvi.edu/space.

Featured in this story: Katie Gleckler, high school student and SCI-VIS participant; Dan Oates, SCI-VIS Coordinator; Jasmine Rahseparian, high school student; Cheryl Daniels, teacher at Oklahoma School for the Blind; Deanna Greco, middle school student and SCI-VIS participant; and Phyllis Greco, mother of SCI-VIS participant.

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