Miami-Dade Assistive Technology Awareness Partners, Incorporated (M-DATAP) is a consortium of school district, local government, higher education, and non-profit agencies that provide services, especially through assistive technology, to persons with disabilities. This non-profit, inter-agency partnership was formed to promote, within the Miami-Dade community, awareness of the capability of assistive technology to empower, educate and include persons with disabilities in all aspects of life.
M-DATAP, Inc. held its first annual Assistive Technology Awareness event, Envision the Possibilities, at FIU and Women's Park on February 9-10, 2007. The event included a variety of presentations, exhibits, and demonstrations by vendors and community agencies as well as recreational activities and art displays. Anyone interested in learning more about assistive technology was encouraged to attend. The second annual event is scheduled for May 1-3, 2008, at NOVA Southeastern University in Kendall and at the NFL-Y.E.T. Center at Gwen Cherry Park.
Background of M-DATAP (Miami-Dade Assistive Technology Awareness Partners)
February 5 is designated as Assistive Technology Awareness Day in Florida. It is a day to increase awareness of the potential benefits of assistive technology in education and throughout the life cycles. Since February 2004, this day has been commemorated in Miami-Dade County primarily by the Miami-Dade County Public Schools through FDLRS-South (Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources System-South) and Pre-K ESE (the Pre-Kindergarten Exceptional Student Education program) as well as by FAAST (Florida Alliance for Assistive Services and Technology, based at Florida International University).
After the 2006 function, it was decided that a more inclusive, community-wide event would be desirable. Therefore, a variety of community agencies, representing both government and NGO non-profits, were invited to participate in the planning for the 2007 event. From this initial planning group, an informal consortium of assistive technology service providers throughout the Miami-Dade community has developed. This group adopted the acronym and name of M-DATAP, Miami-Dade Assistive Technology Awareness Partners.
February 5 is designated as Assistive Technology Awareness Day in Florida. It is a day to increase awareness of the potential benefits of assistive technology in education and throughout the life cycles. Since February 2004, this day has been commemorated in Miami-Dade County primarily by the Miami-Dade County Public Schools through FDLRS-South (Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources System-South) and Pre-K ESE (the Pre-Kindergarten Exceptional Student Education program) as well as by FAAST (Florida Alliance for Assistive Services and Technology, based at Florida International University).
After the 2006 function, it was decided that a more inclusive, community-wide event would be desirable. Therefore, a variety of community agencies, representing both government and NGO non-profits, were invited to participate in the planning for the 2007 event. From this initial planning group, an informal consortium of assistive technology service providers throughout the Miami-Dade community has developed. This group adopted the acronym and name of M-DATAP, Miami-Dade Assistive Technology Awareness Partners.