Quantum has successfully developed, tested and brought to the classroom the first artificial intelligence (Al) tutoring systems in chemistry education. This work successfully addressed several longstanding, clearly articulated needs for improved interactive educational software. A leading distributor for the U.S. and Canada, Science Kit & Boreal Laboratories, as well as prominent textbook publisher, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, have entered into long-term contracts with Quantum, resulting in rapid dissemination to an established end user base.
The aim of this Phase I SBIR proposal is to bring the full power and benefits of this cutting-edge new educational technology to students who are blind and visually impaired. There is a considerable need for improved educational software for science education in general, but the problem of quality educational software materials for the blind is known to be particularly acute. Certain unique attributes of the Quantum Al Tutors make them potentially very well suited for full accessibility to the blind using Internet-capable screen reader technology. The potential technological innovation here is the development of advanced Al tutoring technology that has accessibility built into its framework design. If successful, an immediate outcome will be the first Al tutoring systems that are accessible to blind students, delivered through the Internet. A formulation of an Al tutoring methodology with accessibility inherent to the design will have broad implications for the prospect of developing sophisticated accessible educational software in all content areas, beyond chemistry. This project can only be accomplished by working intimately with experts in education for the blind, and Quantum has arranged a number of important partnerships in this respect, for research as well as commercialization of the resulting technology, including: the National Federation of the Blind, the American Printing House for the Blind, Pearson Learning Group, Bartimaeus Group and Henter Mathematics.
