Over this summer, the Milwaukee NSF I-Corps returned to meeting in-person at last, with ten teams participating in refining their ideas. One of these teams was See What I’m Saying, a tech-based solution to deaf or hard-of-hearing (DHH) students who are struggling with balancing their attention budget in class. We interviewed Shannon Aylesworth, Director of the Accessibility Resource Center on campus and a member of the See What I’m Saying team to learn more about their idea.

The See What I’m Saying team commemorates their completion of the I-Corps program.

Please give us an explanation of your I-Corps project.

Shannon Aylesworth: “We are exploring the use of technology to provide students who use sign language interpreting and real-time captioning services a device with one focal point. Currently, the focal point is fragmented for students who use these types of communication access services. In STEM classes in particular, students are forced to choose between the white board, the presentation, the instructor, their classmate who may be speaking, their notebook, and the interpreter or laptop to see what people are saying. Our goal is to develop one device that brings all those focal points into one place where students can more effectively learn the material as it is presented.”

What does accessibility mean to you?

 SA: “Too often people think of accessibility as meeting the letter of the law. The spirit of the law suggests that anything not usable by a person with a disability or not easily used by a person with a disability is not truly accessible.”

How was your time with I-Corps beneficial to your journey? What is the most valuable lesson you learned?

SA: “I stepped outside of my comfort zone, learned new things, and met amazing people…I have a better appreciation for the complexities of entrepreneurship and innovation!”

For more information about See What I’m Saying, contact the ARC at archelp@uwm.edu.