Lord Low of Dalston CBE Vice-President
Lord Low is a former criminologist who Chaired the Royal National Institute of Blind People.
He lost his sight in an accident at the age of three and has "no memory of seeing before that".
In his maiden speech to the House of Lords in 2006, Lord" Colin" Low said "There are few problems of ACCESS which will not be overcome".
He supports and advocates the values, aims, mission and activities of AACT for Children.
Lord Low is President of the UK Association for Accessible formats
Dr Alison Black Trustee & Director
Initially studying cognitive psychology, Alison worked for international design companies before becoming a professor of User-Centred Design, bridging research and practice with research that addresses real-world communication needs in areas such as health promotion and care, digital inclusion, independent living for the elderly and climate change.
Ken Carter - Founder
For 45 years Ken has been challenged by "communication" in a variety of roles: as a top class sportsman, Royal Marine, parent of a deaf daughter,
teacher, teacher-lecturer in deaf education, advisory lecturer in special needs and as a charitable entrepreneur.
He has been responsible for helping to set up-the Breakthrough (Deaf/Hearing) Integration Trust (now named DeafPlus), Deafax, Decibels and Inclusive Environments.
For his contribution to preventative medicine and healthcare, he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine.
In July 2009, he was awarded an Honorary Degree from Loughborough University as part of their Centenary celebrations
Professor James Crabbe Chair
James is Executive Dean of the Faculty of Creative Arts, Technologies
and Science and Professor of Biochemistry at the University of
Bedfordshire. He is also a Supernumerary Fellow of Wolfson
College, Oxford University, and Visiting Professor at the University of
Reading, and at Beijing Normal University and at the International
Business Faculty of BNU in Zhuhai in China. In 2008 he won the Great
Contributors to China Creative Industries Award and in 2006 won the 6th
Aviva/Earthwatch International Award for Climate Change Research.
His
research, spanning biomedical and environmental sciences, as well as his
contribution to the Arts & Humanities, has resulted in over 150 research
publications in refereed journals, 51 books, book chapters and articles
in books, 14 items of commercial software, and numerous invitations as
Plenary speaker at International conferences. His links with Industry
have resulted in many successful projects, including prize-winning
commercial software in molecular modelling, used world-wide for teaching
and for research. He is Editor of the journal Computational Biology and
Chemistry, and has served on the editorial boards of eight other
journals. He is a member of the Peer Review College and Panel member of
the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), Scientific Advisor to
the Earthwatch Institute, Patron of Coral Cay Conservation, Member of
Arts Interlink, Fellow of the Council, and Trustee of the Guild of
Benevolence, of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science &
Technology, Chair of Governors of Central Bedfordshire Further
Education College Corporation. He has served on the Peer Review College
of the EPSRC, the College of Experts of the MRC, and the Pool of Experts
of the BBSRC. He has been a member of the Council of the Biochemical
Society, was one of the first University Institutional Academic
Auditors, and a member of the Research Boards of the EU and of the Big
Lottery Fund, and Vice-Chairman of the East of England Engineering,
Science & Technology Association. He has supervised 16 completed PhD
students, and 11 Postdoctoral Fellows, on his own research grants.
He
is a SCUBA dive instructor level 1, and has produced several classical
recordings, one of which won an award, and has worked in BBC TV and
Radio, and on the Science and Art programme of the Wellcome Trust.
Ann Darnbrough OBE
Vice-President
Ann Darnbrough's childhood was marred by recurrent attacks of spinal TB. In all she spent around four years in hospital, strapped down to a rigid wooden frame,
an experience which left her with a natural empathy for the difficulties faced by disabled people.
It led naturally to her appointment in 1972 as Assistant General Secretary to the Multiple Sclerosis Society,
before moving on to head the Disability Unit of AHRTAG, an organisation concerned with health in developing countries.
In 1980 she founded the National Information Forum and remains as its Director.
With her husband, Derek Kinrade, she has written prolifically on social issues, was well known as Disability Nows agony aunt,
and is today regarded as a pioneer in the provision of information to disabled people. In 2002, her achievements were recognised by the award of an OBE,
for services to disabled people.
Adrian Ellison Trustee & Director
Adrian Ellison is an IT professional who has spent the last 15 years working in the higher education sector in the UK. Currently heading up the Technical Infrastructure Group at the London School of Economics and Political Science, he was formerly IT Director at Royal Holloway, University of London, held various positions at the University of Leeds and was an IT Manager for a London publishing company.
Adrian is a member of the Executive Committee of the Universities and Colleges Information Systems Association and is a qualified Project and Programme Manager, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a director of a property management company.
Annette Haworth Trustee & Director
After spells as a computer programmer and project manager in a Printing House and at Reading University, Annette served at various times as Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Director of Information Services overseeing IT, Library and Museum Services.
She has been on the boards of several education-related bodies and was a non-executive director of an NHS hospital Trust. She is a Fellow of the British Computer Society, a Chartered IT Professional, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a member of the Institute of Fundraising. In 2009, she took an MSc in NGO Management. She is a member of the CfBT Educational Trust and a trustee of a subsidiary charity.
She is chair of the charity Reading Voluntary Action
As a volunteer, Annette does some admin work and acts as project leader for our iMuse project.
Helen Lansdown - CEO of Deafax
Helen read for an English Literature degree at the University of Reading before establishing her own business in educational interpreting and the provision of literacy support for deaf students throughout England.
She is currently the Chief Executive of Deafax, a national charitable company which pioneers the innovative use of education, training and research projects involving Information and Communications Technology (ICT). She is responsible for the strategic planning, day to day management and long term sustainability of Deafax .
She has been responsible for pioneering a wide and innovative range of programmes for deaf children and young people utilising ICT for deaf people of all ages, teachers, employers and health professionals at Deafax and was a key player in the development of Deafchild International which included delivering programmes in New Zealand, Australia,
Mike MacMillan - IT and Blindness
Mike was educated at The West of England School for the Partially Sighted in Exeter. After leaving school, he worked variously in a newspaper advertising office, a DIY shop, the textile industry and then an apprenticeship in precision engineering. In 1973, Mike moved from Somerset to Berkshire to take up a post as an Audio/Visual Technician. Mike now works as the Audio Technician and as an Area Health and Safety Co-ordinator for the University of Reading.
Mike has an interest in computers as tools for his work and for others in ICT, and offers a first line help service to colleagues when they have simple computer problems.
Digital Photography may seem a strange choice for a person with a visual handicap but Mike also offers a digital photographic service to the Institute of Education. Because of his own handicap, he has an interest in using computers to aid those with disabilities, by providing education and communication solutions; he feels that through AACT, we will be able to accomplish these aims.
Mike is married to Chris, and has a daughter Hazel who is following in her fathers footsteps and teaches Radio Production techniques. Mike also runs his own sound recording business. Mike is registered blind but has some useful sight in one eye.
Dr James Ohene-Djane - Trustee & Director
James has over 10 years of teaching and research experience within the Department of Computing at Goldsmiths College, University of London.
His current research is in the areas of adaptive, intelligent hypermedia, assistive learning technologies for the deaf community and the personalisation of advanced learning technologies.
James co-founded Correspondent Corporation Ltd and is Managing Director of Winkball.com
Phoebe Perkins Volunteer Project Assistant
Phoebe read Archaeology at Leicester University.
She has undertaken some work in the heritage sector, including cataloguing objects from the Staffordshire hoard,
and is eager to become more involved. Phoebe is with us 2 days a week, helping with the iMuse Project.
Professor Harold Silver - educational historian
Harold Silver was formerly a professor at London University and principal of Bulmershe College of Higher Education (which later amalgamated with the University of Reading). He is now a visiting research professor at the Open University. He is the author of many books on higher education, education policy and history, and contributes regularly to educational journals. He has doctorates from the University of Cambridge
and the Council for National Academic Awards and honorary doctorates from the universities of Plymouth and Winchester.
He has been a visiting scholar at universities in the USA and Canada. He has extensive experience as an external evaluator for educational institutions and organisations, including for Deafax and Cued Speech.
Sue Walmsley Volunteer
With a degree in mathematics and a background in computing, Sue is an experienced IT lecturer and disability officer. She is a volunteer in our admin team.
Lorna Woodman Volunteer
Lorna was an intern with the Charity under a University SEED (Summer Enterprise Experience and Discovery Scheme) in 2010. After graduating with a first class honours degree in IT, Lorna worked on moving her iSay system to AACT's website. She is now a volunteer with our iMuse Programme, supporting museum and school staff in exploring the potential of mobile phones and tablet computers to help access and inclusion.
