The first-ever Vocational and Social Network for individuals with disabilities
You will be working with Chimes International, a multi-service agency licensed in 6 states,
Washington D.C., and Israel that provides a wide range of services and supports to people with
developmental disabilities. There are two initiatives that you will have an opportunity to work on
for the Chimes community 1) a universally usable and accessible web site and 2) a Vocational
and Social Network to connect participants with job opportunities and with each other. These
two, linked projects are exploring some uncharted territory so you will be involved in new
creation.
1) The Web Site Initiative was borne out of the acknowledgment that compliance to Section
508 and web standards does not produce true accessibility and usability. This project is
about addressing:
a. User Interface design that is adaptable to various ranges of physical input and
cognitive levels
b. Providing a range of intuitive output options based on physical and cognitive
needs
c. Researching new technology and finding new ways to use existing technology
In short this is not your momma’s web site. You will be redefining the user’s experience for a
population often overlooked especially on the Internet. What you discover working with us may
have a wider application beyond the Chimes audience.
2) The Vocational and Social Network is a completely new project with the focus on
connecting the people with disabilities with work resources and with each other. The
vocational network’s goal is to utilize social networking tools in innovative ways to
connect Chimes 12,000+ participants with employment opportunities. This is uncharted
waters. The following are some of the areas you will be exploring:
a. Design and develop a system that learns about and responds to a user’s
comprehension preferences through their interactions. (user interaction filtering)
Some initial ideas:
i. Track preference for Avatar, Graphic and Text-based User Interface
ii. Design and Track Game play
b. Design useful and comfortable user interaction and communication between the
individual and their case managers, and other members of the Chimes community
c. Researching technology and methodologies to implement the system that will
allow easy entry points for users, and grows with the user’s usage.
These projects are an exciting opportunity for you to have a positive and empowering impact on
a population that is often overlooked. Chimes operates across the Northeast and has satellite
facilities in Israel. You will have the opportunity to visit one of the facilities and meet your
audience.
We are looking for motivated individuals with the following skills and/or interest:
– Developer/Coding skills: (including but not limited too)
o PHP, Java, MySQL, Python
– Front Development:
o Javascript, Ajax, xHTML, XML, CSS
– Graphic Design/Information Architecture
– Research :
o Find new technologies or find new ways to use existing technologies
o Experiment and Test for real world application
For more information, contact Pollie Barden: paba77@gmail.com