The Opportunity Foundation of America (OFOA) continues to help people with disabilities by manufacturing and distributing EagleEyes systems and by supporting their use, all at no charge.

On December 13, Jordan Valley School in Midvale, Utah, hosted a presentation on EagleEyes. They had received a system from OFOA in June. Chase MacKay and Laura White, students at Jordan Valley, donned the electrodes and showed their skill, to the enthusiastic response of the audience. Britta Scullion, occupational therapist, ran the demonstration. Britta and Rita Bouillon, principal, hope numerous children at Jordan Valley will benefit from EagleEyes.

Debbie Inkley, Executive Director of the Opportunity Foundation, announced that the Foundation has received grants from American Express Community Development and The Craig H. Neilsen Foundation. Funding will be used to provide EagleEyes systems to special needs schools and non-profit organizations including: Oakridge School, Castle Valley Center, Hartvigsen School, Con Amore Training Center, Dan W. Petersen School and United Cerebral Palsy of Utah, in 2006.

The Oakridge School in Midvale, Utah, recently received two systems, which students will be able to use daily. Maureen Gates, of the Boston College Campus School, visited Oakridge on January 30 and 31 to conduct initial training sessions. Oakridge will become the EagleEyes training center for other schools and non-profits in Utah.

Britt Allen, Salt Lake Community College student and Foundation volunteer, continues to play a key role assisting OFOA in moving the EagleEyes project forward. Britt is quadriplegic, but has voluntary control of one finger that allows him to communicate through his DynaVox and his laptop. The first time Britt saw EagleEyes he noted that able bodied people should not be demoing the technology. Britt felt that he could demonstrate the technology more effectively, and has been ever since.

In the spring of last year, Britt initially demonstrated the technology at the Jordan Valley School and continues to help the school with special events. In December, Britt helped deliver an EagleEyes presentation to the Utah Department of Health. And, just recently, he assisted Maureen Gates in EagleEyes training at Oakridge School.

Under the exclusive technology licensing agreement between Boston College and the Opportunity Foundation of America, EagleEyes systems are being manufactured by Sanmina-SCI, a major electronics manufacturer with a strong business in medical systems. Sanmina-SCI has a large network of FDA-registered, ISO-compliant manufacturing facilities and very kindly is donating its services.

The Opportunity Foundation currently is planning to gift additional EagleEyes systems in California, Massachusetts, and the U.K. Wendy Bills, Principal of the Jordan Resource Center, stated, “In all my years of working in Special Education, EagleEyes is the most amazing technology I have ever seen.”

For more information please contact Debbie Inkley at
debbieinkley@ofoa.net and visit the Foundation’s website
at www.ofoa.net.