The Coleman Institute for Cognitive Disabilities was established in 2001 by the Regents of the University of Colorado. A private endowment and sustained annual contributions by our funding donors, William T. and Claudia L., Coleman, support the Institute's activities to catalyze and integrate advances in technology to promote the quality of life for people with cognitive disabilities. The Institute supports research, development, dissemination, and education in the area of cognitive disabilities.
Technology is a ubiquitous and valuable tool for billions of people worldwide, yet many people with cognitive disabilities have limited access to these tools for everyday living. As a means to address this inequality, The Coleman Institute for Cognitive Disabilities along with a coalition of disability organizations and individuals have asserted The Rights of People with Cognitive Disabilities to Technology and Information Access. This statement of principles, commonly referred to as the "Declaration," outlines what it means for the estimated 30 million Americans with cognitive disabilities to be meaningfully included in our technologically-driven society. To date, over 2,541 individuals and organizations have endorsed the Declaration. Colorado and Maine have also enacted state legislative initiatives supporting the principles outlined in the Declaration.
The purpose of the Request for Proposals is to further advance the Declaration through local and statewide implementation grants. Specifically, we seek creative and effective approaches to increase awareness and demonstrate effective implementation of the principles outlined in the Declaration, as well as proposals that focus on applied cognitive technologies as a vehicle for accomplishing real-life practices. In the context of this proposal request, applied cognitive technologies are defined as "Technology supports that enable people with cognitive disabilities to successfully function in inclusive environments, to increase participation in tasks and activities in inclusive environments, and to promote social inclusion, self-determination, and quality of life."
