The tools included in the Toolbox will be described along with some of the reasoning that was behind the design. The development process will be explained along with a look at our plans for the future. The future needs of the nation's scientific workforce demand that no group be excluded from participation in education and training that lead to productive careers in the sciences. At this current time, it is especially important not to exclude any group of people from the technical work force. There are jobs which pay well in technology related fields.
American companies are unable to find enough qualified people to fill their positions.
People with disabilities are often shut out of this job market because of their inability to study mathematics. One of the reasons that students with disabilities have not studied mathematics is the difficulty of preparing materials for them. This has been particularly true for students who are visually impaired and for many students with learning disabilities. For the past several years Mrs. Gardner has been researching the uses of technology to teach mathematics to students with learning disabilities. The Oregon State University Science Access Project is working on providing access to information for students with visual impairments.