AyudaTec promotes accessible technologies to provide educational opportunities for students with significant disabilities and all elementary age students in Latin American communities.

Children with disabilities in Latin American countries have just as much potential as those is the United States, but, economic realities often deny them opportunities. AyudaTec opens doors for these youngsters with assistive technologies. Ayuda means “help” in Spanish. Join us in lending a helping hand.

As the Co-founder and CEO of IntelliTools until 2006, Arjan Khalsa knows how assistive technologies (AT) transform the lives of children with disabilities. Mr. Khalsa has a life-long love for Latin America, having first visited Guatemala and Mexico as a boy in the early 1960's. He and the other founders of IntelliTools decided to help children in Latin America who typically cannot afford AT. They started AyudaTec provide affordable AT , to support local AT centers, and promote enhanced opportunities for children with disabilities in Latin America. For all of those who know the power of AT, AyudaTec offers an opportunity to share the benefits with our Latin American neighbors.

AyudaTec. . .

• adapts specific US computer products for use in Latin America.
• distributes them on a not-for-profit basis.
• provides excellent solutions to help targeted populations of students.
• encourages investment in students with disabilities by showcasing their accomplishments.
• supports specific centers that provide services to children with disabilities.

AyudaTec works with leading organizations in Latin America that understand the power of assistive technology and the potential in children with disabilities. We have established two strong bases of operation, one in Mexico City and another in Santiago Chile.

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  Gabriela Berlanga
  Dr. Gabriela Berlanga is the Co-Director of CATIC, a vibrant literacy and disability organization in Mexico City. Gabriela is a leading literacy and disability expert in her country. She provides direct service to 100 students, trains teachers across the Mexico City metropolitan area, and conducts national conferences that attract people from all over Latin America and the USA. She uses AyudaTec software in her practice, employs it throughout CATIC, and is helping to develop our second CD.
• 
  Claudia Marimón
  Dr. Claudia Marimón is a professor and leader in assistive technology and literacy acquisition in South America. Working at the Amancay Rehabilitation Center in Santiago, Chile, Dr. Marimón provides direct services to scores of children. She travels to Panama, Uruguay, and throughout Chile training others in her techniques. She helped develop our first CD and has documented the specific effects it has had on a number of clients.
• 
  Estela Landeros
  Estela Landeros is the Assistive Technology Coordinator at the Kellar Institute for Human disabilities (KIHd) at George Mason University in Virginia. A native of Mexico, Estela has traveled throughout Latin America promoting assistive technology for the past 20 years. In support of AyudaTec, she has provided professional development for teachers in northern Mexico as a voluntary service, and contributes to our vision and direction.
• 
  Arjan Khalsa
  Arjan Khalsa is the founder of AyudaTec and serves as the Project Director on a volunteer basis. The lead inventor of IntelliKeys and CEO of IntelliTools for 20 years, Arjan was one of the founding members of the Assistive Technology Industry Association where he served as President and co-founded the annual conference. In addition to volunteering this time to lead the organization, he has traveled to Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador, and Peru to promote AyudaTec and work directly with students and teachers.

AyudaTec has no paid staff at this time. The following people provide volunteer support to AyudaTec, or help us with reduced-rate contracting services.

Let us know if you would like to join these ranks. Email us at info@ayudatec.org

copyright 2010 AyudaTec