NASA Grant Aimed at Earth Science

USM is one of 25 organizations selected from more than 150 proposals to establish a model program for the National Aeronatics and Space Administration (NASA) aimed at helping people who have disabilities study earth sciences.
Earth sciences have traditionally had low levels of participation by people with disabilities, in part because of the field work required. The 3-year, $300,000 grant to USM, named "ACCESS Earth",will help rectify that. The grant will create a demonstration project to train teachers with the long-term goals of greater participation in the sciences by persons with disabilities; change in methods, materials, and curricula used in classes; and new practices and preparation of high school science teachers.

Teachers from Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont are being recruited and will be trained in new practices the first year. The second year they will work with students with disabilities and evaluate how well the NASA curriculum materials work.

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