The SAS Captions, Interpreting, and Assistive Technology Team is a group of highly-trained graduate student workers who strive for the highest standards of equitable access to assistive technology and digital accessibility for students with accommodations. The team is led by Jordan Colbert, the Associate Director for Assistive Technology at SAS
Alternate Format Assistants
The Alternate Format Assistants (AFA) are responsible for the conversion of educational materials into specified electronic formats. They work to make sure any physical materials (handouts, textbooks, etc.) are available in accessible electronic formats. This includes obtaining electronic textbooks, separating them into chapters, and making sure they are able to be used in text-to-speech programs. Additionally, AFAs are also well-versed with various alternative format material conversions, such as BRF and Word doc, along with assistive technology applications that promote accessibility and literacy-related skill-building.
Assistive Technology Assistants
Assistive Technology Assistants (ATA) are graduate and professional students responsible for the implementation and training of new educational technologies for students with disabilities. The ATAs are knowledgeable about tools such as voice control/typing, notetaking, presentation technology, and organizational tools. Training sessions for assistive technologies are conducted daily for students with accommodation requirements, and much of the work the STARS Team does strives to maximize accessibility for every student’s technology needs.
Communication Access Assistants
Communication Access Assistants (CAA) are graduate and professional students that work with communication technologies such as captioned media and remote Communication Access Real-time Translation (CART). In collaboration with Yale’s ITS department, CAAs provide microphone and captioning support for classroom accommodations related to sensory disabilities. CAAs also coordinate services for students utilizing in-person or remote American Sign Language interpreters and provide back-end support with videos located in Canvas courses.
U Jin Seah
U Jin is currently pursuing a Master of Architecture degree at the School of Architecture, with a strong interest in early-stage investments and the startup ecosystem. Previously, he was a Venture Associate at the Tsai Center of Innovative Thinking at Yale (CITY), where he provided support to startup founders in areas such as branding, marketing, and grant writing. He is dedicated to contributing to Yale’s ecosystem of inclusivity through the work of the STARS team.
Felix Aboagye
Felix is currently pursuing a Master of Architecture degree at the Yale School of Architecture, where his design approach is driven by a passion for sustainability, inclusivity, and interdisciplinary collaboration. As the recipient of both the Francis Kere Scholarship and Dean Scholarship, he is dedicated to creating spaces that balance functionality with social and environmental responsibility, benefiting people from diverse backgrounds.
Tommy Lee
Tommy is a Master of Architecture student at Yale, with a background in civil engineering. He aims to merge creative design and technical expertise for an interdisciplinary approach to architecture. His experience includes internships in Boston and Yale Facilities, where he developed practical skills while considering how space can empower people. Passionate about inclusivity, Tommy is dedicated to working with the SWAT team to foster a campus environment that enables everyone to thrive.
Noel Odhiambo
Noel is a current Master of Architecture student at the School of Architecture. He uses his design skillset and curiosity for technology to aid in finding helpful technologies for students. He approaches every problem like a design brief and works to create solutions which are holistic and empathetic.
Eric Pitts
Eric joined the GSWAT team in the summer of 2023. Eric received his undergraduate degrees in Biology, Environmental Science, and Geology from Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, and graduate degrees in Agronomy and Agricultural & Biological Engineering from the University of Florida. Eric’s background is in Software as a Service (SaaS) and technology as a tool in sustainable and alternative agricultural systems. Before this, Eric held a research position with the USDA and the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), exploring greenhouse gas emissions in the cattle and dairy industries and food insecurity and production in the developing world. At Yale, Eric is a graduate student studying ecotheology at the Yale Divinity School and the Yale School of the Environment.