Press Release: Transparent Fish Fund Grants $7,200 to Educate Chinese Children with Disabilities

​Purchase of 9 iPads and 6 PCs Will Empower Youth in 3 Cities to Maximize Communication and Learning Potential

​​Nov 17, 2016

Contact: Nancy Nguyen, President                                     Transparent Fish Fund
[email protected]

​LOS ALTOS, Calif.—Transparent Fish Fund is pleased to announce a new grant of $7,200 to International China Concern to support their New Technology for Life program. The grant will enable ICC to purchase 9 iPads and 6 computers, which will be used by trained staff to help children and youth in classroom settings, vocational training centers, and home environments learn how to communicate and experience new levels of independence.

​Special Education Through Technology

ICC believes that the needs of every child are important, and each child, from the mild to the severely disabled, has the potential to learn. ICC’s goal is to use computer technology to help these children develop communication skills. 

For some residents unable to talk or sign, learning to use the computer or lightweight iPad will give them a voice. For others, it allows them to build their vocabulary through developing word processing skills that will be beneficial for their future and hopefully lead them to a life of independence or semi-independence. For children who are able-minded, reaching out over the Internet and learning that another child has the same disability is life changing.

​iPad Provides Multi-Sensory Approach

Children and youth with disabilities often need three parameters to succeed in their learning goals. First, learning activities need to be broken down into small, tightly focused steps. Second, the children need to revisit the same learning objectives repeatedly through a variety of activities to maintain their interest and motivation. Third, they need resources that are engaging to help with relatively short attention spans. Technology – particularly ipad Apps - can meet all these parameters given its multisensory approach and engagement with multiple intelligences.
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The iPad also has built in text-to-speech (TTS) so any text that is typed, copied, or pasted from Internet sites can be voiced immediately. Students enjoy writing simple words and sentences, with the device voicing their attempts in notepad and writing tools. They can access information from any web resource and navigate more confidently as they listen to the text on screen. As voice and hand writing recognition is available in many Apps, the more confident writers and speakers can experiment with these inputs, bypassing traditional typing that can often be difficult, frustrating, or impossible.

​Benefiting Youth in Henan and Hunan Provinces

​The grant will be providing: 2 iPads and 4 PCs for children at ICC's Care Center in Hengyang; 1 iPad and 2 PCs with specialized mice for the kindergarten class and residents in Sanmenxia; and 6 iPads for use by the special education teacher at the Vocational Training Center in Changsha.

​About Transparent Fish Fund

​Transparent Fish Fund is a 501(c)(3) US nonprofit organization founded in 2011 in Palo Alto, California, established exclusively for charitable purposes to connect credible East Asian NGOs with individuals from the West. The greater mission behind this work is to foster a sustainable long-term NGO culture in East Asia, and in doing so, spread a global spirit of philanthropy.

​About International China Concern

​International China Concern is a Christian development organization that exists to provide love, hope, and opportunity to hundreds of children, youth and young adults who no longer have a family to love them or support services to help them thrive.

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