The Mimo team is back from our first trip to SXSW EDU. We enjoyed meeting so many educators, administrators and other solutions providers in the exhibit hall and networking events. The infamous Cat in the Hat even stopped by the Mimo booth to share in the excitement of our latest products.
While we couldn’t be everywhere at once, we did manage to participate in a few sessions that covered topics relevant to Mimo customers. Below are our key takeaways for those interested in school safety and innovations to make learning more accessible. Listen to the full discussions on the SXSW EDU website.
School Safety
Community Engagement in School Safety:
An interactive panel discussion titled, The Pivotal Role of Community Engagement in School Safety was organized by The Public Consulting Group and moderated by John Van Dreal, author of the Salem-Keizer Cascade mode.
- Panelists emphasized the importance of collaboration among students, educators, safety experts, and community members to prevent school violence.
- Key strategies included comprehensive threat assessments and fostering safer environments through shared responsibility.
Proactive Measures:
- Panel members also highlighted the need to address concerning behaviors outside school settings and integrate community resources and student involvement to mitigate risks effectively.
Innovations for Accessibility in Learning
Inclusive Design and Assistive Technology:
- Sessions explored how universal design principles and assistive technologies can create more inclusive learning environments for students with disabilities and neurodiverse learners.
- Examples included 3D printing for accessibility solutions and PBS KIDS’ efforts to represent neurodivergence with their autistic character, Carl the Collector.
EdTech for Accessibility:
- The session EdTech for Good: Advancing Accessibility showcased how technology can empower students to innovate solutions for individuals with disabilities, blending empathy with technical skills including helpful ways to increase inclusivity for learners who use screen readers or may benefit from multisensory approaches to retain information.
Neurodiversity in Education:
- Networking events focused on supporting neurodiverse learners across their educational journey, fostering connections among educators, families, and advocates.
AI and Personalization:
- As expected, AI was a dominant theme, with discussions on its potential to personalize learning experiences while addressing privacy concerns. Publicly owned data infrastructures were proposed as a solution to ensure ethical use of AI in education.
On the show floor, the Mimo team was fortunate to introduce attendees to our most popular solutions for schools, campuses and anywhere a reliable, high-quality display is needed. The two solutions that got the most attention were the Mimo FlashCast Visual Alert Overlay solution and Mimo Vue with TanvasTouch.
Real-time Alerts and Notifications on Every Screen
Weather alerts, security updates or turkey tetrazzini in the lunchroom. When you have real-time information to share, you need an easy way to do it. Most often, there is no unifying system for visual alerts due to closed systems or lack of connectivity. Now, using only an HDMI connection, you can send cloud-based notifications to every screen, smartboard or display without disrupting current content. Mimo FlashCast is a visual alert overlay solution that solves a very real communications and accessibility problem for schools. The solution can work with other integrations including Singlewire and Everbridge. If you are responsible for emergency or everyday communications at your organization, get in touch to learn more about the phenomenally affordable solution.
More Accessible and Inclusive Learning with Virtual Touch
Research shows that engaging more than one sense increases the likelihood that information will be retained. Sight and sound are the predominant options available today, but what about touch? Mimo Vue with TanvasTouch is the first and only solution that enables you to feel what you see as you swipe your fingers across the screen. Do you work with low- or no-vision students or simply want to make digital learning more interactive and engaging for students of any age? Got an idea for an application that integrates the sense of touch? Schedule an exploratory call to learn more about building one-of-a-kind tactile, interactive and multisensory experiences using surface haptic technology.