In the Spring of 2005, The CogniTech Cafe became the first accessible and fully integrated public computing center in the City of New York. As an internet cafe open to the general public, the Cafe offered a typically comfortable and friendly atmosphere, but went further to provide unlimited accessibility to users with everything from voice dictation to eyegaze control of computers. Customers with disabilities reported feeling a true sense of equality, now able to pursue both social and technological interests in a truly integrated community environment. After one and half years, the actual Cafe unfortunately had to close its doors due unfair alterations to their lease. The Cafe now lives on as a consulting agency that provides assistive technology training to professionals and individuals, sales of eye-tracking technology, and free individual consults for school-aged children in NYC.

The owner of the CogniTech Cafe, Mark Surabian, has utilized assistive technologies to serve the educational and vocational needs of individuals with disabilities for over 20 years, across five states, in both private and public school systems, residential facilities, and within individual homes. He developed The CogniTech Cafe of Harlem in response to the many requests by the children and adults he had served, who wanted an accessible place to play and work alongside their non-disabled peers. The original Cafe provided technology support to anyone regardless of age or challenges, from vision supports to alternative access needs. This fully inclusive internet cafe welcomed over 150 walk-in customers a day, and directly served over 100 customers with disabilities with free/low cost technology support. Wanting to keep the "mission" alive to serve individuals with disabilities, The CogniTech Cafe and the Jewish Community Center in Manhattan united on a project to create a Free assistive technology program. Please see the link above to learn more about this project. The Cafe also offers training and in-school support, as well as consultation to equipment vendors (see appropriate links above).

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