About AIMEE

Aimee was a special little girl who graced our lives for too a brief a time. Because of cerebral palsy, she was non-verbal and rode in a hot pink wheelchair. Her bright smile, sense of humor, and quiet determination touched many people. When Aimee was four, our church held a rummage sale to raise money for a wheelchair lift and a computer. The computer opened new doors for both Aimee and our family. "Playing" on the computer soon became a means for Aimee both to learn and to show others what she knew but was unable to express by conventional methods. As Aimee entered into the educational system, it was clear to me that the computer would be a valuable tool for her in the classroom. I also quickly learned that Aimee's teachers lacked the training and time required to adapt her curriculum with software programs. With input from the educational team, and much trial and error learning software, I was able to fill this gap. Aimee died when she was six, leaving me with a huge void in my life and searching for a new purpose.

It was not long before friends with disabled children asked me to share my knowledge and provide computer adaptations for their childrens' classrooms. What a blessing it was to see these other special kids begin to experience success using technology, just as Aimee had done. The educators were encouraging, and I knew that I was filling a need for them, also. Thus, in memory and honor of my daughter, AIMEE Solutions was born.

Since that humble start, I have had many opportunities to expand my knowledge of special needs software, alternate access and curriculum adaptation. I have attended IntelliTools Summer Conferences, Closing the Gap, and courses offered by Infinitec. In 2002, I was invited to be a member of NIATC - Northern Illinois Assistive Technology Consortium - a branch of the Special Education District of Lake County. Through NIATC, I work with a team which provides Assistive Technology feature-matching, training and support for students with a large variety of needs. Along the way, I have provided software adaptations for several students at different grade levels, taught special needs software courses, and given presentations for professionals and parents.

Additionally, I have been fortunate to connect with professionals who share my enthusiasm for technology as well as my firm belief that this is all about the kids. Known as the Technomaniacs, we challenge ourselves to find motivating ways to assist other professionals in using technology in the classroom.

Julie Rick, MBA
AIMEE Solutions, Inc.

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