METHUEN — A car burglary in the parking lot of the Greater Lawrence Educational Collaborative has hampered learning for at least 15 non-verbal students with disabilities.
Several thousand dollars worth of special computer software that gives voices to people who can't talk on their own, along with a laptop computer and other equipment was reported stolen from a staff member's car Wednesday.
"Whoever did this can keep the computer," said Bernice Pierce, a program director at the school at 464 Broadway. "Just give us back the software that allows them to communicate with their peers, teachers and family members. It's no good to anyone else but these students," Pierce said.
Sarah Crosbie, an assistive technology specialist at the school, said that between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesday, while she was attending a meeting to address student needs, somebody smashed a rear window in her new silver Volkswagen Tiguan and stole the software and equipment.
Crosbie said the students are afflicted with various disablities including cerebral palsy. "These are special education programs made for them to access computers and use voice output devices," Crosbie said.
"There are things we did before this computer technology arrived. But it's not as effective or engaging to them," she said. Without the special software, the students will go back to communication by sign language or picture symbols, Crosbie said.
The affected students range in age from 7 to 22. More than half of them are visually impaired or blind. Many have physical disabilities that have them confined to wheelchairs, school officials said.
Crosbie, an occupational therapist, said the thefts will also affect some treatment for the students. Also stolen were programs that allowed her to conduct evaluations, which will now be delayed until the software is replaced.
"The information that was stolen is basically irreplaceable," said Pierce. "We'll have to start from scratch, not only in buying software, but in replicating their (students') communication systems. It may take several weeks to a month," she said.
The voice output devices given to each student are reprogrammed on a weekly basis, using the special software, according to Pierce, who hopes that the stolen software turns up.
Staff at the school are already working on ways to make up for lost time if the software has to be replaced.
"They will not let their students go without a voice for two weeks," Pierce said.
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