NASA's IDEAS Program
The Initiative to Develop Education through Astronomy and Space Science (IDEAS) is a grant program which funds START-UP educational outreach projects that team educators with scientists. Developed in 1991 by NASA, the IDEAS program provides opportunities for scientists to share their knowledge and excitement about astronomy and space sciences with students, educators, and the general public. The IDEAS program is one component of NASA's Office of Space Science (OSS) Education and Public Outreach Strategy, whose goal is to improve science, mathematics, and technology education, as well as science literacy in the United States.

U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences ( IES)
Visualizing Science with ACE is funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences (R324A080096) to develop an instructional framework for science teachers and/or itinerant teachers to assist students in grades 7-12 who are visually impaired in understanding abstract scientific concepts.

ACE Partners
Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) based in Denver, Colorado, is a 501(c)(3) private non-profit organization whose purpose is to improve education through applied research and development. McREL provides products and services, primarily for K-12 educators, to promote the best instructional practices in the classroom. Established in 1966, McREL now maintains a staff of around 100 in its Denver, Colorado office.

Edinboro University of Pennsylvania is a public, comprehensive university that has assumed a leadership role in Pennsylvania by providing support for students with disabilities through a wide array of services. This support has enabled more than 400 students annually to access quality higher education. The University is named by New Mobility magazine as one of the top ten most disabilities-friendly campuses in the United States. There are currently 23 students with visual impairments enrolled at the University. Major services relevant to this project include Tactile and Braille Services. The tactile lab operates to provide tactile information for students who require Braille and raised line drawings.

Tactile Learning Adventures is based in Colorado Springs Colorado. At Tactile Learning Adventures, we believe that the effective teacher views each student as a unique human being who has the right to achieve their zenith of knowledge regardless of whether the student has a low-incident disability or no apparent disability. Likewise, each student is capable of learning and has a right to an instructional program that maximizes his/her opportunity to obtain the highest functional level possible with their abilities. In order to do this, one must follow the philosophy that if they are not learning from the way we teach, then we need to change and teach the way that the student learns. You must believe that there is a way for each student to be able to experience almost anything. The challenge comes in finding that way.

The Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind is a state-funded school within the Colorado Department of Education. The school was established for the purpose of providing comprehensive educational services for children who are blind and/or deaf and under the age of twenty-one. Services are provided directly to students enrolled at the school and indirectly through outreach services, which are provided to the public schools throughout Colorado.

Scientists from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory oversee the science content and accuracy aspects for Evolving Universe. For the Feel the Impact project, ACE is working with the Astronomy department at the University of Maryland to ensure that mission and related science are communicated accurately as we adapt materials for visually impaired students. The development team has a strong commitment to the accurate translation of content into learning opportunities in both original and adapted materials and value the opportunity for strong space science partnering with NASA mission scientists.

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