© Disability Business Technical Assistance Center—Northeast 1 Employment and Disability Institute Assistive Technology and Transition DBTAC – Northeast ADA Center Wendy Strobel 2008

© Disability Business Technical Assistance Center—Northeast 2 Transition Time to dream… –Careers –Post-secondary education –Career and Technical Education –Independent living –Community inclusion

© Disability Business Technical Assistance Center—Northeast 3 Assistive Technology Overcoming functional limitations associated with disability May aid in performing tasks that were difficult or impossible in the past Technology is very common in the U.S. Today’s students are native technology users

© Disability Business Technical Assistance Center—Northeast 4 What to Expect from AT It cannot remove every obstacle to task completion –It cannot “fix” the disability –It cannot do the job for the person Example: “The Human Vacuum” It can make tasks easier to accomplish

© Disability Business Technical Assistance Center—Northeast 5 What is AT? Any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities. -IDEA 2004 (§ 602)

© Disability Business Technical Assistance Center—Northeast 6 Assistive Technology Services Any service that directly assists an individual with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device IDEA 2004 (§ 602)

© Disability Business Technical Assistance Center—Northeast 7 AT: Things to Consider Person –Skills and Abilities –Functional Limitations –Comfort with Technology –Training Needs

© Disability Business Technical Assistance Center—Northeast 8 AT: Things to Consider Task –What task must be completed? –What elements make up each task? –Where can technology: Make the task possible? Make the task easier? Make task completion more efficient? –Can technology “grow” with the user?

© Disability Business Technical Assistance Center—Northeast 9 AT: Things to Consider Environment –What are the elements of the environment that would effect the technology? –What AT will “work” in the environment? Aesthetically? Preferentially? Requirements?

© Disability Business Technical Assistance Center—Northeast 10 AT: Things to Consider Person, Task, Environment Training Needs Maintenance Plans Warranty Future growth of position and ability of the AT to adapt to that growth

© Disability Business Technical Assistance Center—Northeast 11 Barriers to Assistive Technology Lack of information and knowledge about appropriate AT Lack of funding Lack of professionals to perform AT evaluations Wading through red tape of public programs and insurance companies Lack of maintenance and support National Council on Disability, 2000

© Disability Business Technical Assistance Center—Northeast 12 Barriers to Transferring Technology to Post-Secondary Environments Lack of involvement of vocational rehabilitation counselors Restrictions placed on school districts regarding the disposition of equipment

© Disability Business Technical Assistance Center—Northeast 13 Barriers to Transferring Technology to Post-Secondary Environments Absence of an established “buy-out” program to allow vocational rehabilitation agencies to purchase assistive technology from school districts No strong relationship between educational facilities and adult services programs.

© Disability Business Technical Assistance Center—Northeast 14 Assistive Technology Act of 2004 Created uniformity of services across Tech Act Projects –Device reutilization, equipment loan, alternative financing projects, product demonstrations, and protection and advocacy services 2 populations –Students receiving transition services –Adults with disabilities AT Act of 2004, 29 U.S.C. § 301 et seq.

© Disability Business Technical Assistance Center—Northeast 15 Technology in Schools Mainstream technology –MP3 Players, Microsoft Word No tech devices –Index card as line guide Low tech devices –Switches High tech devices –Computer hardware and software

© Disability Business Technical Assistance Center—Northeast 16 AT in the Individualized Education Process IDEA –Mandates that AT devices and services be considered for each student during the IEP process –AT should be considered in the context of a students goals

© Disability Business Technical Assistance Center—Northeast 17 Places in the IEP that AT should be Considered Measurable annual goals Related services necessary to support the child Supplementary aids and services Testing accommodations Bowser and Reed, 2004

© Disability Business Technical Assistance Center—Northeast 18 Knowing your AT needs Students should be included in discussion of AT and accommodation needs Ensure familiarity of which AT devices, services, and accommodations facilitate completion of class work and higher academic achievement Easier for the student to express those needs after they leave K-12 environment

© Disability Business Technical Assistance Center—Northeast 19 Lisa 11 th grader with Significant TBI Transitioning from K-12 to work YMCA Front Desk Staff Job Duties: Greeting customers Scanning Membership Cards Providing locker keys and towels Laundering Towels Case Study Compliments of VCU-RRTC

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© Disability Business Technical Assistance Center—Northeast 26 Looking for AT: Resources Closing the Gap – ABLEDATA – Job Accommodation Network (SOAR) – USA Tech Guide –

© Disability Business Technical Assistance Center—Northeast 27 Additional Resources National AT Technical Assistance Partnership – Alliance for Technology Access – Quality Indicators for Assistive Technology – Industry Profile on Education Technology –

© Disability Business Technical Assistance Center—Northeast 28 Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center - Northeast ILR - Employment and Disability Institute Cornell University 201L ILR Extension Ithaca, NY in NY, NJ, PR, VI