Optimizing AT Resources in Schools: School Swap and More Carolyn Phillips Liz Persaud Sharon Alderman Pass It On Center AT Reuse Strand

 Develop a general understanding of assistive technology reutilization as an interim solution or a means of providing timely assignment of a permanent device needed by a student.  Identify and understand the governmental and/or organizational obstacles to sharing unused equipment and the business case for overcoming those structural barriers.  Explore existing models of AT reuse in schools that can be replicated and expanded to increase access to needed technology. Learning Objectives Optimizing AT Resources in Schools 2

WHAT IS YOUR EXPERIENCE?  School  AT Act Program  AT Reuse Program  Schools (K-12, Higher Ed.)  Are you currently doing AT Reuse in Schools?  How?  What kind?  Who’s involved?  What are your barriers? Optimizing AT Resources in Schools 3

AT REUSE  Federally-funded AT Act Programs  In every state and territory  Reutilization is a mandated activity  Nonprofit organizations  Many that offer services to people with disabilities also reutilize AT  Sometimes partner with AT Act Programs  Informal community groups 4 Optimizing AT Resources in Schools

TYPES OF AT REUSE ACTIVITIES  Loan  Exchange  Refurbishing  Reassignment  Recycling  Remanufacturing 5 Optimizing AT Resources in Schools

AT REUSE CLOSES THE GAP BY:  Allowing trials on possible solutions  Providing interim equipment while waiting for the permanent solution  Providing permanent solutions where no funding is available for new devices  Providing duplicate devices in warranted situations  Replacing equipment lost in disasters 6 Optimizing AT Resources in Schools

LEARN ABOUT REUSE. Pass It On Center offers resources to promote new programs and to help existing ones improve.  PIOC web site  Indicators of Quality with Online Program Assessment Tool  Online Knowledge Base  Free webinars with on- demand archive  Reuse Locations database  Find AT  NEED AT* Optimizing AT Resources in Schools 7

GOAL OF AT ACT PROGRAMS: To increase access to and acquisition of AT for all ages and all disabilities for Living Learning Earning Optimizing AT Resources in Schools

AT for learning – strained resources:  Schools are obligated to provide an AT device when it is identified in a student’s IEP.  Education budgets are suffering additional strain from the economy, especially unemployment and declining home ownership (with property taxes as a primary support of schools in some states).  Circumstances sometimes warrant duplicated devices at home and school and that is not funded. Optimizing AT Resources in Schools

Schools are great candidates for AT reuse programs.  Unpredictable needs, temporary and permanent  Time-consuming acquisition procedures  Caches of unused devices aging into obsolescence 10 Optimizing AT Resources in Schools

Barriers to School Reuse  District boundaries and concern about use of local taxes  Restrictions imposed by funding sources  Lack of readily available information about needs and equipment availability 11 Optimizing AT Resources in Schools

New England Takes the Lead

BUILDING ON SUCCESS New England’s AT Act Programs created a regional online AT Exchange, in Using this successful model, they approached school exchange. Connecticut took the lead in creating a model for a school AT exchange. 13 Optimizing AT Resources in Schools

 Step 1: Identifying the Need  Conferences and presentations with stakeholders:  State Dept. of Education  State Special Education Directors  State Special Education Advisory Council  OTs, PTs, SLPs  University Special Ed and General Ed Faculty 14 Optimizing AT Resources in Schools

 Step 1: Identifying the Need, cont.’  Survey of potential users:  Maine: State Special Education Directors Conference, 90% would use an AT Swap site  Vermont: 86% of schools said they would be willing to share AT 15 Optimizing AT Resources in Schools

 Step 2: Creating a Model Program  Connecticut used Get AT Stuff.com to create an exchange site for schools only that it called AT School Swap AT School Swap model could be used:  -- To track AT inventory at the school  -- To make unused AT available to other schools through loan or surplus 16 Optimizing AT Resources in Schools

 Step 3: Introducing Users to AT School Swap  In Spring 2008, Connecticut introduced AT School Swap at a Professional Development Workshop to teams of education professionals.  Teams were given an AT toolkit, a demonstration of AT School Swap, and an opportunity to create an account. 17 Optimizing AT Resources in Schools

 Vermont’s AT School Swap  Launched in Spring 2008  Schools post available equipment or search for needed equipment – Use a Toll Free # for assist  16 districts participating one year later; 39 of 60 SUs/districts participating currently  Permits account access to online site; also provides alternative inventory listings in Excel spreadsheets via or atp.vt.gov web-site 18 Optimizing AT Resources in Schools

 Vermont provides additional services  Web site alone was not widely used at outset; needed enhancements (inventory to facilitate exchanges, way to track device assignment)  Schools may post a need and receive facilitated services to locate equipment.  Search of GetATstuff.com, AT Act Programs, Refurbished Equipment Marketplace in NH, NEAT Marketplace in Hartford, CT 19 Optimizing AT Resources in Schools

 Identified concerns:  Concern of school administrators over sharing on donating devices purchased with local tax dollars  Regulations affecting device reuse based on source of funding for original acquisition  Liability concerns  Staffing to maintain current inventory tracking  Adequate device specification and/or description to determine if it meets the student’s needs 20 Optimizing AT Resources in Schools

 Massachusetts implemented School Swap in November 2008  Participation limited by need for staff to catalog and inventory devices  Shapiro Grant received in July 2010 for Boston pilot:  For PT students to catalog and post devices to site  To train school staff  To develop online school AT kit for educators  To develop a sustainability plan 21 Optimizing AT Resources in Schools

 Lessons Learned  School systems need a champion for participation.  Schools need to identify resources to manage the initial and ongoing demands of inventory updating.  The swap site is more successful if ancillary services (training, education, toolkits, incentives) are offered.  The program gains momentum as more schools participate and resources increase. 22 Optimizing AT Resources in Schools

How much does it cost to operate a School Swap? ROI: $1.39 for every $1 spent FY  Vermont example:  Web site conversion using CT model: $1,000  Web hosting: $285/yr.  Phone tolls: $124/yr.  Marketing: $400/yr.  Staffing:  Start-up:.25 FTE for 2 months  On-going:.10 to.25 FTE /WK increase w/participation 23 Optimizing AT Resources in Schools

 For more information about AT School Swaps:  Connecticut – Arlene Lugo   Massachusetts – Kobena Bonney   Vermont – Sharon Alderman  24 Optimizing AT Resources in Schools

Helping Students Cross the Digital Divide

 Should all students have access to computers?  Research 1 suggests increased access to technology can reduce dropout rates.  If one-tenth of potential dropouts from 7 th grade class of 2007 go on to graduate college, that would result in 96,200 more college grads and $19 billion in tax revenues over the next 40 years for the investment of $1.5 billion in laptops. 1 Pierce, Dennis, Are computers for every student a wise investment? eSchool News, July 26, Optimizing AT Resources in Schools

27 Optimizing AT Resources in Schools The percentage of people who use computers increases by education levels

 Where can you find computers for schools and students who cannot afford them?  National Cristina Foundation – computers for k-12 public or nonprofit schools  Computers for Learning – General Services Administration program through which federal agencies transfer excess computers to schools  A local computer refurbishing program (check with your AT Act Program) 28 Optimizing AT Resources in Schools

 Examples of computer refurbishing programs  National Cristina Foundation, since 1984  ReBoot at Touch the Future, Inc. in Atlanta  Alameda County (CA) Computer Resource Center  What’s available in your community? 29 Optimizing AT Resources in Schools

Take advantage of our free resources to support AT Reuse

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Speaker Contact: Carolyn Phillips, Director Liz Persaud, Training & Development Coordinator Sharon Alderman, VT AT Reuse Coord. or vtfn.org DISCLAIMER This work is supported under cooperative agreement #H235V awarded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, and is administered by the Pass It On Center of the Georgia Department of Labor – Tools for Life. However, the contents of this publication do not necessarily represent the policy or opinions of the Department of Education, or the Georgia Department of Labor, and the reader should not assume endorsements of this document by the Federal government or the Georgia Department of Labor. Optimizing AT Resources in Schools 38