The mission of TnT is threefold: (1) to study prevalence, policy and resources, individualized decision making, training and support and other factors related to use of assistive technology (AT) devices and services in early intervention. (2) to disseminate current knowledge and research findings in timely ways to families, multidiscipline EI providers, administrators, educators ad policymakers using a variety of methods and approaches. (3) to partner with parents of children with disabilities, with individuals with disabilities, in the design and implementation of the national research program. Mission

Child & Family Outcomes Families are able to support their children’s development in natural contexts Children are able to participate in activities that promote growth and learning in natural contexts Children’s growth and learning opportunities are maximized AT Use & Practices Federal & State Policy Community & Financial Resources Early Intervention Service Providers Conceptual Model for Understanding AT Use, Practices, and Early Intervention Outcomes Families & Children

Understanding AT use & prevalence Policy and resources for AT in EI Understanding & improving decision making, assessment, & typical practices Identifying & implementing effective training & resources for system change Identifying & understanding funding resources Institute Research Questions

Studies A total of XX studies have been conducted to date

Studies 1.Policy Studies Part C Survey (n = 42 Part C Coordinators) Tech Act Directors Interview (n = 46 State Tech Act Directors) State Document Analysis (n= 28 states) Profile of State Characteristics & Training Summary (n = 51) Lending Library Survey (n = 39) Indicator Instrument (in process) 2.Parents National Parent Phone Survey (n = 924 parents of children under 3 years of age; 845 whose children had used AT)*** National Parent Web-Based Survey (n = 705) 3.Practitioners: National EI Practitioner Phone Survey (n = 967)*** National Follow-Up Survey (n = 450 who participated in the initial study*** National EI Practitioner Web-Based Survey (n = 616)

Studies 4.Evidence-Based Practices review (115 articles from ; 38 contained empirical evidence about practices)*** 5.Providers self efficacy about AT for infants and toddlers (n=86)*** 6.State Implementation Study 1.N= XX states (XX teams) 2.N= XX interdisciplinary service providers 3.N= XX parents 4.N= XXX infants and toddlers

Understanding AT Use & Prevalence

4% of infants/toddlers nationally have AT listed on their IFSP’s (DOE Report to Congress, 2004) & this number shown little change over the years. Approximately 4% of infants & toddlers in the NEILS sample were reported to be receiving AT services 18.1% of providers sampled believed that all children on their caseloads who needed AT were receiving it; 15.7% reported that none of the children who needed AT were receiving it.

Infants & Toddlers with AT on Their IFSP

(Part C Coordinators)

What Do These National Data Tell Us? AT is not likely to be listed as a service or device on the IFSP’s of infants and toddlers. Use, as recorded on the IFSP under the AT category has remained stable. However, this still doesn’t provide us with information about the extent of underutilization. There is wide variability in definitions of AT devices across the states

Understanding AT Policy & Resources

57.5%10%5%25% Requirements for transition to preschool 47.9%13.2%7.9%18.4% Recycling 48.7%10.3%7.7%30.8% Maintenance and repair 10.3%15.4%5.1%66.7% Documentation requirements 36.8%10.5%5.3%44.7% Relationship of AT devices to AT services 14.3%9.5%2.4%73.8% Eligibility for and access to AT services 33.3%12.8%2.4%43.6% Ownership 11.9%16.7%2.4%66.7% Payment for AT devices and services Not Covered State and Local LocalState Policy regarding …

Availability of AT Resources Part C Coordinators

Availability of AT Resources Providers -- –23.6% reported a lot of AT resources in their communities; 27.6% reported only a few or no resources –49.6% reported access to loan library Parents -- –34.1% reported access to loan library (23.8% did not know if library existed) Tech Act Directors -- –60.7% reported either state-wide or regional lending libraries available for infants & toddlers Lending Library Directors -- –28 (72%) report making < 25% of all loans to infants and toddlers

Identifying & implementing effective training & resources for system change

Type of Training Program/ Intended Audience Reported by Tech Act Directors In- service Pre-service EI Providers EIs/ Families Families ServiceProvidersEI RelatedServiceProviders

Sponsors of the Training Programs

State Level Collaboration

How well does your state AT project work with the state’s Part C system?

Identifying & understanding funding resources

Understanding & improving decision making, assessment, & typical practices

Overview of Surveys Practitioner Questionnaire and Follow-up Practitioner Questionnaire State Coordinator and Deaf-Blind Program Coordinators Survey 2 nd Provider Follow-Up Study

Overview of Surveys and Samples Practitioner Survey 1 National Sample of 967 multi-discipline professionals who worked with a minimum of 3 children per week 23-item questionnaire conducted through phone interview Provider demographic information Perceptions and definitions of AT Prevalence and use of AT Influences on AT decision-making process

Overview of Surveys and Samples Practitioner Follow-up Survey A follow-up survey including 424 of the multi-discipline professionals who participated in 1 st survey and agreed to be re-contacted. 43-item questionnaire conducted through phone interview Provider demographic information Training and education experience in AT Decision-making: “What would you do?”

Overview of Surveys and Samples Deaf-Blind Program Coordinator Survey 36 state directors/coordinators for programs for children who are deaf-blind –Representing 30 different states + Puerto Rico 30-item questionnaire: A combination of practitioner surveys 1 and follow-up Demographic information Perceptions and definitions of AT Decision-making: “What would you do?”

Overview of Surveys and Samples State Coordinators Same survey as the practitioner follow-up survey Provider demographic information Training and education experience in AT Decision-making: “What would you do?” 31 providers representing 21 different states Nearly all female (1 male) Disciplines: OT, PT, SLP, CDS, Early childhood education, AT specialist, Special Education, Social work, Education, Service coordinator, Family support studies.

Under What Conditions Are Providers Most Likely to Recommend AT?

Provider Decision-Making

Decision-Making Providers’ reported decision-making about when to use AT generally reflects current views about best practices for infants and toddlers who may need AT Families and providers beliefs about AT are concordant with one exception – prerequisite skills for AT. This likely reflects a gap between parent and provider decision making processes Policy and procedures were not a strong factor that providers would consider in their decision making processes

Providers: Decision-making What would you do?….. –Playing with toys –Dressing –Crawling and Walking –Bathing –Vocalizing –Eating and Drinking

Case Example 1: Child can hold but not manipulate toys

Case Example 2: Child is unable to participate in dressing

Case Example 3: Child can not get around by crawling or walking

Case Example 4: Child unable to sit up for bathing

Case Example 5: Child is struggling not talking and struggling to vocalize

Case Example 6: Child can not eat or drink without assistance

Training

Overview of Surveys and Samples 2 nd Provider Follow-Up Study 616 providers 45 states 21 Item web-based survey Demographics Activity and Routine Situations

CharacteristicsEI Provider I (%) EI Provider II (%) N=937N=616 Female Ethnicity Caucasian Non-Caucasian Community Urban Suburban Rural Combination Education Level HS/GED AA BA/BS Master’s Doctoral2.13.4

Primary Setting where Services are Provided

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