Exploring Georgia’s State Financing Activities National Conference – Washington, DC August 31, 2015 Carolyn Phillips, Director of Tools for Life Tools for Life's Website: For Handouts: Tools for Life's Website: For Handouts:

AMAC Accessibility Services AMAC Accessibility provides practical solutions and research for real challenges faced daily by individuals with disabilities. AMAC offers postsecondary education, corporate, governmental and nonprofit membership services, including: Assistive Technology Cooperative (State Financing) Assistive Technology Solutions Lab (Demo & Device Lending) Assistive Technology training and technical assistance Accessible digital content conversion – E-Text Braille Captioning and transcription services 508 Compliance consultation

Examples of how Your Input Matters: A Look Back at the 3-year State Plans for AT in Georgia Georgia’s State Plans for AT – Practice: Nothing About Us – without Us Just Some of the Programs/Collaborations Developed thru Your Guidance and Town Hall/Listening Tour – Over 2,100 Georgians participated from every county – Developed AT Depot – AT Co-Op – Developed Last Resort - Scholarships – Developed new check out system for Device Demos – Developed new procedures for AT Reuse – Developed TFL Network 8 CILs 12 ADRCs/AAAs 10 Public Libraries – Re-vision Training – Introduced Webinars Early on! – Worked on Public Awareness – What Does “Success” Look Like in Georgia? Exceeded Goals!!

Where we were… Your TFL Network is Growing!

TFL Network Where we are!

Tools for Life’s – Quick Look TFL developed Georgia’s Plan for AT We serve individuals of all ages & all disabilities in Georgia Over 35,000+ thru various activities throughout the year TFL Network Assistive Technology Resource & Outreach Centers AT Lending Libraries AT Training AT Demonstrations AT Assessment/Evaluation Public Awareness/Resources – 4,029,868 Online Resources - 5,000 unique visitors a month

In Sync with Direct Service Activities Continuum of State Financing Services – Dollars & Sense – Online Funding Guide – Credit-Able AFP Cash Loan – Last Resort Scholarships – AT Depot AT Cooperative – AMAC AT Cooperative – Post-Secondary Tools for Life’s - State Financing

Online Funding Guide Web-based Funding Guide – 9,947 unique participants – July 31, 2014 – July 31, 2015 A resource for locating funding sources for AT devices and services. This guide was developed to make the funding process easier and to assist consumers in getting the assistive technology they need. New resources added frequently!

Georgia’s AT Alternative Financing Program Data Trends People Served: FY FY

Georgia’s TFL Network AT Las Resort – Data Trends People Served: FY FY

AMAC’s AT Co-Op – Data Trends People Served: FY13 - 2,362 FY14 - 2,355

Dollars and Sense Home Page

Dollars and Sense – Getting Started Georgia’s AT Solution Site:

Dollars and Sense Search

Dollars and Sense Search Example

Dollars and Sense - Resources

Georgia’s AT Alternative Financing Program

AT Depot endeavors to break down the barriers which prevent individuals with disabilities, their families, and service providers from acquiring and effectively using Assistive Technologies to gain greater independence. To insure that AT products are available to Georgians with disabilities at lower prices Eliminate Funding Barriers Goal of the Georgia AT Depot

Georgia AT Depot GA AT Depot’s mission relates to filling orders & providing product at discounts. AT services are referred to and provided by the TFL Network and participating ATRCs. They will assist with: Purchase consulting Training Product implementation

AT Depot Co-Op

AMAC Accessibility History AMAC Accessibility Solutions and Research Center (AMAC) was created in 2005, as an initiative of the Board of Regents University System of Georgia, to help post-secondary disability services offices provide complete, timely, and efficient accommodations to the students with print disabilities that they serve. AT Cooperative was born out of this initiative. In 2014, Georgia’s AT Coop served 2,569 students at a cost savings of $310,667

AMAC – Deluxe Membership The Deluxe Membership is designed for institutions that have ongoing requests for alternative media and assistive technology. An annual fee of $1,500 provides access to a variety of assistive technology solutions, training, and technical support (among others benefits). Deluxe Member Discounts – 30% off e-text within AMAC’s textbook library – 25% off SAM annual license fee ($450 value) – 10% off braille services – 10% off captioned media – Free braille tests Assistive Technology Software 20+ software applications available including: Text-To-Speech, Magnification w/ Speech, Screen Modification / Colorization, and Writing & Spelling software. See list of all available software. See list of all available software. Distributed directly to student computers through AMAC’s secure Student Download Center Available for download and use on institutional computers overseen by the disability service office Web-Based Management Software Student access to our Student Download Center, where students can download books and software

Some of the AT in AT Cooperative

Top Downloaders of AT 1. Georgia Southern University 2. Kennesaw State University 3. University of Alabama at Birmingham – Not in AT Act Federal Data 4. Georgia Northwestern Technical College 5. University of West Georgia 6. Chattahoochee Technical College 7. Georgia State University 8. Dalton State College 9. Georgia Institute of Technology 10. Emory 11. Valdosta State University 12. Mercer University 13. Savannah State University 14. Grand Rapids Community College – Not in AT Act Federal Data

Supporting Smoother Transitions AT Cooperative Software in IEPs Focused Transition Goals Better Planning – More Success Access to Accessible Books + AT = Success… Research

AMAC’s First in the World Proposal Project: Center for Accessible Materials Innovation (CAMI) Purpose: To expand access to digital content for all students with disabilities, especially those at minority- serving institutions (MSIs), thereby improving retention and graduation rates Duration: Oct. 1, 2014 – Sept. 30, 2018 Amount: $3.8 million Our Tech Partner: Institute Diversity Co-Principal Investigators: Dr. Christopher Lee, Director/Dept. Head, AMAC Dr. Julie Ancis, Associate VP/ Institute Diversity Project Director: Bob Martinengo

For Your Time & Interest! We Want to Hear from You! Thank You!

Questions?

The TFL Team Carolyn Phillips Director, Tools for Life Daphne Brookins AT Funding & Resource Specialist Ben Jacobs Accommodations Specialist Disclaimer This presentation is produced by Tools for Life which is a result of the Assistive Technology Act of 1998, as amended in It is a program of the Georgia Institute of Technology, College of Architecture [COA], AMAC and is funded by grant #H224C of the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), Department of Education. The contents of this presentation were developed under a grant from the Department of Education. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, Georgia Tech, COA or AMAC and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal government. Liz Persaud Training and Outreach Coordinator Martha Rust AT Specialist Rachel Wilson Tech Match Specialist