Congress Affirms the Importance of Technology in the Lives of Individuals with Disabilities

On November 13, 1998, President Clinton signed into law the Assistive Technology Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-394), which affirms that technology is a valuable tool that can be used to improve the lives of Americans with disabilities. The ATA, the result of a bipartisan effort in Congress, extends the funding of the 50 states and six territories that had received funding under the "Tech Act" (P.L. 103-218: The Technology-Related Assistance Act of 1988, as amended).

Under the new law, states are required to: 1) increase public awareness of the benefits of AT devices and services; 2) promote interagency coordination that improves access to AT for those who need it; 3) provide technical assistance and training about the technologies/services and the means by which to acquire them; and 4) provide outreach support to community-based organizations that assist individuals in finding and using AT. The new requirements align very closely with the initiatives already being addressed by the DATI.

The Tech Act was due to "sunset" on October 1, 1998 and passage of this legislation will allow states and territories to continue their AT activities. Under the ATA, all states and territories are eligible to complete ten years of funding, and those that have completed ten years may apply for an additional three years of federal funding to continue their AT programs. However, Congress only appropriated $30 million for Fiscal Year 99-an amount that is not sufficient to maintain all Tech Act programs at their existing levels. The bill's Senate sponsors had requested an additional $26 million.

These dollars would have been used to set up loan programs and other financing mechanisms to help consumers purchase AT. They also would have been used to stimulate AT-related research and development activities. The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research is in the process of sorting out the impact of the reduced level of funding. The DATI will complete its eighth year of funding in August, and the law requires a 25% reduction in federal support for the project in Year 9. The exact amount of funding will not be determined until the NIDRR completes its deliberations. We'll keep you posted.