Vol. 7, No. 2 Spring 1999	Previous Issues Subscribe to AT Messenger Download PDF Viewer
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"Seeing" the Importance of Trying Before Buying

By Amy Bowles, Sussex County ATRC

Every day at the Assistive Technology Resource Centers, we receive calls from consumers with a variety of needs and requests. Many of the requests require an AT Specialist to research certain pieces of technology, then send the information to the consumer. Sometimes, the ATRC has the particular piece of equipment in its lending program. The lending program allows the consumer to try a product before deciding to order it. Consumers can also have "hands-on" time with technologies through the ATRC's various outreach activities, i.e. workshops, health fairs, and inservices. But in most cases, the best way to tell if a piece of equipment will meet your needs is to "try before you buy" through the ATRC lending program.

Sometimes relatives will make the first contact with the ATRC on behalf of an older family member. This was the situation recently in Sussex County. A consumer called our office hoping to find a piece of equipment that would allow her aunt, who is experiencing vision difficulties, to continue to read on her own. Her aunt wanted to be able to read her books, mail, bills, and checkbook. The caller had heard of a magnifying glass that had a light, and thought it might help her aunt. We found information on various pieces of technology that we hoped would meet her aunt's needs, and sent the information to the family.

A sample CCTV. This is the Vision Excel from Vision Technology. (photo courtesy of Vision Technology, Inc.)

One of the pieces of technology that we suggested was the CCTV. This CCTV doesn't have anything to do with television programs! The CCTV is a closed caption television that will magnify (up to thirty-two times the original size) any object that is placed on the tray. The magnified object appears on the TV screen so that it is easier to see. There is also a light that illuminates the object. If the object being magnified is text, the background color can be changed to black, making the print white. Sometimes the change in contrast makes the object or text easier to see.

After learning how the CCTV works, the consumer decided it was definitely something that she wanted to try with her aunt. It offered a lot more than a basic magnifying glass! She borrowed a CCTV from the ATRC lending "library" of devices for two weeks. When her loan time was up, she returned the CCTV to the ATRC. She was so excited! This product had worked so well for her aunt that after using it, they called and ordered one from a manufacturer. Their trial with the device gave them the opportunity to realize that they wanted one with a bigger screen than the loaner. They also found other aids for low vision from a catalog that had been sent to the family with the original information, and had decided to purchase several other pieces of equipment. What a great success story!

This is just one of the many successful outcomes that have occurred as a result of the DATI's presence in the state. If DATI has helped you get the devices and/or services that you needed, let us know. We love to hear the positive results that come in from our "customers." Who knows? Maybe you'll see your story on the pages of The AT Messenger!