The AT Messenger… bringing technology to you Delaware Assistive Technology Initiative (DATI), Volume 10, No. 1, Winter 2002 DATI Will Be Here for You Beth Mineo, DATI Director As detailed in previous issues of The AT Messenger, the DATI has sustained significant cuts in federal funding over the past three years. We have sought your input (see survey results), and we encouraged you to contact Delaware's Congressional delegation with your concerns about the services that would be lost if DATI were to cease operation. Many individuals worked very hard to seek alternate sources of funding so that the project would not be so dependent on Assistive Technology Act funding. I am delighted to be the bearer of very good news. The DATI has secured sufficient funding to continue full operation-and even expand some of its services-for at least the next three years. This comes as a result of several new grant awards. The largest of these is a three-year, $1.2 million award to the Delaware Division of Developmental Disabilities Services, on behalf of the entire Department of Health and Social Services, that enables many state agencies to work collaboratively with the DATI in strengthening the AT support infrastructure statewide. You can read more about this new project. We also have a new five-year grant to increase awareness and skills relative to accessible information and electronic technology in educational settings. We are grateful to those of you who took the time to respond to the survey in the Spring 2001 issue of this newsletter. We are also very grateful to those of you who let our Senators and Congressman know how DATI has helped you over the years. While the future of the Assistive Technology Act is still uncertain, Congress has agreed to hold hearings this spring to determine how DATI and its counterparts might operate in the evolving national and state policy landscape that includes the President's New Freedom Initiative, the Olmstead decision (supports for community living), final Section 508 guidelines (accessibility of electronic and information technology), and the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act. Survey Results Confirm Need for the DATI In the Spring 2001 issue of The AT Messenger, we asked our readers to take a few minutes to let us know about their familiarity and satisfaction with DATI services. We also wanted to know whether they thought that AT access had changed in Delaware over the past 10 years, and what they regarded as remaining barriers to that access. Finally, we asked them to tell us whether they would be likely to utilize a low-interest loan fund for AT if we were to establish one here in Delaware. The results of the survey confirmed that, while Delaware has come a long way in improving access to AT, there is still a lot more work to be done. Read on for more detailed survey results. The Changing Landscape The first section of the survey examined the extent to which AT access has changed since the DATI began in 1991. The results, which combine the responses received from consumers, family members, service providers, and others, appear in Table 1 (below). As you can see, the majority of respondents feel that the AT-related climate in Delaware is better now than it was ten years ago. Sixty-nine percent agree that awareness of the need for AT has increased; 81% agree that laws and policies have become more consumer-responsive; 65% agree that more people are aware of the benefits of AT; 57% agree that it is easier to find assistance in purchasing AT devices and services; and 71% agree that public and private agencies are working together more effectively. Your feedback indicates that there is still room for improvement in all areas, but especially in areas related to increased awareness and assistance with funding. Table 1 Comparing 10 years ago to today, please tell us whether you agree or disagree with the following statements. Statement: Strongly Agree / Agree / Disagree / Strongly Disagree People are aware of the need for AT devices and services for people with disabilities: 19% / 50% / 26% / 5% Laws or program policies have been changed to help persons with disabilities get AT: 21% / 60% / 18% / 1% More people are aware of and know how AT can benefit persons with disabilities: 11% / 54% / 30% / 5% It is easier to find assistance to purchase AT devices and services: 10% / 47% / 37% / 6% Private and public agencies are working together to make AT devices and services more available to persons with disabilities: 16% / 55% / 25% / 4% Statewide Reliance on DATI Another survey item asked readers to indicate whether they had other sources of AT-related supports on which they could rely if the DATI ceased operation. The results, which appear in Table 2, demonstrate how reliant Delawareans are on DATI for the AT supports that they need. There is particular dependence on the DATI for the newsletter, equipment demonstration, technical assistance, funding and policy information, the availability of equipment for short-term loan, and training. Table 2 If the DATI and its three Assistive Technology Resource Centers (funded under subcontract to Easter Seals) ceased operation, would you have an alternative source for the following resources? Resource: Alternative Source Yes / No Newsletter: 17% / 83% Conferences: 31% / 69% Workshops: 38% / 62% Equipment Demonstration: 30% / 70% Short-Term Equipment Loan: 20% / 80% Funding/Policy Information: 32% / 68% Info. And Referral: 46% / 54% Technical Assistance: 31% / 69% Training Needs The greatest training needs identified by our readers were in the areas of funding, home modifications, aids for daily living, educational software, and augmentative and alternative communication. Other areas of particular interest to consumers and their families were recreation and adaptive computing. Barriers to AT Access Although we received quite a diversity of responses relative to the barriers that remain-many of them very specific to an individual respondent's needs-a few consistent themes emerged. Among these were: * The prohibitive cost of many devices and services * The difficulty in accessing funds to assist with device/service purchase * The lack of accessible housing and/or the supports to modify existing homes to make them accessible * The lack of organizational support (expressed most often by service providers) * The scarcity of adequately trained service providers. Interest in Low-Interest Loans Finally, the enthusiasm for the availability of a low-interest loan program was quite mixed, with about half of the respondents indicating that they would be likely or very likely to take advantage of a low-interest loan program for the purchase of AT and/or home modifications that they need. P.S. Thank You! A heartfelt thanks to those of you who took the time to share your opinions with us. Your feedback was incredibly helpful, and it will certainly influence the shape of Delaware's AT-related supports in the future. Assistive Technology Infrastructure Grant Awarded to Delaware It has been over two years since the Supreme Court issued its decision in Olmstead v. L.C., a landmark ruling for people with disabilities. The Supreme Court determined that unnecessary segregation and institutionalization of people with disabilities constitutes discrimination and violates the Americans with Disabilities Act. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) subsequently issued guidance to the states urging them to develop plans for full compliance with Olmstead. HHS, through its Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS, formerly known as the Health Care Financing Administration), recently held several competitions for grant funds to assist states in implementing system changes consistent with Olmstead. AT Supports Community Living There is no question that access to assistive technology (AT) would make it possible for many more individuals with disabilities to live in the community safely and with enhanced independence. Despite Delaware's progress in linking people with the AT-related supports that they need, DATI's recent survey results indicate that we could be doing much better. The survey data underscore the need for greater awareness, more training for consumers and service providers alike, more responsive and predictable funding mechanisms, and better coordination among agencies. In fact, a recent statewide study notes that fragmentation continues to be one of the most troublesome aspects of the state's services-and-supports systems (DeSantis, 1999). A Blueprint for Delaware This past summer, consumers, advocates, and state agency representatives joined forces in developing a blueprint for Delaware's AT-related future. The result was a plan for an AT infrastructure characterized by the following elements: * A service availability model in which an analysis of individual needs includes consideration of AT as a means to increase independence, productivity, and satisfaction. * A systematic process for exploring AT options, selecting devices and services based on individual needs and preferences, and procuring the needed devices/supports/services that is both efficient and fiscally responsible. * A means for tracking AT within the system to increase device re-use, avoid unnecessary purchase, and improve accountability. * A means for tracking outcomes to document the benefits of technology access on community living and to alert stakeholders to the existence of problems or gaps in service. * Consumers, family members, and advocates who are knowledgeable about AT options and the services and supports they will need to use AT safely and effectively. * Staff who are sufficiently trained to recognize potential AT applications, know the process for exploring and securing AT for individuals, and support individuals in using AT. * A well-articulated and cohesive network of supports that facilitates the seamless transition of individuals from one service system to another. This vision was articulated in a proposal submitted to CMS, with the Delaware Division of Developmental Disabilities Services taking the lead role. There was much rejoicing on September 28, 2001, when Delaware received word that its three-year proposal would be funded in the amount of $1.2 million. This funding will support: * needs assessments * a comprehensive awareness and training campaign * the establishment of a streamlined process for accessing AT * broad-based information dissemination * the establishment of alternatives to traditional means of accessing AT, including equipment recycling and low-interest loan programs * capacity building and * data collection, tracking, and evaluation activities. Dr. Joseph Keyes, project director, states, "This grant will allow all Delaware citizens with disabilities to have improved access to assistive technology. We hope that more people with disabilities will be able to live in the community or continue to live in their own homes." With support from the resulting infrastructure, consumers will learn about and explore various technology options. They will select service providers from a pool of well-qualified individuals. With access to technology for trial use, they will be confident that the device they select truly meets their needs and lives up to their expectations. They will identify sources of support for which they quality that will enable them to procure devices and services, and they will secure funding from those sources efficiently and without sacrificing their dignity. They will have alternatives for AT access if they choose not to rely on public support, and they will be able to count on continued support as their needs change over time. In addition to its value for the individual, the project will help the state document its expenditures for AT devices and services, and will conduct analyses of fiscal impact and consumer satisfaction. "The partnership of Delaware Health and Social Services, the Delaware Assistive Technology Initiative, and the Center for Disabilities Studies presents an opportunity for us to bring together the key components necessary to address the issue of AT access and infrastructure for people with disabilities in Delaware," adds Keyes. Project Implementation A Consumer/Stakeholder Advisory Board will provide oversight to the project, and all state agencies serving individuals with disabilities will participate. For more information on Delaware's new Assistive Technology Access Infrastructure project, contact Dr. Joseph Keyes at (302) 739-4452. References DeSantis, C. (1999). Strategic Assessment: Care and Services for Non-elderly Adults with Disabilities in Delaware. Hockessin, DE: Cari DeSantis Consultants. Accessible Information Technology Partnership DATI and its counterpart organizations in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia have joined with TransCen Inc.'s Mid-Atlantic ADA Information Center to provide information, technical assistance, and training to schools, other educational institutions, and stakeholders on developing, buying, and using information technology (IT) products that are accessible to staff or students with disabilities. "Our partnership with TransCen and the other state AT projects in the region promises to be a productive collaboration," said Beth Mineo, DATI's director. "We can accomplish more together than we could on our own, and will likely reach hundreds of thousands of individuals with information about accessible IT." Under a five-year grant from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, TransCen, Inc., DATI and its counterpart organizations in the Mid-Atlantic region will: * Provide information resources on how to make IT products accessible to students or staff with disabilities and to ensure that new IT acquisitions are accessible. * Conduct training seminars on the development or purchase of accessible IT products, including a discussion of possible legal considerations. * Operate an informative regional web site on the topic of accessible, education-based IT. The web site will have answers to frequently asked questions, a calendar of training events, and links to other relevant web sites. This project will cover a broad range of educational institutions including pre-schools, K-12, colleges, universities, technical schools, and continuing education centers. Stakeholders include teachers, librarians, administrative staff, computer specialists, students and employees with disabilities, their families, and advocates. Upcoming issues of The AT Messenger will carry articles on a variety of issues related to this topic. Call (800) 870 DATI (in-state) or (302) 651-6790 for more information. Great Finds from Closing the Gap by Dan Fendler, AT Specialist, Kent & Sussex ATRCs Closing the Gap, the assistive technology (AT) conference and exhibition held in Minnesota each fall, has always been the greatest place to see all the latest AT available. This year was no exception. Here are a few examples of some interesting products we learned about at this year's event. Exciting Products for Visual Impairment Traditionally, magnification devices have been large and non-portable. The advancement of digital imaging and small cameras has made portable magnification devices possible and more affordable. Traditional CCTVs are useful at home for magnifying printed material, but don't work as distance magnifiers because you can't just point the camera at any distant objects, blackboards, or people and magnify them. If the object you want to see is small and in your home, CCTVs work fine. Many of the new generation magnifiers include small, movable cameras that you can point at any object to display a larger image of the object on a video monitor. The cameras are small and light. Some cameras are available with a stand that can be used to magnify anything on your table or desk. Or you can rotate the camera to focus on any distant two- or three-dimensional object. Figure 1 The Flipper™ (a device by Enhanced Vision Systems - see Figure 1) is shown magnifying a sculpture and displaying the larger image on a television screen. The camera is the small device between the bust and the television set. It is mounted on a small stand and can be rotated and pointed at anything you want to have magnified. Figure 2 Portable magnification devices are sold by a number of different companies, and are available in several different configurations. A few of the cameras can be used with a pair of lightweight, futuristic-looking glasses in place of a television monitor. This makes the unit highly portable. (see the FlipperPort™ - Figure 2). Figure 3 Some have a mouse-like camera that can be rolled over a flat surface (see the Liberty Plus - Figure 3). These products are useful in home, work, and school environments. Most are available in several different configurations. Some can be used with computer monitors, with television sets, or with portable glasses. Here are a few websites you can browse to get a better feel for the types of options available: Clarity af: www.clarityaf.com Freedom Vision: www.freedomvision.net/ Enhanced Vision Systems: www.enhancedvision.com If you don't have access to the web, you can call the ATRC in your county for more information. The units start at about $1,400, depending on what options you select. Window-Eyes™ and Dragon Naturally Speaking® If you are blind or have significant visual impairment and want to use a text-to-speech product like Dragon Naturally Speaking®, you may want to check out Window-Eyes™ (a screen reading product competing with JAWS®). GW Micro, Inc. stated in a product demo session that Window-Eyes™ will work with Dragon Naturally Speaking®. If you are a JAWS® user and want to use Dragon Naturally Speaking®, you need to purchase additional (and expensive) software. A GW Micro representative cautioned that, due to limitations of speech-to-text software, some non-technical users might experience difficulties with voice recognition setup. If you want more information, check out the GW Micro website at www.gwmicro.com. Better yet, download an evaluation copy of Window-Eyes™ and check it out yourself. Co:Writer® for the AlphaSmart 3000 Co:Writer®, a computer-based word prediction program designed to help students who experience writing difficulties, is now available as an Applet for the AlphaSmart 3000. Co:Writer® can help students construct complete, grammatically correct sentences. The AlphaSmart 3000 is a lightweight, portable and rugged computer companion used by students all over the world. With the help of a grant from the Delaware Department of Education, we were able to purchase the Co:Writer® Applet for all the ATRCs. Audiovisual FM System AudiSee (Audisoft Technologies, Inc., www.audisoft.net) allows deaf and hard-of-hearing students to read their teacher's lips, regardless of the teacher's movements or the language of instruction. It also allows these students to maximize the use of their residual hearing by using their current FM systems. Consisting of a teacher's unit (Figure 4) and a student's unit (Figure 5), AudiSee transmits a video of the teacher's lips to a small, computer-like device, which also serves as an audio FM unit. The units sells for approximately $5,100. For more information, check out their website: www.audisoft.net. Figure 4 Figure 5 Task Training for People with Cognitive Impairment Pocket Coach is a software/hardware system designed to provide fully customizable, step-by-step audio instructions or reminders to persons with cognitive impairment in any educational, vocational, or residential setting. It operates on Palmtop personal computers using the Windows CE operating system (Figure 6). The devices are fairly easy to program, and even easier to use. You can equip one with a small camera that will allow you to include pictures with task training. Figure 6 There is also a version of the product in development called the Schedule Assistant. It is a software application being designed to help individuals with cognitive impairment independently manage their day-to-day schedules. You can find out more about the product at www.ablelinktech.com. If you have any questions about any the products mentioned, or any other area of Assistive Technology, give your local ATRC a call. To learn more about Closing the Gap, and plans for next year's conference, visit their website at www.closingthegap.com. Discover Digital Libraries As we venture into the 21st century, computers, the Internet and e-text are creating a whole new world of digital libraries. To visit a digital library, power up a computer, access the Internet, and then locate a digital library site on the World Wide Web. These sites contain collections of e-text documents, which are computer readable electronic files that duplicate the physical text. Now, click on the selection of your choice and begin reading - no checkout, and no due date! Once the electronic version of a book or text is accessed, individuals can read it as is, or when needed, use their individualized computer programs and/or alternative input/output devices to 'read' the printed word. For example, individuals with vision loss may have the text read aloud using their text-to-speech program; persons with a learning disability may change foreground and background colors to aid in visual discrimination; or individuals with motor limitations may move through the text using a switch. The beauty of digital libraries is that they help make print accessible for all. To be certain that e-text files can be 'read' on various computers using differing software, the International Standards Organization (ISO) established rules to guide hardware and software producers. When these guidelines are followed, computer interfacing and compatibility problems almost disappear, making access to e-text documents simple and universal. To discover digital libraries and e-text reading, visit a site offered below: Project Gutenberg http://www.gutenberg.net Internet Public Library http://www.ipl.org Bartleby http://www.bartleby.com Reprinted with permission from Assistive Technology Key, Volume 6, No. 5 (December 2001), a publication of the North Dakota Interagency Program for Assistive Technology. DATI Equipment Loan Policy DATI has a wide variety of equipment at the Assistive Technology Resource Centers for the primary purpose of demonstration and short-term loan. The policy for the loan of the equipment is as follows: The standard loan period is two weeks, defined as the day borrowed (e.g., Monday the 10th) to the same day two weeks later (e.g., Monday the 24th). Loans may be extended providing there are no names on the waiting list and/or that an extension will not interfere with an existing reservation. The maximum loan period is 4 weeks. A maximum of four (4) devices may be borrowed at a time, i.e., during any single loan period. However, combinations of devices may be treated as a single device if the components are interdependent—either operationally, or because one component is required for the user to access another. Equipment loans across state lines are not permitted. Equipment must also remain in Delaware throughout the loan period. To Contact DATI’s Central Site office or the ATRC closest to you, call 1-800-870-DATI Press #1 for English or #2 for Spanish, then press #3 for the Central Site office #4 for the New Castle County ATRC #5 for the Kent County ATRC #6 for the Sussex County ATRC TDD callers: Do not press #1 or #2 and your call will be answered on a TDD line at the Central Site office. Please Keep Us Posted! Has your address changed? Are you receiving duplicates? If the address we have for you is incorrect, please type or print your correct address and forward it to DATI along with the current mailing label. If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, please contact our office or send us your mailing label with "discontinue" written next to the label. Thanks for your cooperation. Do you know someone who would like to be added to the DATI mailing list? Have them call any of the DATI locations. DATI Throughout the State... 1-800-870-DATI\ Delaware Assistive Technology Initiative (DATI) Center for Applied Science & Engineering University of Delaware/duPont Hospital for Children P O Box 269 Wilmington, DE 19899-0269 (302) 651-6790; (302) 651-6794 (TDD) New Castle County ATRC Easter Seals of Delaware and Maryland's Eastern Shore 61 Corporate Circle, Corporate Commons New Castle, DE 19720-2405 (302) 328-ATRC; (302) 328-2905 (TDD) Kent County ATRC Easter Seals of Delaware and Maryland's Eastern Shore 100 Enterprise Place, Suite One Dover, DE 19904-8200 (302) 739-6885; (302) 739-6886 (TDD) Sussex County ATRC Easter Seals of Delaware and Maryland's Eastern Shore Delaware Technical & Community College Jason Technology Center, Room 104 Rt. 18, P.O. Box 610 Georgetown, DE 19947-0610 (302) 856-7946; (302) 856-6714 (voice or TDD) The AT Messenger is published quarterly by the Delaware Assistive Technology Initiative (DATI). Delaware Assistive Technology Initiative Center for Applied Science & Engineering University of Delaware/duPont Hospital for Children P.O. Box 269, 1600 Rockland Road Wilmington, DE 19899-0269 Phone: (800) 870-DATI or (302)651-6790 TDD: (302) 651-6794; FAX: (302)651-6793 E-mail: dati@asel.udel.edu; URL: http://www.asel.udel.edu/dati/ Beth Mineo, Director Joann McCafferty, Staff Assistant Thomas McDonough, Funding & Policy Specialist Sonja Simowitz, Project Coordinator DATI is a joint project of the Center for Applied Science & Engineering at the University of Delaware and the duPont Hospital for Children. DATI is funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research of the U.S. Department of Education, Grant #H224A10005. This publication does not necessarily reflect the position or policy of NIDRR/ED, and no official endorsement of the materials should be inferred. The University of Delaware is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, age, national origin, marital status or disability in conformity with applicable laws.