Education
Employment
Community Living
Accessible Voting Technology
Accessible Information Technology
Universal Design
Assistive Technology for Infants and Toddlers with Special Needs
Assistive Technology and Aging
Emergency Services Planning, Implementation, and Assistive Technology
Assistive Technology and Veterans

Education

School districts are required by law to provide appropriate assistive technology (AT) to students with disabilities in order for them to receive a free and appropriate public education (FAPE). In order to support the inclusion and participation of students with disabilities in regular education classrooms, all Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) developed for children identified as needing special education services must indicate that AT has been considered "to provide meaningful access to the general curriculum" (IDEA, 1997). IDEA states AT devices and services must be made available to a child with a disability if required as part of the child's:

1. Special education,
2. Related services, or
3. Supplementary aids and services.

The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) includes these guidelines:

1. AT must be provided by the school district at no cost to the family.
2. AT must be determined on a case-by-case basis; it is required if needed to ensure access to free and appropriate public education (FAPE).
3. If the IEP team determines that AT is needed for home use to ensure FAPE, it must be provided.
4. The student's IEP must reflect the nature of the AT and amount of supportive AT services required.
5. A parent is accorded an extensive set of procedural safeguards, including the provision of AT to the child.

There are a few issues that should be considered when electing, acquiring, and using assistive technology in educational settings. There continues to be a general lack of information among professionals, administrators, and parents on the availability and use of devices to promote access to the general curriculum. Efforts must be made to ensure that parents and professionals become aware of the existence of these devices and the legislation that supports their use. Assessment, cultural and family concerns, device design, training, cost, and maintenance are issues that must be addressed.

Back to Top

Employment

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Current Population Survey, only 29 percent of people with disabilities are in the labor force and only 18 percent work full-time. Meanwhile, 82 percent of all working-age Americans are in the labor force, and 65 percent are working full-time. In that survey, 4.2 million people reported being limited to the kind or amount of work they could do, and only 714,000 Americans with disabilities reported having an accessible work environment, including hand rails or ramps. It is clear that the benefits of AT have yet to reach many segments of the American workplace.

Two-thirds of those unemployed people with disabilities have a desire to work. For many of those, the key to finding and retaining work is AT. Both federal and state government have realized the importance of AT in the lives of people with disabilities and the impact on their ability to work and live independently. AT can have a direct impact on the productivity of a person with a disability in the workplace. Devices range in costs, sophistication, and universal application. Twenty-nine percent of accommodations made by employers cost less than $100. Even some of the more complicated AT, such as voice recognition or screen-reading software and Braille typewriters, can cost less than $500.

Back to Top

Community Living

Individuals with disabilities must have access to the full range of accommodations necessary to ensure that living in their natural community is possible. These accommodations may take various forms such as personal attendant services, respite, durable medical equipment, or even minor home modifications. Accommodations may be needed on a short term or long term basis, with the need for anything from low tech to high tech devices depending on the need of the individual. Examples of accommodations include physical accessibility, attendant services, medication monitoring, supported living, assistive technology, and employment services.

Back to Top

Accessible Voting Technology

Individuals with disabilities are the largest population who do not vote. There are clear barriers that deter people with disabilities away from the voting booth. From inaccessible polling sites where a person cannot physically get into his or her polling place to inadequately-trained poll workers whose cultural insensitivity may discourage people with disabilities to vote.

Also, casting a ballot is a secret and private right. However, many people with disabilities have not been able to enjoy the privilege of the private vote. People who are not physically able to hold or maneuver a pen, pencil, or hole-puncher to vote or who cannot see the actual ballot have had to verbalize their vote to an attendant, poll worker, or family member. To these citizens, a private ballot has been a foreign concept. Accessible voting machines can help reverse this trend. Whereas previous elections were decided on inaccessible equipment that did not allow for a private and independent ballot for people with disabilities, there is now assistive technology available that levels the playing field for all citizens regardless of disability.

People with disabilities have a great deal at stake when it comes to the equipment used in elections. Accessible equipment gives people with disabilities greater comfort in involving themselves in the democratic process. As a result, more voters with disabilities come out to vote, further integrating them into their community. If more people with disabilities are voting, issues that are important to the disability community become more important to the community at large. This community includes politicians who create and shape the policies that affect people with disabilities. Weighing in on the debate over voting machines will have an effect on the ability of individuals with disabilities to advocate for the laws and services they need to further integrate into their communities.

Back to Top

Accessible Information Technology

Information Technology (IT) may be inaccessible to people with disabilities if it provides only one way for users to gain access to or manipulate information, in particular, if the ability to use the technology depends primarily on user vision or hearing. For example, people who have visual impairments cannot read instructions presented only in a visual format; people who are deaf cannot understand content that is only presented orally; people who are color-blind cannot discern between color-coded options; people who have limited use of their hands or arms cannot use a mouse; and people who use wheelchairs cannot operate a fax machine if the controls are impossible for them to reach from a seated position. Websites with inconsistent layout, difficult to recognize graphics, and inaccessible language are difficult for all users, but in particular for people with cognitive disabilities and those who have difficulty reading. Assistive technology products that help people with disabilities use computers, software, the Internet, telephones, and other IT are especially important to accessible IT. In order to use a computer, people with limited hand function may use a keyboard with large keys or a special mouse; people who are blind or have difficulties reading may use software that reads onscreen text aloud; and people with low vision may use screen enlargement software. To communicate by telephone, people who are deaf may use a TTY (text telephone) and people with speech impairments may use a device that speaks out loud as the individuals enter text via a keyboard.

Many of these barriers can be lowered or eliminated when technology is developed using universal design concepts. Accessibility features may be built-in elements, such as auditory feedback for an information kiosk or a high contrast option in computer operating software. Accessibility options may also be available on demand, such as closed captioning or audio description for video. Accessibility means that users are able to interact with the technology in ways that work best for them. Section 508 standards developed by the Access Board set the minimum requirements for accessibility regarding Information Technology. Go to www.section508.gov to learn more.

Back to Top

Universal Design

The term, “Universal Design,” with regard to product development means an item that is usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without adaptation or specialized design. These products accommodate a wide range of individual preferences and abilities; communicate necessary information effectively (regardless of ambient conditions or the user's sensory abilities); and can be approached, reached, manipulated, and used regardless of the individual's body size, posture, or mobility. Application of universal design principles reduces the need for assistive technology, results in products compatible with assistive technology, and creates a product that works better for everyone, not only for individuals with disabilities.

Back to Top

Assistive Technology for Infants and Toddlers with Special Needs

Early intervention services for children ages birth through age two are provided through Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The local education system is responsible for providing services to children with low-incidence disabilities (visual, hearing, or severe orthopedic impairments or any combination of these). These services are provided by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Assistive technology must be included on the child’s Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP). Once the child is referred to the appropriate agency, that agency should appoint a service coordinator, complete an evaluation and assessment, and conduct an IFSP meeting within 45 days. If assistive technology is requested after an IFSP is written, then the following steps should be followed:

1. Make a request to the service coordinator asking for the assistive technology that the child needs, or stating the child’s need if you don’t know exactly what is needed.
2. Once your request is made, a goal should be written on the IFSP, including a plan of implementation to achieve the goal, and how the goal will be evaluated.

Back to Top

Assistive Technology and Aging

According to the 2000 U.S. census, approximately 42 percent of the population, age 65 and older, are living with a disability. Baby boomers comprise about one third of the country’s population and are beginning to reach retirement age. By 2010, one in four Idahoans will be over the age of 60. Many seniors will need assistive technology to maintain their independence and quality of life because of the physical changes that can occur as we grow older, such as vision loss, hearing difficulties, decreased flexibility and agility, memory loss, etc. .

While seniors are familiar with devices such as reachers and grab bars, many do not think of those items as assistive technology devices that can increase their function and independence. However, seniors may also reject using such devices, even if they understand the benefits, because the devices are associated with people with disabilities. Seniors who lose their vision or hearing, develop arthritis, or lose mobility must accept their age-related disability and learn that they can utilize the same resources as a middle-aged adult with the same impairments.

Many mobility devices can help seniors continue to live in their own homes and participate in community activities. Stair lifts allow seniors unable to climb stairs to access the second story of their homes. Ramps provide wheelchair access to homes and other structures, and modified vans with ramps or lifts make it possible for individuals in wheelchairs to continue driving. Other popular AT for the home includes grab bars, lever door handles, and rocker light switches. Assistive technology also helps seniors continue to enjoy recreational pursuits. Card stands and large-print playing cards make the game accessible to players with low vision or limited finger dexterity. Assistive technology devices also exist for bowlers, golfers, swimmers, and gardeners. Many devices are designed to help people modify or eliminate much of the bending and lifting often associated with their favorite activities. In this regard, AT enhances quality of life through seniors’ continued involvement in favorite pastimes.

Back to Top

Emergency Services Planning, Implementation, and Assistive Technology

After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, all Americans began to evaluate their personal safety in previously unthinkable situations. People with disabilities who, prior to 9/11, had valid concerns for their own safety now had reason to take their concerns to a higher level. Recognizing that everyone, including individuals with disabilities, should benefit from the same level of safety and security in their communities and work environments, President George W. Bush issued Executive Order 13347, Individuals with Disabilities in Emergency Preparedness, on July 22, 2004. This Executive Order directs the federal government to work together with state, local, and tribal governments, as well as private organizations, to appropriately address the safety and security needs of people with disabilities.

In addition to this Executive Order, there are a number of regulations, codes, and guidelines that require federal agencies to address emergency preparedness of people with disabilities. For example, federal agencies located in buildings managed by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) must have an Occupant Emergency Plan (OEP) for all employees, with or without disabilities.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 can also impact emergency preparedness plans. This law, which applies to the United States Congress as well as private entities and state and local governments, prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment as well as other matters. Providing a reasonable accommodation to an individual with a disability is a central concept under the ADA. Emergency preparedness plans should include people with disabilities, and in order to do so effectively, organizations need to establish a process to fulfill requests from individuals with disabilities for reasonable accommodations they may need in emergency situations. The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in federal programs or those receiving federal funds, and in the employment practices of federal agencies and their contractors, has similar implications on federal agencies’ emergency preparedness plans.

Back to Top

Assistive Technology and Veterans

In the United States, there are more than 26 million veterans of the armed services, from World War I veterans to those who served in the War on Terror. These veterans share a special bond and camaraderie unlike any other group in society. However, the harsh realities of war have cost many veterans their hearing, eyesight, and limbs. Rather than remain limited and isolated by their injuries, veterans must rely upon assistive technology to enhance their quality of life. Assistive technology such as prosthetics, wheelchairs, and hearing aids are used by veterans to improve their hearing, mobility, and other functional limitations.

Assistive technology can be costly, but veterans who are covered by the federal government do not need to worry about costs, provided they fill out the proper paperwork. The only payments that must be made by covered veterans are co-payments for the technician's time.

While the federal government provides assistive technology resources and services for veterans, the rules concerning assistive technology are unclear and inconsistent between service-related and non-service related injuries and illnesses. For example, prosthetics and rehabilitative devices are treated the same between service and non-service veterans with both being completely covered by the federal government. However, adaptive equipment for vehicles and vocational training are available only for veterans with service-related injuries, leading to confusion for veterans. In addition, there are inconsistencies based upon type of injury. For instance, veterans with spinal cord injuries can obtain a computer through vocational training or as part of an environmental control unit, but they cannot obtain a computer solely as a rehabilitative device. The services available are inconsistent from region to region and center to center with stronger, more knowledgeable directors being able to obtain services other centers cannot.

Another problem is access to assistive technology for veterans. To obtain the services and resources available to them, veterans need to visit a military or veteran’s medical center for medical review, followed by a visit to a center specializing in providing the type of assistive technology they need. This bureaucratic requirement creates a major problem for veterans who reside in rural areas where there is little or no access to veteran services. In these areas, veterans have two options - either travel to the existing military and veteran sites or use local medical and assistive technology services. However, if veterans choose to use local services, the federal government does not cover the costs. While the federal government does contract out some of its work with a few private sector organizations and has established some community-based outpatient clinics, it is impossible for veteran services to cover all of the rural areas.

The waiting period for veterans to obtain services and assistive technology also varies depending upon the region they reside in and the type of injury. Some of the sites have a high volume of veterans requesting services, which increases the wait time for assistive technology. In other cases, the type of injury and the specialization needed extends the wait. For example, a veteran who is blind can receive assistive technology and training at seven centers under the VA system throughout the nation. However, due to the demand and the few numbers of sites, a blind veteran may wait up to nine months to receive assistance.

Back to Top