Illinois Assistive Technology Program · 2018-06-14 · my girlfriend’s dirty looks every time I could not hear her.” ... my nerves on end. Trips to stores are still difficult,

2017 Annual Report

Illinois Assistive Technology Program

Horacio EsparzaPRESIDENT

Rita HowellsVICE PRESIDENT

Brian Dowd TREASURER

Cecile PerezSECRETARY

Rusty Dean

Barbara Doyle

LuAnn Hickman

David Perez

In Memory

Board of Directors

It is with great sadness that we say goodbye

to our friend and board member, LaKeatha

Hatchett. LaKeatha died unexpectedly on

July 27, 2017.

LaKeatha worked for the Department of Human

Services, Division of Rehabilitation Services, and

was respected and loved by her co-workers.

She was a wonderful daughter, sibling, niece,

cousin and friend to many different people.

But the life LaKeatha most loved was being

mother to LeBreah who died March 31, 2016

at age 9. LaBreah, who had cerebral palsy responded to her mom and did things for

her that even the most experienced teachers and therapists could not get her to do.

They had a bond that was evident to all who knew them.

IATP will greatly miss LaKeatha for not only the knowledge and personal experience she

brought to our board, but also for her calming presence and wonderful smile.

Low Vision FairIATP partnered with the Mary Bryant Home, DHS/DRS/BBS, Talking Books and Braille Center and the Lions Club to host the Low Vision Fair which is held in Springfield. This year there were over 200 participants, 27 vendors and 3 speakers. The speakers included an FBI community outreach coordinator who educated attendees about fraud, an ophthalmologist who spoke about macular degeneration, and a policy coordinator who spoke about communicating with legislatures.

Educators Open HouseIATP welcomed close to 70 educators from throughout the state to tour our state-of-the-art demonstration center. Educators travelled from all corners of the state for this event. In addition to having hands-on experience with both low and high tech devices, our visitors were offered the opportunity to learn how to make workable switches using simple materials.

Shred for BreadShred for Bread is a company-wide program through Great Lakes Caring where employees are encouraged to shred any confidential patient documentation they no longer need. The top three branches with the highest percentage of participation receive the “bread” – a cash donation to a local nonprofit organization of their choice. IATP was honored to be chosen as the recipient of a $500 donation as a “thank you” for providing equipment to patients who would otherwise be unable to afford it.

Switch-Making ClassesThree IATP staff members visited Camp Create and learned how to make switches. They came back with the knowledge and enthusiasm to teach their own classes. They offer 2 switch classes, one that uses a battery inter-rupter switch and one with a mono switch. No soldering is involved and simple materials are used, such as CD cases, playing cards and even toys from the dollar store. Attendees include Occupational Therapists, students, Special Education Teachers and others. In FY ‘17, 61 individuals participated in switch-making classes.

2017 Highlights

Jane was visiting IATP’s Demonstration Center with a post-

polio support group when she spotted a ball pit in the sensory

room. She commented that she had always wanted to play in

one. We crossed one thing off of her bucket list. The joy on her

face spoke more than words could have ever said. It’s never

too late to try something new.

IATP’s Demonstration Center features 8 rooms that include an

accessible bathroom, bedroom and kitchen. Visitors can see

examples of assistive technology and home modifications such

as a roll in shower, overhead track system and pull down kitchen

cabinets.

Guided tours are provided with hands on demonstrations that

allow participants the opportunity to compare the features and

benefits of devices, enabling them to make informed choices

about whether a device would or would not meet their needs.

Last year, 1,925 individuals participated in 996 Demonstrations.

Demonstration

AT at Play

15770

820279

58

216

102 16185

1948 Devices Loaned

157 Vision 70 Hearing

820 Aug. Com. 279 Learning, Development

58 Mobility 216 Daily Living

102 Environ. Adapt. 161 Computers & Related

85 Recreation

The Device Loan Program provides short term

(5 week) loans of Assistive Technology devices

to individuals with disabilities, family members,

professionals and others. The devices are used

at home, in schools and in the community. The

program allows potential technology users the

opportunity to try out devices to ensure that it is a

good “fit” prior to purchase, to use as a back up,

or to use while awaiting funding. In FY ‘17, a total

of 1,948 devices were loaned to 1,479 borrowers.

Device Loan

A grant through the Illinois State Board of Education

(ISBE) has made it possible for IATP to purchase

additional devices and make them available to

Illinois school districts. In FY ‘17, 863 devices

were provided to 152 school districts in 54 Illinois

counties.

AT at Play

Laura Dill has borrowed many different switch

activated toys for her son. He is a 6 year old with

a traumatic brain injury.

Laura recently borrowed the Mini Popper and the

day after she received it, she sent the following

message and picture.

“I have borrowed a number of toys from your

organization for my son to play with. The one we

received yesterday is by far the best yet! I thought

you might get a kick out of seeing how much he

likes this one!!! He was smiling and talking.

Thanks again for this service. It allows us access

to toys he would not otherwise get to enjoy!”

“IATP has been outstanding in

providing my mother with the

equipment necessary for her to

keep her dignity and her most

valuable asset, her independ-

ence. They have provided a

talking watch, a CCTV and a

lift chair to help my mother to

continue to function as normal

a life style as possible. The

lift chair was support that

was never expected, but has

been the most valuable piece

of equipment that my mother

could have been given. As you

can see by the picture, she

is very happy with the chair

and what it can do to make

her life much easier. Without

this program, many people

would have to give up their

lives as they know it and go

to assistive living even when

they could continue to live in

their homes with Assistive

Technology.”

~Deborah~

Sherry spent 9 months in a rehab

facility following a stroke. She she

could not return home until she could

access the only bathroom which was

on the second floor. A desperate call

was made to IATP’s Reuse Program. Fortunately, a stairlift had

been donated to the agency and was installed before Sherry’s

release date. She is living independently in her own home.

Assistive Technology Reutilization is a program that receives

assistive technology that is no longer being used and transfers it

to someone in need. The exchanges can be used for short term

(while a patient is recovering from in injury or illness) or as an open

ended loan where recipients can keep them as long as needed.

In FY ‘17, consumers received 706 devices from the Reutilization

Program resulting in a savings of over $310,000.

Reutilization AT at Home

AT at Home

Steve has worked with the AT LOAN$ Program on 3

separate occasions for hearing aids. He is a man with

adorable grand kids and a grand dog named Reese.

When Steve completed the data collection survey, he

indicated that the primary purpose for the loan was

community living. He added a note that said, “I got tired of

my girlfriend’s dirty looks every time I could not hear her.”

He added that he needs to be able to hear his grandkids

call him “Grandpa”. He also said that he would rate the

services he received at 4 stars plus. He said “Wanda and

her staff are great.”

IATP AT LOAN$

Lisa was the victim of a brutal beating when a man approached her in front of her home and put a gun in her face. She suffered repeated blows to her head and later had multiple surgeries for an injury to her elbow. The attacker was later arrested.

As a result of the attack, Lisa suf-fers with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). She went through the Loan Program as a means to purchase her service dog (Hazel) and pay for the asso-ciated training.

Lisa wrote, “Hazel has made such a difference in my life and pro-vides comfort when I am triggered by any number of things that set my nerves on end. Trips to stores are still difficult, but now I don’t cry, or feel ill. She provides a physical barrier when I am uncomfortable with strange people, and gives me physical comfort when I am upset. She can sense when someone is making me uneasy and helps me deal with the unease and panic.”

“I can’t find the words to fully ex-press my thanks and gratitude for your help in bringing Hazel into my life.”

As a direct lender, IATP makes loans to qualified individuals

with disabilities and their families for assistive technology

and limited home modifications. Credit builder loans for AT

are available to help individuals with disabilities with no or

poor credit on the path to establishing good credit.

A total of 45 applications were reviewed in FY ‘17 resulting

in 13 approved loans for a total of $232,383.

AT in the Community

AT in the Community

Fast Track is the open ended loan program for DHS/DRS Vocational Rehabilitation customers. The program allows the Assistive Specialists trial AT with customers when doing an evaluation. If the AT is appropriate, the customer can keep the equipment the day of the evaluation, eliminating delays that can occur while waiting for equipment to be ordered and delivered. In FY ‘17, the Fast Track Program provided 1,258 devices to 421 customers, saving the State of Illinois $316,267.

AT at School

AT at Work

Andrew (shown at right) is a 20 year old man who is a person with autism and attention deficit disorder. He is pictured learning to use a Livescribe 3 smart pen which will assist him with his college studies. He is working toward becoming a certified Cisco network associate.

Evaluation

Fast Track

Assistive Technology Specialists (ATS) provide assistive technology evaluation, training and techni-cal support to customers at home, school or in the workplace. After a customer referral is made by a vocational counselor, ATS staff identify assistive technology needs, provide either recommendations for home modifications and/or training on adaptive technology and software.In FY ‘17, ATS staff provided 173 evaluations and 198 technical assist sessions to customers.

Richard is a 31 year old man who has been utiliz-ing IATP AT evaluation and training services to help boost his skills with low vision/blind software pro-grams and to help him retain his job with the federal government. He is pictured with some of his AT which includes a CCTV and the JAWS screen reader.

K-12 Assessment

Michael is a 7 year old boy who has a medical diagnosis of Autism. He entered kindergarten class as a nonverbal student. Through an augmentative evaluation and trial conducted in conjunction with the school speech pathologist and IATP in the spring of 2016, a NOVA Chat 8 communi-cation device was recommended. Michael took to the device with great enthusiasm; instantly navigating the pathways to relay his needs and wants. Michael received his own personal NOVA Chat 8 in the summer of 2016 and has not looked back. He communicates his personal thoughts effectively to peers and staff alike, not to mention completing aca-demics by way of reading, math and content areas. Michael’s use of his NOVA Chat 8 has also led to the promotion of some verbal expression. This speech generating device will continue to offer him endless opportunities for growth not only in communication, but across all realms of education as well as socialization within the community.

Through a grant from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), IATP provides Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and Assistive Technology (AT) Evaluations for K-12 students throughout Illinois. In FY ‘17, a total of 148 evaluations were completed which included 105 AAC and 43 AT.In addition to evaluation service, staff also provide AAC/AT in-service trainings and presentations for school districts and universities.

Kaitlyn is an 11 year old in the 6th grade. She has Cereb ra l Pa lsy and a visual impair-ment. Kaitlyn loves to spend time with her friends and participate in the same activities as her peers. Fine motor tasks are difficult for Kaitlyn and writing has become especially challenging as assignments are lengthier. IATP’s assessment introduced a handheld video magnifier which pro-vides a variety of contrasts from which to choose. She responded positively to this tool immedi-ately. She has access to a desktop CCTV at school, but is very self-conscious using it around her classmates. It also difficult to transport from room to room. Using text-to-speech with dual-high-lighting engaged allows her to track reading material without losing her place. Perhaps the most exciting piece for Kaitlyn was the use of speech recognition as an alternative writing method. Her

introduction was successful and she immediately recognized its benefits. As she moves forward in school, Kaitlyn will be able to use her voice to keep pace with lengthy written work. She is a motivated young user of AT on her way to becom-ing successful and independent in her academic environment.

AT at School

IATP provides trainings on Information Communication Technology (ICT) Accessibility to promote Universal Design: one device, one webpage, one document, that everyone can use. As society becomes more and more dependent on web-based applications and software for access to information it is critical that both public and private agencies understand the importance of developing applications that integrate accessibility into the initial design. IATP provides accessibility audits on websites and web-based applications and digital documents like PDF, Word and PowerPoint. The tools IATP utilizes when conducting ICT trainings are the Web Consortium Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 with Success Criteria AA, and the Illinois Information Technology Accessibility Act, Web Accessibility Standards. In FY’ 17, IATP trained 474 individuals in the development and implementation of accessibility of Information Communication Technology.

Information Communication Technology

Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA)IATP administers the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance Program (WIPA) grant in Illinois. The grant is funded through the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Illinois De-partment of Human Services, Division of Rehabilitation Services (DHS/DRS). The program helps individuals receiving Social Se-curity Disability Insurance (SSDI) make informed choices about how employment can affect benefits. The WIPA Program currently provides Social Security Work Incentives services to all 102 coun-ties in Illinois. Referrals totaled 934 for this year with 682 active Social Security Disability Beneficiaries. WIPA calculated and wrote 354 Benefits Analysis with 352 Work Incentives Plans. The aver-age time spent was 4.48 hours per beneficiary. In addition, 291 of these Benefits Analysis with Work Incentives Plans were written

within 60 days of entering the WIPA Program, and 172 of these SSA Disability Beneficiaries intend to reduce or eliminate Social Security Benefits.

IEP/TransitionIATP’s Education Liaison works with families, students and schools to provide information, advocacy and support for Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and 504 Plans. She also assists college students who need help with accommoda-tions from their college or university and provides information and training on Transition. This free service is available to all families who have a student with any disability in the state of Illinois.

In FY ‘17, the Education Liaison attended 649 IEPmeetings in 130 school districts. The school districts were located in 68 counties throughout Illinois.

In this past school year 230 students or 35.4% of all students worked with through the IEP support program were 14.5 or older and had transition plans. Of this number around 95% also had the need for assistive technology support in some area of their transition plan: education, employ-ment or community living. For some students, specific AT was the reason the family or school requested support.

For other students, the exact need was determined as the transition plan was crafted. Sometimes the need was very apparent in a device that would help the student achieve their goal (Augmentative Communication device, switch for a wheelchair, CCTV or magnifier, laptop or ipad with specific apps or programs such as Speech to Text or Text to Speech). Other times, the need was more subtle such as communication apps or apps that would help in employment such as a calendar or a scheduler or things that might help the student live in the community either with others or indepen-dently (such as device to tell the student when to take medicine or a talking microwave or a cook book that was illustrated or audio).

Whatever the need and wherever the AT would be used, it is very apparent that we live in the technology age and assistive technology is the key that can best help students with disabilities better able to function in the world of education, employment, and community living.

Dominic is nine years old and was born with CHARGE Syndrome which is a genetic disorder.The term CHARGE has to do with the parts of the body that might be impacted such as eyes and ears. Dominic is deaf and uses hearing aids and signs fluently. He is also vision impaired and uses a

telescope to help with some of his work at school. He uses an ipad and is extremely fast at texting. He sometimes enlarges his work using a CCTV. He uses low tech AT also such as a popsicle stick to help him space between words, colored badminton balls in PE that he can better see, and specially lined paper to help him better do his work. Dominic is also on oxygen because he has pulmonary is-sues. Despite his medical challenges he is an amazing young man. He plays Challenger Baseball and is a Special Olympian, this year qualifying to go to State for the first time in the long jump. Perhaps the person who most brings a smile to his face though is his sister Kylie who is one of his biggest supporters and cheerleaders. His IEPs are structured to not only accommodate his needs but also to address how very bright he is and to make sure he continues to make strides academically.

AT at Home / Community / Play / School

This publication was made possible by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living (HHS/ACL). IATP also receives grants from U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA), Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Rehabilitation Services (DHS/DRS), and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the above entities.

Illinois Assistive Technology Program1020 South Spring StreetSpringfield Illinois, 62704217-522-7985 217-522-8067 (fax)www.iltech.org

Noteworthy Numbers in FY ‘17

• 3,912 devices were received by consumers through Device Loan, Fast Track and Reutilization Programs.

• 50,000 individuals were made aware of IATP services through exhibits, media and other means.

• 1,417 participants attended trainings in areas that include AT devices, services, funding and more.

• 479 individuals toured IATP’s demonstration center learning about low and high tech devices.

• IATP was awarded a grant in the amount of $75,000 from the Christopher Reeves Foundation that will be used to build ramps in rural counties.