Did your approved state plan for this reporting period include any State Financing? | No |
---|---|
Did your approved state plan for this reporting period include conducting a Financial Loan Program? | No |
How many other state financing activities that provide consumers with access to funds for the purchase of AT devices and services were included in your approved state plan? | 00 |
---|
How many state financing activities that allow consumers to obtain AT at a reduced cost were included in your approved state plan? | 00 |
---|
Response | Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed | Total | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Education | Employment | Community Living | ||
1. Could only afford the AT through the AT program. | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 |
2. AT was only available through the AT program. | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 |
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long. | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 |
4. Subtotal | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 |
5. None of the above | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 |
6. Subtotal | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 |
7. Nonrespondent | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 |
8. Total | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 |
9. Performance on this measure | NaN% | NaN% | NaN% |
Customer Rating of Services | Number of Customers | Percent |
---|---|---|
Highly satisfied | 00 | NaN% |
Satisfied | 00 | NaN% |
Satisfied somewhat | 00 | NaN% |
Not at all satisfied | 00 | NaN% |
Nonrespondent | 00 | NaN% |
Total Surveyed | 00 | |
Response rate % | NaN% |
Activity | Number of Individuals Receiving a Device from Activity |
---|---|
A. Device Exchange | 00 |
B. Device Refurbish/Repair - Reassign and/or Open Ended Loan | 1,839 |
C. Total | 1,839 |
Performance Measure | |
---|---|
D. Device Exchange - Excluded from Performance Measure | 00 |
E. Reassignment/Refurbishment and Repair and Open Ended Loans - Excluded from Performance Measure because AT is provided to or on behalf of an entity that has an obligation to provide the AT such as schools under IDEA or VR agencies/clients | 00 |
F. Number of Individuals Included in Performance Measures | 1,839 |
If a number is reported in E you must provide a description of the reason the individuals are excluded from the performance measure:
Type of AT Device | Number of Devices Exchanged | Total Estimated Current Purchase Price | Total Price for Which Device(s) Were Exchanged | Savings to Consumers |
---|---|---|---|---|
Vision | 00 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Hearing | 00 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Speech Communication | 00 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Learning, Cognition and Developmental | 00 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Mobility, Seating and Positioning | 00 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Daily Living | 00 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Environmental Adaptations | 00 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Vehicle Modification & Transportation | 00 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Computers and Related | 00 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Recreation, Sports and Leisure | 00 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Total | 00 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Type of AT Device | Number of Devices Reassigned/Refurbished and Repaired | Total Estimated Current Purchase Price | Total Price for Which Device(s) Were Sold | Savings to Consumers |
---|---|---|---|---|
Vision | 206 | $67,493 | $0 | $67,493 |
Hearing | 08 | $1,684 | $0 | $1,684 |
Speech Communication | 24 | $20,338 | $0 | $20,338 |
Learning, Cognition and Developmental | 195 | $7,375 | $0 | $7,375 |
Mobility, Seating and Positioning | 769 | $221,476 | $0 | $221,476 |
Daily Living | 592 | $104,443 | $0 | $104,443 |
Environmental Adaptations | 29 | $725 | $0 | $725 |
Vehicle Modification & Transportation | 00 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Computers and Related | 98 | $12,903 | $0 | $12,903 |
Recreation, Sports and Leisure | 26 | $3,747 | $0 | $3,747 |
Total | 1,947 | $440,184 | $0 | $440,184 |
Several of the Tennessee Technology Access Program (TTAP) partnering AT centers provide adapted toys throughout the year and host annual toy events each December. The 2018 adapted toy giveaway hosted in southeast TN had a great turnout! Many community members including employees of a local Komatsu factory, occupational & physical therapy students from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and Lions Club members donated additional toys to the program and helped adapt them with instruction from AT center staff. All toys were adapted so recipients can use an external switch that suits their abilities to play independently. Purchasing pre-adapted toys and switches can be expensive, often prohibiting families from acquiring the items on their own. The AT center has created several of their own switch designs made at a fraction of the cost of commercially available switches. The AT center gave away over 140 adapted toys and capability switches as part of the event. For some children, a switch and adapted toy become the first opportunity to control something in their environment independently. These simple toys act as ambassadors for assistive technology, fostering the development of skills necessary for communication and educational opportunities.
Response | Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed | Total | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Education | Employment | Community Living | ||
1. Could only afford the AT through the AT program. | 58 | 29 | 1,492 | 1,579 |
2. AT was only available through the AT program. | 66 | 03 | 16 | 85 |
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long. | 10 | 04 | 65 | 79 |
4. Subtotal | 134 | 36 | 1,573 | 1,743 |
5. None of the above | 06 | 06 | 84 | 96 |
6. Subtotal | 140 | 42 | 1,657 | 1,839 |
7. Nonrespondent | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 |
8. Total | 140 | 42 | 1,657 | 1,839 |
9. Performance on this measure | 95.71% | 85.71% | 94.93% |
Customer Rating of Services | Number of Customers | Percent |
---|---|---|
Highly satisfied | 1,803 | 98.04% |
Satisfied | 30 | 1.63% |
Satisfied somewhat | 00 | 0% |
Not at all satisfied | 00 | 0% |
Nonrespondent | 06 | 0.33% |
Total Surveyed | 1,839 | |
Response rate % | 99.67% |
Primary Purpose of Short-Term Device Loan | Number |
---|---|
Assist in decision-making (device trial or evaluation) | 249 |
Serve as loaner during service repair or while waiting for funding | 09 |
Provide an accommodation on a short-term basis for a time-limited event/situation | 32 |
Conduct training, self-education or other professional development activity | 21 |
Total | 311 |
Type of Individual or Entity | Number of Device Borrowers |
---|---|
Individuals with Disabilities | 192 |
Family Members, Guardians, and Authorized Representatives | 38 |
Representative of Education | 33 |
Representative of Employment | 02 |
Representatives of Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation | 20 |
Representatives of Community Living | 14 |
Representatives of Technology | 12 |
Total | 311 |
Length of Short-Term Device Loan in Days | 30 |
---|
Type of AT Device | Number |
---|---|
Vision | 92 |
Hearing | 17 |
Speech Communication | 41 |
Learning, Cognition and Developmental | 47 |
Mobility, Seating and Positioning | 31 |
Daily Living | 66 |
Environmental Adaptations | 26 |
Vehicle Modification and Transportation | 00 |
Computers and Related | 65 |
Recreation, Sports and Leisure | 25 |
Total | 410 |
Tennessee received and inquiry from an individual needing assistance for her father after his recent heart attack. Complications made it difficult for him to leave the house to get in the car to go to the doctor’ s office and other necessary places. She desperately needed a transport chair as a short-term accommodation. Within 24 hours, the AT center provided her a loaner wheelchair to assist with her father’s mobility needs. The daughter was tremendously grateful and expressed the following quote: "Thanks for loaning a transport chair to help transport my dad to and from the doctor and other places. My dad recently had a heart attack and it was difficult for me to get him into a vehicle. I was skeptical about using your loaner program. Honestly, I thought that it was not beneficial to people who had temporary disabilities. I was wrong. Thank you."
Response | Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed | Total | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Education | Employment | Community Living | ||
Decided that AT device/service will meet needs | 37 | 13 | 126 | 176 |
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs | 02 | 04 | 19 | 25 |
Subtotal | 39 | 17 | 145 | 201 |
Have not made a decision | 19 | 01 | 19 | 39 |
Subtotal | 58 | 18 | 164 | 240 |
Nonrespondent | 03 | 04 | 02 | 09 |
Total | 61 | 22 | 166 | 249 |
Performance on this measure | 67.24% | 94.44% | 88.41% |
Response | Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed | Total | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Education | Employment | Community Living | ||
1. Could only afford the AT through the AT program. | 11 | 00 | 20 | 31 |
2. AT was only available through the AT program. | 11 | 02 | 08 | 21 |
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long. | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 |
4. Subtotal | 22 | 03 | 30 | 55 |
5. None of the above | 00 | 01 | 05 | 06 |
6. Subtotal | 22 | 04 | 35 | 61 |
7. Nonrespondent | 01 | 00 | 00 | 01 |
8. Total | 23 | 04 | 35 | 62 |
9. Performance on this measure | 100% | 75% | 85.71% |
Customer Rating of Services | Number of Customers | Percent |
---|---|---|
Highly satisfied | 265 | 85.21% |
Satisfied | 25 | 8.04% |
Satisfied somewhat | 04 | 1.29% |
Not at all satisfied | 04 | 1.29% |
Nonrespondent | 13 | 4.18% |
Total Surveyed | 311 | |
Response rate % | 95.82% |
Type of AT Device / Service | Number of Demonstrations of AT Devices / Services |
---|---|
Vision | 264 |
Hearing | 13 |
Speech Communication | 10 |
Learning, Cognition and Developmental | 13 |
Mobility, Seating and Positioning | 26 |
Daily Living | 89 |
Environmental Adaptations | 01 |
Vehicle Modification and Transportation | 00 |
Computers and Related | 62 |
Recreation, Sports and Leisure | 03 |
Total # of Devices Demonstrated | 481 |
Type of Participant | Number of Participants in Device Demonstrations |
---|---|
Individuals with Disabilities | 365 |
Family Members, Guardians, and Authorized Representatives | 190 |
Representatives of Education | 35 |
Representatives of Employment | 05 |
Health, Allied Health, Rehabilitation | 67 |
Representative of Community Living | 18 |
Representative of Technology | 00 |
Total | 680 |
Type of Entity | Number of Referrals |
---|---|
Funding Source (non-AT program) | 100 |
Service Provider | 130 |
Vendor | 148 |
Repair Service | 18 |
Others | 00 |
Total | 396 |
In March 2019, one of TTAP’s partnering AT centers in southeast TN received an inquiry from an 83 year old woman losing her vision as a result of macular degeneration. Her declining vision made maintaining her independence more difficult, and she visited the center for demonstrations of AT to her regain those freedoms. The AT center’s rehabilitation engineer showed her various assistive phones, but she preferred to continue using her iPhone. The AT center staff showed her how to enable the Voiceover screen reader on her iPhone. She responded well to using Voiceover, which reads aloud information on the phone so that it is accessible for an individual with low vision. The center staff gave her a crash course in using the application and expressed that she was welcome to call at any time if needing more assistance. While at the center, staff also installed the BARD reading program on her iPad (with Voiceover enables) to provide her with access to titles from the Tennessee Library for the Blind. Demonstrations of other magnifying and reading devices occurred during the visit. Through this process, she determined after trying several wearable magnifiers that they did not suit her needs. However, she decided that a wearable camera and speaker system (OrCam) was beneficial. The system detects the when an individual points to a passage if text, such as a paragraph in a book, a sign mounted on the wall, or a menu. The camera takes a picture, the system processes the image and then the text is read aloud through an earpiece. She found this technology very exciting. The AT center staff provided her family the vendor’s contact information so she could explore acquiring a device of her own. The technology will help her continue doing things that she loves independently.
Response | Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed | Total | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Education | Employment | Community Living | ||
Decided that AT device/service will meet needs | 40 | 27 | 259 | 326 |
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs | 03 | 04 | 20 | 27 |
Subtotal | 43 | 31 | 279 | 353 |
Have not made a decision | 17 | 03 | 81 | 101 |
Subtotal | 60 | 34 | 360 | 454 |
Nonrespondent | 12 | 00 | 15 | 27 |
Total | 72 | 34 | 375 | 481 |
Performance on this measure | 59.72% | 91.18% | 74.4% |
Customer Rating of Services | Number of Customers | Percent |
---|---|---|
Highly satisfied | 525 | 77.21% |
Satisfied | 66 | 9.71% |
Satisfied somewhat | 07 | 1.03% |
Not at all satisfied | 05 | 0.74% |
Nonrespondent | 77 | 11.32% |
Total | 680 | |
Response rate % | 88.68% |
Response | Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed | Total | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Education | Employment | Community Living | ||
1. Could only afford the AT through the AT program. | 69 | 29 | 1,512 | 1,610 |
2. AT was only available through the AT program. | 77 | 05 | 24 | 106 |
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long. | 10 | 05 | 67 | 82 |
4. Subtotal | 156 | 39 | 1,603 | 1,798 |
5. None of the above | 06 | 07 | 89 | 102 |
6. Subtotal | 162 | 46 | 1,692 | 1,900 |
7. Nonrespondent | 01 | 00 | 00 | 01 |
8. Total | 163 | 46 | 1,692 | 1,901 |
9. Performance on this measure | 90.12% | 73.91% | 90.78% | 90.32% |
ACL Performance Measure | 85% | |||
Met/Not Met | Met |
Response | Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed | Total | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Education | Employment | Community Living | ||
Decided that AT device/service will meet needs | 77 | 40 | 385 | 502 |
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs | 05 | 08 | 39 | 52 |
Subtotal | 82 | 48 | 424 | 554 |
Have not made a decision | 36 | 04 | 100 | 140 |
Subtotal | 118 | 52 | 524 | 694 |
Nonrespondent | 15 | 04 | 17 | 36 |
Total | 133 | 56 | 541 | 730 |
Performance on this measure | 63.08% | 92.31% | 78.66% | 76.84% |
ACL Performance Measure | 90% | |||
Met/Not Met | Not Met |
Customer Rating of Services | Percent | ACL Target | Met/Not Met |
---|---|---|---|
Highly satisfied and satisfied | 99.27% | 95% | Met |
Response Rate | 96.61% | 90% | Met |
Type of Participant | Number |
---|---|
Individuals with Disabilities | 441 |
Family Members, Guardians and Authorized Representatives | 148 |
Representatives of Education | 237 |
Representatives of Employment | 47 |
Rep Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation | 79 |
Representatives of Community Living | 91 |
Representatives of Technology | 24 |
Unable to Categorize | 19 |
TOTAL | 1,086 |
Metro | Non Metro | Unknown | TOTAL |
---|---|---|---|
1,020 | 50 | 16 | 1,086 |
Primary Topic of Training | Participants |
---|---|
AT Products/Services | 706 |
AT Funding/Policy/ Practice | 65 |
Combination of any/all of the above | 71 |
Information Technology/Telecommunication Access | 240 |
Transition | 04 |
Total | 1,086 |
Describe innovative one high-impact assistance training activity conducted during the reporting period:
In January of 2019, the Tennessee Technology Access Program’s East Tennessee partnering assistive technology (AT) center conducted a training for the Center for Literacy, Education, and Employment at the University of Tennessee. This event brought service providers to AT center. Many of the participants had never been to the AT center and were unaware of the extensive technology available to enhance the opportunities of individuals with disabilities. Training consisted of demonstrations by staff and hands-on experience with durable medical equipment, devices for low vision, communication devices and innovation for greater mobility. The goal of the training was to equip participants with an improved understanding of how technology can be a very effective strategy and/or solution to assist individuals with disabilities complete tasks they could not do otherwise. The outcome of the training included providers having an increased knowledge of AT and being better equipped to make referrals for technology evaluations in the future to help customers reach their goals.
Breifly describe one training activity related to transition conducted during the reporting period:
In June the Tennessee Technology Access Program (TTAP) partnering assistive technology (AT) center in southeast TN hosted ChatterCamp for the fourth year. This is an intensive week-long program for nonverbal children using an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device to communicate. During ChatterCamp, every student uses an AAC device and large gains in individual performance are achieved between the synergistic combination of peer interaction and intensive modeling. As ChatterCamp is held in summer, all the students are transitioning between grades, with some of them transitioning between schools based on their ages. The steps the children take toward improved effective communication facilitate their ability to share needs, wants, independent thoughts, questions and goals. All the gains are important to increasing their independence as transitioning to the next steps of their education and more independent lives. During the camp, AT center staff worked with 16 children. The theme of the camp revolved around transportation. In addition to working on the verbal communication, each student wrote (using their devices) several sentences about the events of the day. In this way, not only are AT staff teaching them to use their AAC devices for "spoken" communication and conversation, but also teaching them how to use the devices for written communication (e.g. subject verb agreement, sentence structure, etc. Each individual story with pictures of the time that they spent at camp, narrated in their own words, was sent home with them at the end of the week. As the week progressed, participants were observed initiating conversations with their devices and parents reported some children requesting their devices to communicate which they had not done previously.
Breifly describe one training activity related to Information and Communication Technology accessibility:
The Tennessee Technology Access Program’s (TTAP) partnering assistive technology (AT) center that serving southeast Tennessee hosted their first Accessible Technology Summit event as part of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) in collaboration with corporate sponsors. GAAD was celebrate on May 16th, 2019, as a global initiative to get everyone talking, thinking and learning about digital access and inclusion. The Accessible Technology Summit provided over 176 participants the opportunity to attend four breakout sessions and the keynote presentation by Haben Girma, the first Deaf-Blind graduate from Harvard Law school. The Accessible Technology Summit creates a forum for individuals with disabilities and professionals in human resource (HR), information technology (IT), marketing, web design, and education to network with experts in the AT industry. The breakout sessions provided training on accessible documents, accessible web design, and accessibility options in the workplace. Each session was taught by a local business or organization professional, with AT center staff present to support each breakout session. Each breakout sessions was held twice to allow attendees an opportunity to attend two different sessions. Feedback from participants was very positive. One attendee commented: “the breadth of attendees, particularly for a first-year summit, tells me not just our community, but the region, is -hungry- for events and opportunities like these. I am thrilled the AT center took this on, and I think Chattanooga through the TTAP program has an opportunity to put a flag in the ground, saying that accessibility, equity and inclusion are core tenets of what it means to be Gig City.”
Outcome/Result From IT/Telecommunications Training Received | Number |
---|---|
IT and Telecommunications Procurement or Dev Policies | 44 |
Training or Technique Assistance will be developed or implemented | 20 |
No known outcome at this time | 22 |
Nonrespondent | 154 |
Total | 240 |
Performance Measure Percentage | 26.7% |
ACL Target Percentage | 70% |
Met/Not Met | Not Met |
The ICT performance measure was not much, as a large portion of this ICT training for the year occurred at the Accessible Technology Summit referenced in the ICT anecdote. The AT center sent out the surveys necessary for data collection electronically after the conclusion of the event. The response rate of the surveys was very low, significantly contributing the unmet ICT performance measure. Guidance was provided to the centers to gather surveys at the time of the event to ensure more data is collected, particularly if hosting a large event again in the future.
Education | 24.9% |
---|---|
Employment | 3.29% |
Health, Allied Health, Rehabilitation | 3.35% |
Community Living | 13.34% |
Technology (IT, Telecom, AT) | 55.06% |
Total | 99.94% |
Describe Innovative one high-impact assistance activity that is not related to transition:
The Tennessee Technology Access Program’s (TTAP) east Tennessee partnering assistive technology (AT) center provided technical assistance to an area American Job Center (AJC) requesting a review of the computer lab accessibility and guidance for improvements to maximize the usability for individuals of all ages, backgrounds and abilities applying for jobs. The inquiry for assistance was initially prompted as a result of an individual with vison loss asking the AJC about use of a screen reader. The AT center staff provided input on ways to help those applying for jobs do so more independently while using the Jobs4TN software. AT center staff provided feedback to ensure individuals could fully participate in other job-seeking workshops and activities. Among other suggestions, the AT center made a basic recommendation of adding a larger monitor to at least one computer with more ideas to incorporate in the future. Working collaboratively with the Disability Resource Coordinator, the AT c
Breifly describe one technical assistance activity related to transition conducted during the reporting period:
Describe in detail at least one and no more than two innovative or high-impact public awareness activities conducted during this reporting period. Highlight the content/focus of the awareness information shared, the mechanism used to disseminate or communicate the awareness information, the numbers and/or types of individuals reached, and positive outcomes resulting from the activity. If quantative numbers are available regarding the reach of the activity, please provide those: however, quantative data is not required.
1. On September 6, 2019, TTAP’s southeast assistive technology (AT) center participated in the “Living alone with Alzheimer’s” conference. The theme of this conference focused on reaching community leaders and support services to assist individuals living with Alzheimer’s who live alone without the support system of close family. The event was attended by over 65 individuals. Amongst the vendors as the conference, the AT center provided the only information related to assistive technology at the event. Many individuals visited the booth to ask questions and learn more about AT, providing center staff the opportunity to inform individuals and professionals about the TTAP program. The AT center staff demonstrated tools to help maintain independence, such as digital organizers and memory aids. The AT staff also showed several pieces of technology not specifically related to executive functioning and memory loss, such as magnification and hearing alert systems. Many people have coexisting disabilities in addition to Alzheimer’s that could limit their independence. The AT center gave an hour-long presentation on the use of digital assistance from items such as Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Apple’s Siri to increase independence as well. These tools can help with memory functions (reminding someone to take medicine or letting a person know what events are have planned for the day), executive functioning (making a grocery list, planning an event, setting an alarm to go off every morning, structuring data), and controlling devices such as the lights and thermostats.
2.
Types of Recipients | AT Device/ Service |
AT Funding | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Individuals with Disabilities | 611 | 114 | 725 |
Family Members, Guardians and Authorized Representatives | 393 | 92 | 485 |
Representative of Education | 142 | 04 | 146 |
Representative of Employment | 27 | 01 | 28 |
Representative of Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation | 461 | 15 | 476 |
Representative of Community Living | 116 | 01 | 117 |
Representative of Technology | 03 | 00 | 03 |
Unable to Categorize | 09 | 00 | 09 |
Total | 1,762 | 227 | 1,989 |
State improvement outcomes are not required. You may report up to two MAJOR state improvement outcomes for this reporting period. How many will you be reporting? | 00 |
---|
1. In one or two sentences, describe the outcome. Be as specific as possible about exactly what changed during this reporting period as a result of the AT program's initiative.
2. In one or two sentences, describe the written policies, practices, and procedures that have been developed and implemented as a result of the AT program's initiative. Include information about how to obtain the full documents, such as a Web site address or e-mail address of a contact person, but do not include the full documents here. (If there are no written polices, practices and procedures, explain why.)
3. What was the primary area of impact for this state improvement outcome?
1. In one or two sentences, describe the outcome. Be as specific as possible about exactly what changed during this reporting period as a result of the AT program's initiative.
2. In one or two sentences, describe the written policies, practices, and procedures that have been developed and implemented as a result of the AT program's initiative. Include information about how to obtain the full documents, such as a Web site address or e-mail address of a contact person, but do not include the full documents here. (If there are no written polices, practices and procedures, explain why.)
3. What was the primary area of impact for this state improvement outcome?
Did you have Additional and Leveraged Funding to Report? | No |
---|
Fund Source | Amount | Use of Funds |
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Fund Source | Amount | Use of Funds | Individuals Served | Other Outcome |
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Center for Assistive Technology Act Data Assistance . Saved: Mon Mar 09 2020 08:49:27 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time)