National Assistive Technology Act Data System

Annual Progress Report - Full Report

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Vermont 2019

General Information

Statewide AT Program (Information to be listed in national State AT Program Directory)

State AT Program Title:

Vermont Assistive Technology Program

State AT Program Title:

State AT Program URL

www.atp.vt.gov

Mailing Address:

NOB 1 North, 280 State Drive

City:

Waterbury

State:

Vermont

Zip Code:

05671

Program Email:

dail.atinfo@vermont.gov

Phone:

802-241-0285

TTY:

802-241-0341

Lead Agency

Agency Name:

Vermont Vocational Rehabilitation

Mailing Address:

HC 2 South 280 State Drive

City:

Waterbury

State:

Vermont

Zip Code:

05671

Program URL:

www.vocrehab.vt.gov

Implementing Entity

Does your Lead Agency contract with an Implementing Entity to carry out the Statewide AT Program on its behalf? (Check if Yes)

Name of Implementing Agency:

Mailing Address:

City

State:

Zip Code:

Program URL:

Program Director and Other Contacts

Program Director for State AT Program (last, first):

Phillip Seiler

Title:

Program Director

Phone:

802-241-0312

E-mail:

phillip.seiler@vermont.gov

Program Director at Lead Agency (last, first):

Title:

Phone:

E-mail:

Primary Contact at Implementing Agency (last, first) - If applicable:

Title:

Phone:

E-mail:

Person Responsible for completing this form if other than Program Director

Name (last, first):

Title:

Phone:

E-mail:

Certifying Representative

Name (last, first):

Diane Dalmasse

Title:

DVR Director

Phone:

802-241-0317

E-mail:

diane.dalmasse@vermont.gov

State Financing

Did your approved state plan for this reporting period include any State Financing?

Yes

Did your approved state plan for this reporting period include conducting a Financial Loan Program?

Yes

Loan Applications
	Metro RUCC 1-3	Non-Metro RUCC 4-9	Total
	Area of Residence		Total
Approved Loan made	09	20	29
Approved Not made	00	00	00
Rejected	00	00	00
Total	09	20	29

2. Income of Applicants to Whom Loans Were Made

Lowest/Highest Incomes
Lowest Income:	$11,556	Highest Income:	$133,000

Average Income
Sum of Incomes	Loans Made	Average Annual Income
$1,389,008	29	$47,897

Number and Percentage of Loans Made to Applicants by Income Range
	$15,000 or Less	$15,001- $30,000	$30,001- $45,000	$45,001- $60,000	$60,001- $75,000	$75,001 or More	Total
	Income Ranges						Total
Number of Loans	04	07	06	01	04	07	29
Percentage of Loans	13.79%	24.14%	20.69%	3.45%	13.79%	24.14%	100%

3. Loan Type

Loan Type
Type of Loan	Number of Loans	Percentage of loans
Revolving Loans	29	100%
Partnership Loans
Without interest buy-down or loan guarantee	00	0%
With interest buy-down only	00	0%
With loan guarantee only	00	0%
With both interest buy-down and loan guarantee	00	0%
Total	29	100%

Loan Type Summary
Type of Loan	Number of Loans	Dollar Value of Loans
Revolving Loans	29	$236,078
Partnership Loans	00	$0
Total	29	$236,078

4. Interest Rates

Interest Rates
Lowest	3%
Highest	3%

Interest Rate Summary
Sum of Interest Rates	Number of Loans Made	Average Interest Rate
87	29	3%

Number of Loans Made by Interest Rate
Interest Rate	Number of loans
0.0% to 2.0%	00
2.1% to 4.0%	29
4.1% to 6.0%	00
6.1% to 8.0%	00
8.1% - 10.0%	00
10.1%-12.0%	00
12.1%-14.0%	00
14.1% +	00
Total	29

5. Types and Dollar Amounts of AT Financed

Types and Dollar Amounts of AT Financed
Type of AT	Number of Devices Financed	Dollar Value of Loans
Vision	00	$0
Hearing	21	$99,472
Speech communication	00	$0
Learning, cognition, and developmental	00	$0
Mobility, seating and positioning	02	$4,218
Daily living	04	$27,698
Environmental adaptations	00	$0
Vehicle modification and transportation	04	$104,690
Computers and related	00	$0
Recreation, sports, and leisure	00	$0
Total	31	$236,078

6. Defaults

Defaults
Number Loans in default	00
Net loss for loans in default	$0

B. State Financing Activities that provide consumers with resources and services that result in the acquisition of AT devices and services

1. Overview of Activities Performed

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?

C. State Financing Activities that Allow Consumers to Obtain AT at Reduced Cost

1. Overview of Activities Performed

How many state financing activities that allow consumers to obtain AT at a reduced cost were included in your approved state plan?

D. Anecdote

I closed a loan on 10/09/2019 for a young gentleman, 42 years old. This gentleman was struggling hearing at his job, at home and was getting very discouraged. His income would not support funding on his own but his dad helped him out by adding himself to his sons loan with us because he believes we are doing a great thing by offering a low rate to help people with their daily living needs. They were both very happy with the process and were impressed with how quickly we could get this closed for them.

Impact Area Education Employment Community Living

I closed a loan for earlier this year for a gentleman , 47 years old. This gentleman needed assisted adapted equipment to communicate through daily life plus working from home and communicating with those while working. He was referred to OCU by Vermont Center For Independent Lending. He was also working with Voc Rehab to see what he could to utilize each organization to minimize his costs. He was able to get a small loan from us that he paired with grants to obtain his adaptive equipment. It was nice to hear that community organizations and partners refer Vermonters to us.

Impact Area Education Employment Community Living

E. Performance Measures

Performance Measures
Response	Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed			Total
Response	Education	Employment	Community Living	Total
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	27	27
6. Subtotal	00	00	27	27
7. Nonrespondent	00	00	02	02
8. Total	00	00	29	29
9. Performance on this measure	NaN%	NaN%	0%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	16	55.17%
Satisfied	13	44.83%
Satisfied somewhat	00	0%
Not at all satisfied	00	0%
Nonrespondent	00	0%
Total Surveyed	29
Response rate %	100%

G. Notes:

Reutilization

Did your approved State Plan for this reporting period included conducting any device reuse activities?

A. Number of Recipients of Reused Devices

Activity	Number of Individuals Receiving a Device from Activity
A. Device Exchange	64
B. Device Refurbish/Repair - Reassign and/or Open Ended Loan	09
C. Total	73

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	73

If a number is reported in E you must provide a description of the reason the individuals are excluded from the performance measure:

B. Device Exchange Activities

Device Exchange
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	01	$495	$0	$495
Hearing	05	$600	$0	$600
Speech Communication	03	$420	$0	$420
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	13	$1,424	$0	$1,424
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	03	$1,300	$325	$975
Daily Living	18	$4,576	$1,300	$3,276
Environmental Adaptations	04	$186	$0	$186
Vehicle Modification & Transportation	00	$0	$0	$0
Computers and Related	15	$2,092	$0	$2,092
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	02	$585	$0	$585
Total	64	$11,678	$1,625	$10,053

C. Device Refurbish/Repair - Reassignment and/or Open Ended Loan Activities

Device Reassign/Repair/Refurbish and/or OEL
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	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	01	$60	$0	$60
Daily Living	04	$235	$0	$235
Environmental Adaptations	00	$0	$0	$0
Vehicle Modification & Transportation	00	$0	$0	$0
Computers and Related	04	$107	$0	$107
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	00	$0	$0	$0
Total	09	$402	$0	$402

D. Anecdote

An AT Exchange customer needed a stair lift for someone living in his home. For about 12 months this individual was not able to get downstairs independently for medical appointments and other daily living needs. The man was able locate an Acorn Stair Lift on the AT Exchange for a reasonable cost. That same week he was able to get professional installation of the stair lift. Because of this successful exchange, the other person living in the home can now descend the stairs independently. And as a result of the exchange, the quality of life and independence has greatly increased for this individual.

Impact Area Education Employment Community Living

E. Performance Measures

Performance Measures
Response	Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed			Total
Response	Education	Employment	Community Living	Total
1. Could only afford the AT through the AT program.	29	02	23	54
2. AT was only available through the AT program.	03	01	12	16
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	32	03	35	70
5. None of the above	00	00	00	00
6. Subtotal	32	03	35	70
7. Nonrespondent	00	03	00	03
8. Total	32	06	35	73
9. Performance on this measure	100%	50%	100%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	71	97.26%
Satisfied	02	2.74%
Satisfied somewhat	00	0%
Not at all satisfied	00	0%
Nonrespondent	00	0%
Total Surveyed	73
Response rate %	100%

G. Notes:

Device Loan

Did your approved State Plan for this reporting period included conducting Short-Term Device Loans?

A. Short-Term Device Loans by Type of Purpose

Loans By Purpose
Primary Purpose of Short-Term Device Loan	Number
Assist in decision-making (device trial or evaluation)	440
Serve as loaner during service repair or while waiting for funding	02
Provide an accommodation on a short-term basis for a time-limited event/situation	21
Conduct training, self-education or other professional development activity	28
Total	491

B. Short-Term Device Loan by Type of Borrower

LOANS By Borrower Type
Type of Individual or Entity	Number of Device Borrowers
Individuals with Disabilities	161
Family Members, Guardians, and Authorized Representatives	57
Representative of Education	129
Representative of Employment	11
Representatives of Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation	89
Representatives of Community Living	21
Representatives of Technology	23
Total	491

C. Length of Short-Term Device Loans

Length of Short-Term Device Loan in Days	30

D. Types of Devices Loaned

Types of Devices Loaned
Type of AT Device	Number
Vision	36
Hearing	95
Speech Communication	42
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	156
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	41
Daily Living	127
Environmental Adaptations	22
Vehicle Modification and Transportation	00
Computers and Related	331
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	20
Total	870

E. Anecdote

A gentleman accessed AT Services through his VocRehab Counselor. He was interested in obtaining his CDL license, but was not confident in taking the test due to his learning disability. He is very intelligent, and very mechanically inclined, but cannot read. The AT Program loaned him a tablet with a text-to-speech app and CDL manual downloaded, and taught him how to use the built in accessibility features for text-to-speech, dictation, and voice assistant. During his 30-day loan he was able to independently study the CDL manual, take notes, and send emails – all of which he was previously unable to do. VocRehab saw the benefit of the AT, and was able to purchase him his own device, a pair of bone conduction headphones for private listening, as well as the apps necessary to read the CDL manual.

Impact Area Education Employment Community Living

F. Access Performance Measures

Access Performance Measures
Response	Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed			Total
Response	Education	Employment	Community Living	Total
Decided that AT device/service will meet needs	123	38	118	279
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs	38	16	46	100
Subtotal	161	54	164	379
Have not made a decision	29	11	09	49
Subtotal	190	65	173	428
Nonrespondent	05	02	05	12
Total	195	67	178	440
Performance on this measure	84.74%	83.08%	94.8%

G. Acquisition Performance Measures

Acquisition Performance Measures
Response	Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed			Total
Response	Education	Employment	Community Living	Total
1. Could only afford the AT through the AT program.	14	01	07	22
2. AT was only available through the AT program.	10	05	02	17
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long.	01	01	01	03
4. Subtotal	25	07	10	42
5. None of the above	01	00	02	03
6. Subtotal	26	07	12	45
7. Nonrespondent	01	01	04	06
8. Total	27	08	16	51
9. Performance on this measure	96.15%	100%	83.33%

H. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	419	85.34%
Satisfied	53	10.79%
Satisfied somewhat	08	1.63%
Not at all satisfied	00	0%
Nonrespondent	11	2.24%
Total Surveyed	491
Response rate %	97.76%

I. Notes:

Device Demonstration

A. Number of Device Demonstrations by Device Type

Type of AT Device / Service	Number of Demonstrations of AT Devices / Services
Vision	05
Hearing	21
Speech Communication	16
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	102
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	06
Daily Living	25
Environmental Adaptations	07
Vehicle Modification and Transportation	00
Computers and Related	61
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	02
Total # of Devices Demonstrated	245

B. Types of Participants

Demonstrations by Participant Type
Type of Participant	Number of Participants in Device Demonstrations
Individuals with Disabilities	212
Family Members, Guardians, and Authorized Representatives	87
Representatives of Education	58
Representatives of Employment	39
Health, Allied Health, Rehabilitation	39
Representative of Community Living	20
Representative of Technology	02
Total	457

C. Number of Referrals

Referrals
Type of Entity	Number of Referrals
Funding Source (non-AT program)	35
Service Provider	91
Vendor	170
Repair Service	00
Others	00
Total	296

D. Anecdote

An attorney that has Cerebral Palsy came to the tryout center seeking more efficient ways to utilize the computer. He has used a head stick for 15 years to type on his computer, and it has been very successful for him. He had a modified station that put the laptop at a better height and angle, in addition to a special holder that allowed him to access his head pointer independently. After years of use though, he was experiencing neckpain. Through a series of demos we explored different desk set ups, voice control, and finally eye gaze. He picked it up extremely quickly, and knew that with practice he’d be able to increase his speed. We worked with IT to purchase the correct hardware and software, had it installed on the computer, and had a few more sessions where we customized layouts with buttons that were the most important to him. Better yet, we set up layouts so that he could access the settings customize the layouts independently.

Impact Area Education Employment Community Living

E. Performance Measures

Performance Measures
Response	Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed			Total
Response	Education	Employment	Community Living	Total
Decided that AT device/service will meet needs	75	59	59	193
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs	01	01	01	03
Subtotal	76	60	60	196
Have not made a decision	22	18	07	47
Subtotal	98	78	67	243
Nonrespondent	00	01	01	02
Total	98	79	68	245
Performance on this measure	77.55%	75.95%	88.24%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	404	88.4%
Satisfied	48	10.5%
Satisfied somewhat	02	0.44%
Not at all satisfied	01	0.22%
Nonrespondent	02	0.44%
Total	457
Response rate %	99.56%

G. Notes:

Overall Performance Measures

Overall Acquisition Performance Measure

Acquisition Performance Measures
Response	Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed			Total
Response	Education	Employment	Community Living	Total
1. Could only afford the AT through the AT program.	43	03	30	76
2. AT was only available through the AT program.	13	06	14	33
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long.	01	01	01	03
4. Subtotal	57	10	45	112
5. None of the above	01	00	29	30
6. Subtotal	58	10	74	142
7. Nonrespondent	01	04	06	11
8. Total	59	14	80	153
9. Performance on this measure	96.55%	69.23%	57.89%	74.15%
ACL Performance Measure				85%
Met/Not Met				Not Met

Overall Access Performance Measure

Access Performance Measures
Response	Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed			Total
Response	Education	Employment	Community Living	Total
Decided that AT device/service will meet needs	198	97	177	472
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs	39	17	47	103
Subtotal	237	114	224	575
Have not made a decision	51	29	16	96
Subtotal	288	143	240	671
Nonrespondent	05	03	06	14
Total	293	146	246	685
Performance on this measure	82.29%	79.17%	92.95%	85.44%
ACL Performance Measure				90%
Met/Not Met				Not Met

Overall Satisfaction Rating

Customer Rating of Services	Percent	ACL Target	Met/Not Met
Highly satisfied and satisfied	98.94%	95%	Met
Response Rate	98.76%	90%	Met

Training

A. Training Participants: Number and Types of Participants; Geographical Distribution

Training by Participant Type
Type of Participant	Number
Individuals with Disabilities	00
Family Members, Guardians and Authorized Representatives	01
Representatives of Education	31
Representatives of Employment	00
Rep Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation	06
Representatives of Community Living	38
Representatives of Technology	06
Unable to Categorize	09
TOTAL	91

Geographic Distribution of Participants
Metro	Non Metro	Unknown	TOTAL
58	27	06	91

B. Training Topics

Trainings by Topic
Primary Topic of Training	Participants
AT Products/Services	91
AT Funding/Policy/ Practice	00
Combination of any/all of the above	00
Information Technology/Telecommunication Access	00
Transition	00
Total	91

B. Description of Training Activities

Describe innovative one high-impact assistance training activity conducted during the reporting period:

This year the VATP developed the training workshop “Switch Access 101”. This was a two-and-a-half-hour (2.5 hour) workshop that aimed to teach rehab professionals, special educators, and other related professionals the basics of switch access. This workshop was split into two parts. The first, addressed the theory of switches. The second part consisted of two hands on activities setting up low and mid tech devices with different switches. There are a number of online webinars where providers can learn about switches but we heard from a number of providers that what they really needed was some hands on time setting up the switches themselves. This workshop aimed to meet that need and to give the participants as much hands-on time with different switches as possible. The VATP received positive feedback from the participants and is planning to host this workshop again in 2020 in a different part of the state

Breifly describe one training activity related to transition conducted during the reporting period:

Breifly describe one training activity related to Information and Communication Technology accessibility:

D. IT/Telecommunications Training Performance Measure

IT/Telecommunications Training Performance Measure
Outcome/Result From IT/Telecommunications Training Received	Number
IT and Telecommunications Procurement or Dev Policies	00
Training or Technique Assistance will be developed or implemented	00
No known outcome at this time	00
Nonrespondent	00
Total	00
Performance Measure Percentage	NaN%
ACL Target Percentage	70%
Met/Not Met	Not Met

E. Notes:

VATP was without a permanent Director for much of FFY19 and as a result the program mostly tread water through the year and missed some important performance measures including ICT training. Correcting this will be a top priority for FFY20.

Technical Assistance

A. Frequency and Nature of Technical Assistance

Technical Assistance by Recipient Type
Education	0%
Employment	0%
Health, Allied Health, Rehabilitation	0%
Community Living	0%
Technology (IT, Telecom, AT)	100%
Total	100%

B. Description of Technical Assistance

Describe Innovative one high-impact assistance activity that is not related to transition:

None

Breifly describe one technical assistance activity related to transition conducted during the reporting period:

C. Notes:

None for this year

Public Awareness

Public Awareness Activities

Public Awareness Narratives

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. in FY19, the VATP, in partnerships with Castleton University, opened a satellite tryout center on the college's campus to serve both the student and general populations. As part of this effort, multiple PA events were held with Castleton staff and faculty including for the Academic support center and the University's college steps program. By connecting with the front-line staff servicing students with accommodations, we improved our ability to serve this community. In addition, by being on site, that population that wanted or were interested in AT had a comfortable atmosphere to explore and experience what we offer. General population has also appreciated the new space and we have seen an increase in I&As, demos, and loans from that region.

Information And Assistance

Information And Assistance Activities by Recipient
Types of Recipients	AT Device/ Service	AT Funding	Total
Individuals with Disabilities	302	236	538
Family Members, Guardians and Authorized Representatives	147	109	256
Representative of Education	235	124	359
Representative of Employment	143	12	155
Representative of Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation	281	67	348
Representative of Community Living	101	23	124
Representative of Technology	10	00	10
Unable to Categorize	11	00	11
Total	1,230	571	1,801

Notes:

State Improvement Outcomes

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?

A. State Improvements

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.

VATP, in conjunction with VocRehab and the Vermont Department of Labor, have undertaken a project to improve the accessibility of the Labor Department's One Stop career centers. This includes both physical accessibility as well as materials and resource access. VATP is making recommendations on accessible workstations, computers, and software.

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.)

The project is ongoing but we expect there to be reference materials available in the next fiscal year.

3. What was the primary area of impact for this state improvement outcome?

Employment

B. State Improvements

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.

3. What was the primary area of impact for this state improvement outcome?

Additional And Leveraged Funds

Additional and Leveraged Funds

Did you have Additional and Leveraged Funding to Report?

Yes

A. Leveraged Funding for State Plan Activities

State Plan Activities
Fund Source	Amount	Use of Funds
Public/State Agency	$55,000	Demonstration
Private	$740	Public Awareness, I&A
Federal	$12,796	Training
	Amount: $68,536

B. Leveraged Funding for Activities Not in State Plan (data not previously reported in other activity sections)

Non-State Plan Activities
Fund Source	Amount	Use of Funds	Individuals Served	Other Outcome

C. Describe any unique issues with your data in this section (e.g., the reason why you were unable to report the number of individuals served with additional or leveraged funds).

The Vermont Vocational Rehabilitation Division added an Assistive Technology Specialist to service multiple district offices, expanding their commitment to AT. Although this individual is dedicated to providing AT for VR cases, they are also part of the state's AT core services team thus allowing for leveraging of resources and knowledge to benefit Vermonters in both our respective areas of influence.

Center for Assistive Technology Act Data Assistance . Saved: Mon Mar 09 2020 08:50:16 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time)