National Assistive Technology Act Data System

A twenty-something man with quadriplegia applied for the ND Assistive Last Resort program, the Possibilities Grant, to help him acquire a special lighting package for his wheelchair. This lighting package would allow him the freedom to go out at night and still be seen by others, especially oncoming vehicles and bikes. This particular wheelchair add-on, recommended by his physical therapist, was not covered by his insurance or any other funding avenue, so his therapist suggested that he contact ND Assistive. ND Assistive raises dollars through donations and various fundraisers to help ND residents with disabilities obtain the assistive technology (AT) they need for independence. All the dollars raised go directly toward the purchase of AT through the ND Assistive Possibilities Grant program. This program is intended to be a last resort, and cannot supplant other public funding avenues (e.g., vocational rehabilitation or public schools). The man reported, “Prior to me getting my LED lights on my electric wheelchair, I was limited to taking trips only during the day. Otherwise, if I was out in the dark I could not see what was exactly in front of me or it made it hard for me to be visible to cars. Thanks to the Possibilities Grant I now can be out and take trips in the dark with my electric wheelchair with my LED Lights. These lights are on the fender both in the front and back of my electric wheelchair. They allow me now to see about 5 feet in front of me as well as I am more visible to cars now. These LED lights allow for more independence and safety for me. Some insurance plans will help pay for needed assistive technology; but if they will not cover it, I would encourage them to reach out to ND Assistive and fill out an application!”

The nursing home staff of a young, rural ND woman with advanced MS, contacted ND Assistive for assistance. The woman had only limited control of two fingers and exhibited a very soft voice. She wanted to independently read her Kindle books, control her TV, watch YouTube, the news, and more. She was reliant on facility staff for every aspect of her entertainment. After two visits at the facility with ND Assistive staff, which entailed equipment demonstrations, equipment set-up, and short-term loan, the woman applied for and received a grant through North Dakota Assistive’s Possibilities grant program, a last-resort funding source, to purchase all of the equipment that worked for her. The equipment included an iPad with Voice Control enabled, which allowed her to access the apps such as Kindle and YouTube; an adjustable LEVO Deluxe Rolling Bookstand mount; a Logitech Harmony Hub, Amazon Echo Dot, and smart plugs, to control her TV, DVD player, reading lamp lights, and fan; and a Zoweetek voice amplifier, which helped the iPad and Echo understand her voice commands. The woman’s OT shared, “[She] uses her equipment every day… she is independent to do whatever she chooses to do. It has greatly improved the quality of her life. She is often excited to share something she has seen on [YouTube] and loves to talk about politics. I think it has helped her open up more with staff and improved her mood. She was even trying to take her own picture using her [iPad] today. Thank you for all you have done for [her].” When asked about the difference this AT has made in her life, the woman replied, “[It] made it so I have something to do. I can keep reading my books, watching [YouTube] and listening to music” and, “Helps me be more independent and I have things to do during the day”.

A North Dakota man was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in 2017 and had recently moved into a nursing home in 2018 when he first contacted ND Assistive about getting an accessible cell phone. At the time, he had a flip phone that was unusable because his ALS had progressed to affect his limbs, and he was unable to dial or hold the flip phone. He received an iPhone 8+ from the ND Assistive Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Service and also received a Blue Ant Bluetooth Q2 No Button headset that allowed him to use his voice to call and use features on his cell phone. In July of 2020, the man called the AT consultant who was working with him and said that the Blue Ant Bluetooth Q2 No Button headset was damaged and no longer worked. The AT Consultant searched the web and found that the Blue Ant Bluetooth Q2 No Button headset was no longer sold. She searched the ND Assistive Device Reutilization shelves and found a Blue Ant Bluetooth Q3 No Button headset that worked the same as the Q2. Fortunately, the man still has a strong voice and was thrilled to be able to get the device that was working for him even though it wasn’t sold any longer. The man stated, “The Bluetooth headset has been extremely helpful. It has allowed me to stay in contact with my family and friends thru this pandemic period. It has allowed me to have the independence to answer the phone without any assistance. I am so grateful for Beth.”

In 2018, a rural North Dakota man was involved in a work-related injury while working cattle. He shattered several vertebrae and incurred a left elbow injury, which prevented him from going back to his previous employer. He worked with North Dakota Workforce Safety and Insurance (WSI) to assist him in identifying return-to-work options. WSI referred the man to ND Assistive to help him identify computer access assistive technology that would address his neck and upper extremity limitations. After a demonstration with ND Assistive staff where he was able to try various adapted keyboards, mice, and laptop stands, the man was able to borrow equipment from the ND Assistive Short-Term Equipment Trial program. The man received a device loan of a Balance Keyboard, Rollermouse, and a LEVO Laptop rolling stand to use with his laptop, which not only helped him determine if this equipment would work for him before making a purchase but also allowed him to complete the computer courses required by WSI. When an individual exits from a hands-on job that requires significant physical labor and then is put in a position where that type of work is no longer an option, it is sometimes very difficult to understand what the future could be when that person doesn’t know the possibilities of assistive technology. The man stated that the biggest benefit of utilizing ND Assistive's equipment trial program was that he gained self-confidence and a better attitude towards computer use, which will eventually help him find a job. He is currently searching for work options, which is problematic at the moment due to COVID-19.

A ND Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor contacted ND Assistive for training for a man with a reading disability, who was having difficulty reading on the job, specifically text on objects. A training was requested on the KNFB Reader app, a scan and read app. During the virtual training over Zoom (due to COVID) with the man and his mother, it became very clear to ND Assistive staff that the app was not appropriate for his needs, especially since it did not read text on objects. A virtual equipment demonstration over Zoom was scheduled for the following week. During the demonstration, the man and his mother were guided through how to turn on the free, built-in Android TalkBack features on his own phone for reading texts from work aloud, etc. He was then shown the Android Claro ScanPen app, which is a free app that takes pictures of text and reads it aloud. It works especially well on objects and it can even read some handwriting. By the end, he was walking around his apartment scanning objects with text, and the app was reading it aloud accurately. The man and his mom emailed later and then did an interview regarding their experience. In the email, they stated, “Now he can read text messages [from work] and everything on his phone, his TV screen, store flyers, coupons, you name it.” Later in the video, his mom reported, “The advice we had had in the past was 'Go buy an iPhone'...We owe so much thanks to you…it was a phenomenal lesson. It was clear. You were able to bring up the application on your screen, so we could see it real close.” A video of the interview and more information on the apps can be found at the link below. https://ndassistive.org/blog/the-right-assistive-technology-can-make-a-difference/