National Assistive Technology Act Data System

Minnesota is one of two states in the nation that has a Centralized Accommodation Fund (CAF) for state employees. STAR manages the CAF program and has worked hard to raise awareness of assistive technology to state agencies through presentations, device demonstrations, and device loans. The STAR Program Coordinator is working with Minnesota's IT Services agency and is a member of their newly established Assistive Technology Technology Support Team. The mission of the team is to increase internal processes to increase state Executive Branch agency employees' access to assistive technology. The team is working to reduce the amount of time it takes to implement needed accommodations and resolve issues.

A 71-year-old male diagnoses with ALS lives with his wife and is pretty much confined to his home. He interacts with the outside world via an iPad and computer throughout the entirety of each day. They had been trying different types of mice as his hands progressively became weaker. Eventually, he wanted to try a foot-controlled mouse as he still has good movement left in his feet. The wife said, "Husband has some changes in his hands and he can no longer use them to control the mouse. We've been trying to figure out some way to help him because he doesn't have much head control either." They borrowed the Boomer Foot mouse and were pleased to find that he could successfully operate this alternative mouse. He was happy to be able to continue using the devices he was accustomed to by being able to switch the ways he accessed them, such as with the boomer mouse. He did not want to get into higher-tech devices such as eye-gaze yet since he was still fairly adept at using his feet to control the mouse and had all his favorite sites and settings on his current devices. His wife said, "He didn’t give up trying because this is his outlet being confined to the house, he does stock trades each morning." So, using this access method allows him to continue some of his daily morning rituals like the stock trades, as well as stay in touch with others with the email and social media apps on his iPad.

This anecdote is being shared verbatim from one of our partners: The Lighthouse Center for Vital Living - https://www.lcfvl.org/ "loan: 27-DL-13918 I was called by a house manager of an adult group home to complete an AT assessment. Upon arrival i noticed the consumer sitting in a chair in the corner of the house, holding a snow globe up to his mouth-Christmas music and vibration. The house staff states that this consumer has been at this house for many years and his sitting in his chair all day doing what he was doing was the normal. They asked for possible options. We began many AT/device trials. We got the devices that worked down to these.. Alexa Show w/motion- made a song list Sony wireless headphones- for when staff may not want to listen to the song list - but consumer does Super talker - set this up with 8 buttons (marked with braille numbers) with choices of "favorite songs" - was not known if consumer read braille--he does read numbers in braille- house staff told him what the braille numbers were connected to for choices, and he uses the Super Talker and direct selects which button he wants - depending on which song he would like. He then, will get up and go to piano and play and sing that song to house mates and staff!!!! He has never done anything like this before - states house staff. This is huge for him!- said house manager.... Another device we found that work is a Twiddle device with vibration and when consumer wants that comfort, he knows to grab that device and hold that - very rarely does the consumer sit all day in the same chair now---- Increased independence, choice, hobby, entertainment and more ...."

A student in rural Minnesota was missing school due to medical issues. The special education cooperative which served his school district reached out to STAR. STAR partnered with the school district to deliver a mobile robotic device to them. The device allowed the student to attend school remotely. The student could not only access direct instruction but they could also interact in real-time with peers and staff. This boosted the student's morale (which is an element of healing) and helped them continue to feel a sense of belonging which will help create a smoother transition back to school after completing medical treatment.