National Assistive Technology Act Data System

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

Lead Agency

Implementing Entity

Program Director and Other Contacts

Person Responsible for completing this form if other than Program Director

Certifying Representative

2. Income of Applicants to Whom Loans Were Made

3. Loan Type

4. Interest Rates

5. Types and Dollar Amounts of AT Financed

6. Defaults

Activity 1

2. Geographic Distribution, Number of Individuals Who Acquired AT Devices and Services and Number for whom Performance Measure Data are Collected

3. Types and Dollar Amounts of AT Funded

Activity 2

2. Geographic Distribution, Number of Individuals Who Acquired AT Devices and Services and Number for whom Performance Measure Data are Collected

3. Types and Dollar Amounts of AT Funded

Activity 3

2. Geographic Distribution, Number of Individuals Who Acquired AT Devices and Services and Number for whom Performance Measure Data are Collected

3. Types and Dollar Amounts of AT Funded

Activity 1

2. Geographic Distribution and Number of Individuals Served

3. Types and Dollar Amounts of AT Funded

G. Notes:

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

G. Notes:

I. Notes:

G. Notes:

C. Description of Training Activities

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

Through an exciting partnership with the State Unit on Aging, the Oregon AT Program is implementing a Technology Pilot Project. This Project seeks to reduce social isolation and loneliness of seniors and people with disabilities by providing technology-related services including computers, tablets, assistive technologies, internet access, as well as remote training services. The large number of referrals received from Oregon’s Vietnamese communities have been especially encouraging. Since many members of this community prefer in-person assistance, the team shifted gears, solicited support from a highly valued Vietnamese interpreter and brought the training sessions directly to these communities. Members of the Vietnamese community attending the first in-person training expressed overwhelmingly positive feedback and appreciation.

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

More than forty people attended a virtual session hosted by Northwest Senior and Disability Services as part of their celebration of May’s Older American Month. This session covered daily living tools, a range of medical reminders and other smart technology to assist individuals transitioning to an assisted lifestyle while aging in place. The session prompted a lively discussion about the balance of privacy and support; how much privacy an individual must surrender so they feel supported yet independent. This experience will help participants make better informed and more effective assistive technology decisions.

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

The Oregon AT Program provided ICT training to 18 members of the Transition Technical Assistance Network (TTAN), a state level organization that works with transitioning youth. This interactive webinar focused on making accessible source documents using Microsoft Office and converting the source documents into accessible PDFs and other forms of shared media.

E. Notes:

B. Description of Technical Assistance

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

Many counselors at Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation Services still work from home. With limited office contact, new counselors are often unaware of the services provided to Vocational Rehabilitation Services by ATI and the referral process for services. One counselor had several clients who could use assistive technology to accomplish tasks required in their dream jobs but who were not aware of what was available. In a series of emails, remote meetings, and phone calls, this counselor was able to set up demonstrations for his clients to explore their options. He could assist those ready to open these career doors in using the assistive technology referral services including detailed person-centered assessments and training . Through this experience this counselor learned this aspect of caring would make his caseload a bit easier to manage.

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

Mark is a case manager for Oregon’s Aging and People with Disabilities organization. His client is retiring and lives in a remote part of the Cascade mountains whose CCTV system has a uniquely integrated Optical Character Recognition. A flaw in the firmware of the user’s device caused the whole machine to crash. His equipment needed a special update to work with this area’s CCTV system. There was no available documentation so Mark reached out to the AT Program on behalf of his client for assistance. He brought the CCTV to the AT Program office to reinstall the firmware utilizing resources not available in the field. This complicated multi-step process required a special cable connecting the CCTV to a Windows-based PC, putting the PC into a special data transfer mode, and restarting the devices in a specific sequence. Mark relayed the gratitude of his client who relies on the CCTV daily, noting the expensive device would have become unusable without Oregon’s Statewide AT Program

C. Notes:

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. This year the pandemic restrictions eased and the Oregon AT Program staff eagerly returned to in-person public awareness events to increase awareness about assistive technology devices and services. On one occasion, this networking led to an opportunity to host a table during a small community event to promote independent living through the use of assistive technology. Here, specialists connected with more than 125 individuals, demonstrating a variety of daily living aids, as well as technologies to assist individuals who experience difficulties with hearing, vision, and memory recall. In a follow up conversation, one attendee said that she was so excited to learn about adaptive eating utensils she contacted the distributor that very day.

2. The Oregon AT Program also returned to in-person presentations starting in May 2022 at the Forum on Aging in Rural Oregon. In one session, an AT specialist hosted a discussion and interactive technology exhibit informing attendees how to access a myriad of services, information, and technology even in rural Oregon locations far from urban resources. Attendees left with a wealth of new information to share with their clients to obtain needed affordable medical equipment and assistive technologies, how to recycle these items within their own communities to further reduce costs for others, how to obtain funding for items not otherwise affordable, and how to schedule appointments with the AT Program for more hands-on demonstrations with specific tools to ensure the maximum benefit from the investment.

Notes:

The AT Program is not able to report comparative referral data because this is first year such data has been collected.

Overview of Coordination/Collaboration Activities

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.

An OSATP Specialist is a member of the State Rehabilitation Council. The member is serving on the committee responsible for working with the State Vocational Rehabilitation agency to prepare and update their annual State Plan.

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.)

Updates to VR's State Plan strengthens the partnership between VR and the State AT Program, and specifically addresses the need to ensure assistive technology devices and services are considered at each stage of the VR process.

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

Health, Allied Health, Rehabilitation

B.2 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.

The National Center on Accessible Educational Materials for Learning (AEM Center) is a technical assistance center led by CAST and funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. The Center’s goal is to increase the availability and use of AEM and accessible technologies by individuals with disabilities in early learning, K-12, higher education, and workforce development settings. Oregon, along with six other states, have been participating in a national AEM Cohort for the past two years.

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.)

As a member of this Cohort, the Oregon AT Program serves on the Workforce Development Team. With the National Center’s expert assistance, each state in the AEM Cohort is working to develop a coordinated system for providing AEM and accessible technologies to strengthen transitions into and out of K-12 for students with disabilities who need accessible materials and technologies.

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

Education