National Assistive Technology Act Data System

Annual Progress Report - Full Report

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Arkansas 2023

General Information

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

State AT Program Title:

Increasing Capabilities Access Network (ICAN)

State AT Program Title:

State AT Program URL

ar-ican.org

Mailing Address:

900 W 7th Street

City:

Little Rock

State:

Arkansas

Zip Code:

72201

Program Email:

ican@arkansas.gov

Phone:

5016668868

TTY:

5016668868

Lead Agency

Agency Name:

Arkansas Rehabilitation Services

Mailing Address:

1 Commerce Way

City:

Little Rock

State:

Arkansas

Zip Code:

72202

Program URL:

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):

Anderson, Rick

Title:

Director of Community Service Programs

Phone:

5016833005

E-mail:

Rick.Anderson@Arkansas.gov

Program Director at Lead Agency (last, first):

Winter, Nathan

Title:

Deputy Commissioner

Phone:

683-6052

E-mail:

Nathan.Winter@Arkansas.gov

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):

Anderson, Rick

Title:

Director of Community Service Programs

Phone:

5016833005

E-mail:

Rick.Anderson@Arkansas.gov

Certifying Representative

Name (last, first):

Anderson, Rick

Title:

Director of Community Service Programs

Phone:

5016833005

E-mail:

rick.anderson@arkansas.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	05	14
Approved Not made	02	00	02
Rejected	00	01	01
Total	11	06	17

2. Income of Applicants to Whom Loans Were Made

Lowest/Highest Incomes
Lowest Income:	$22,756	Highest Income:	$122,430

Average Income
Sum of Incomes	Loans Made	Average Annual Income
$937,195	14	$66,943

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	00	02	02	04	00	06	14
Percentage of Loans	0%	14.29%	14.29%	28.57%	0%	42.86%	100%

3. Loan Type

Loan Type
Type of Loan	Number of Loans	Percentage of loans
Revolving Loans	14	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	14	100%

Loan Type Summary
Type of Loan	Number of Loans	Dollar Value of Loans
Revolving Loans	14	$327,743
Partnership Loans	00	$0
Total	14	$327,743

4. Interest Rates

Interest Rates
Lowest	4.13%
Highest	8%

Interest Rate Summary
Sum of Interest Rates	Number of Loans Made	Average Interest Rate
84	14	5.96428571428571%

Number of Loans Made by Interest Rate
Interest Rate	Number of loans
0.0% to 2.0%	00
2.1% to 4.0%	00
4.1% to 6.0%	07
6.1% to 8.0%	07
8.1% - 10.0%	00
10.1%-12.0%	00
12.1%-14.0%	00
14.1% +	00
Total	14

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	04	$10,000
Speech communication	00	$0
Learning, cognition, and developmental	00	$0
Mobility, seating and positioning	02	$26,897
Daily living	00	$0
Environmental adaptations	00	$0
Vehicle modification and transportation	08	$290,846
Computers and related	00	$0
Recreation, sports, and leisure	00	$0
Total	14	$327,743

6. Defaults

Defaults
Number Loans in default	11
Net loss for loans in default	$48,055

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

The Arkansas Alternative Financing Program (AFP) financed a modified vehicle for MeKeicha Jackson who was having extreme difficulty in acquiring proper transportation for her 16-year old disabled daughter. Ms. Jackson voiced disappointment regarding her efforts to provide adequate care for her daughter who suffers from a medical history of Trisomy 18, Congenital Heart Disease, Restrictive Lung Disease, Asthma, Dysphagia, GT Dependent, GERD, Incontinence, Constipation, and Intellectual Disability. Ms. Jackson’s pursuit of a modified van that is wheelchair accessible to assist her in caring for her daughter, Rayah, continued to experience numerous complications. The situation endured until AFP became actively involved. Rayah is a total care patient and she is unable to perform her own activities of daily living. She is dependent upon her mother (MeKeisha Jackson) to meet all of her activities of daily living, including her mobility and transfers. A handicap accessible van that is wheelchair accessible was viewed as the most viable option in caring for Rayah and her multiple medical needs. Rayah’s treating physician, Dr. Carrie Brown, reported a wheelchair accessible van will allow Rayah the opportunity to integrate into the community. AFP was successful in helping Ms. Jackson obtain this recommended vehicle with a low interest rate and affordable monthly loan payments. Since obtaining her modified vehicle, Ms. Jackson has increased Rayah’s quality of life and improved her day to day living. This AFP financed vehicle has appreciably exceeded Ms. Jackson’s ability to transport Rayah safely to her multiple medical appointments and improved her active attendance at these events. AFP is proud to be a small part in re-establishing Ms. Jackson’s manageability while

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.	01	02	06	09
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	02	03	05
4. Subtotal	01	04	09	14
5. None of the above	00	00	00	00
6. Subtotal	01	04	09	14
7. Nonrespondent	00	00	00	00
8. Total	01	04	09	14
9. Performance on this measure	100%	100%	100%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	12	85.71%
Satisfied	02	14.29%
Satisfied somewhat	00	0%
Not at all satisfied	00	0%
Nonrespondent	00	0%
Total Surveyed	14
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	00
B. Device Refurbish/Repair - Reassign and/or Open Ended Loan	1,336
C. Total	1,336

Performance Measure
D. 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
E. Number of Individuals Included in Performance Measures	1,336

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

B. Device Exchange Activities

Device Exchange
Type of AT Device	Total Estimated Current Purchase Price	Total Price for Which Device(s) Were Exchanged	Savings to Consumers
Vision	$0	$0	$0
Hearing	$0	$0	$0
Speech Communication	$0	$0	$0
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	$0	$0	$0
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	$0	$0	$0
Daily Living	$0	$0	$0
Environmental Adaptations	$0	$0	$0
Vehicle Modification & Transportation	$0	$0	$0
Computers and Related	$0	$0	$0
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	$0	$0	$0
Total	$0	$0	$0

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	25	$13,491	$0	$13,491
Hearing	20	$1,543	$0	$1,543
Speech Communication	06	$8,437	$0	$8,437
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	02	$214	$0	$214
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	666	$814,841	$0	$814,841
Daily Living	589	$220,711	$0	$220,711
Environmental Adaptations	13	$6,943	$0	$6,943
Vehicle Modification & Transportation	02	$6,200	$0	$6,200
Computers and Related	03	$229	$0	$229
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	10	$2,521	$0	$2,521
Total	1,336	$1,075,130	$0	$1,075,130

D. Anecdote

We recently received a C500 Permobil that had seat elevation, the sit-to-stand function, as well as tilt. A gentleman with Fredricks Ataxia called ICAN asking whether we had a powerchair that we could provide to him. It turns out that we had one available and were able to find some batteries that were donated that worked in the power chair. The gentleman was having difficulty teaching classes as well as getting around the Arkansas Tech College in the Ozarks. By providing him with the power wheelchair he will be able to get back to the things in life that are important to him

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.	22	04	803	829
2. AT was only available through the AT program.	01	00	359	360
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long.	03	02	142	147
4. Subtotal	26	06	1,304	1,336
5. None of the above	00	00	00	00
6. Subtotal	26	06	1,304	1,336
7. Nonrespondent	00	00	00	00
8. Total	26	06	1,304	1,336
9. Performance on this measure	100%	100%	100%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	1,304	97.6%
Satisfied	27	2.02%
Satisfied somewhat	05	0.37%
Not at all satisfied	00	0%
Nonrespondent	00	0%
Total Surveyed	1,336
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)	457
Serve as loaner during service repair or while waiting for funding	145
Provide an accommodation on a short-term basis for a time-limited event/situation	900
Conduct training, self-education or other professional development activity	21
Total	1,523

B. Short-Term Device Loan by Type of Borrower

LOANS BY TYPE OF BORROWER
Type of Individual or Entity	Number of Device Borrowers
Type of Individual or Entity	Desicion-making	All other Purposes	Total
Individuals with Disabilities	80	293	373
Family Members, Guardians, and Authorized Representatives	199	654	853
Representative of Education	57	40	97
Representative of Employment	03	07	10
Representatives of Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation	116	58	174
Representatives of Community Living	00	11	11
Representatives of Technology	02	03	05
Total	457	1,066	1,523

C. Length of Short-Term Device Loans

Length of Short-Term Device Loan in Days	39

D. Types of Devices Loaned

Types of Devices Loaned
Type of AT Device	Number of Devices
Type of AT Device	Desicion-making	All other Purposes	Total
Vision	16	52	68
Hearing	15	17	32
Speech Communication	271	97	368
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	46	76	122
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	50	536	586
Daily Living	32	251	283
Environmental Adaptations	30	144	174
Vehicle Modification and Transportation	00	00	00
Computers and Related	103	83	186
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	08	16	24
Total	571	1,272	1,843

E. Anecdote

In May of 2023, we had an individual whose power wheelchair was struck by a vehicle and was no longer working. He stated that he was worried that it was going to take a long time for insurance to replace it on that he needed it for work the next day. ICAN was able to loan this client a power wheelchair for a 6-week short-term accommodation. This accommodation allowed the client to continue to work without interruption. The client eventually got his chair replaced and he was able to return the loner back to ICAN. This was a perfect example of short-term accommodation.

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	179	07	233	419
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs	14	00	07	21
Subtotal	193	07	240	440
Have not made a decision	08	05	04	17
Subtotal	201	12	244	457
Nonrespondent	00	00	00	00
Total	201	12	244	457
Performance on this measure	96.02%	58.33%	98.36%

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.	70	10	825	905
2. AT was only available through the AT program.	17	02	28	47
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long.	26	02	86	114
4. Subtotal	113	14	939	1,066
5. None of the above	00	00	00	00
6. Subtotal	113	14	939	1,066
7. Nonrespondent	00	00	00	00
8. Total	113	14	939	1,066
9. Performance on this measure	100%	100%	100%

H. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	1,488	97.7%
Satisfied	35	2.3%
Satisfied somewhat	00	0%
Not at all satisfied	00	0%
Nonrespondent	00	0%
Total Surveyed	1,523
Response rate %	100%

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	21
Hearing	18
Speech Communication	02
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	71
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	66
Daily Living	14
Environmental Adaptations	03
Vehicle Modification and Transportation	00
Computers and Related	23
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	00
Total # of Device Demonstrations	218

B. Types of Participants

Type of Participant	Decision-Makers	Other Participants	Total
Individuals with Disabilities	161	175	336
Family Members, Guardians, and Authorized Representatives	36	98	134
Representatives of Education	04	35	39
Representatives of Employment	02	02	04
Health, Allied Health, Rehabilitation	15	267	282
Representative of Community Living	00	01	01
Representative of Technology	00	10	10
Total	218	588	806

C. Number of Referrals

Referrals
Type of Entity	Number of Referrals
Funding Source (non-AT program)	329
Service Provider	41
Vendor	00
Repair Service	00
Others	00
Total	370

D. Anecdote

I recently had an individual who requested an OrCam MyEye2 online. This individual had seen the device online and watched the advertisements for the device. They had never used this device before and we felt that the device should be demonstrated prior to loaning the device to them. We asked the individual to come into the office so that they could get a better understanding of the item and understand how it works. The individual who had requested the OrCam MyEye2 was able to use the device. So, we loaned her the device and she started crying tears of joy when she was leaving. She stated that the OrCam MyEye2 was able to help her maintain some of her independence.

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	83	26	92	201
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs	01	07	02	10
Subtotal	84	33	94	211
Have not made a decision	05	01	01	07
Subtotal	89	34	95	218
Nonrespondent	00	00	00	00
Total	89	34	95	218
Performance on this measure	94.38%	97.06%	98.95%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	716	88.83%
Satisfied	88	10.92%
Satisfied somewhat	02	0.25%
Not at all satisfied	00	0%
Nonrespondent	00	0%
Total	806
Response rate %	100%

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.	93	16	1,634	1,743
2. AT was only available through the AT program.	18	02	387	407
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long.	29	06	231	266
4. Subtotal	140	24	2,252	2,416
5. None of the above	00	00	00	00
6. Subtotal	140	24	2,252	2,416
7. Nonrespondent	00	00	00	00
8. Total	140	24	2,252	2,416
9. Performance on this measure	79.29%	75%	89.74%	88.99%
ACL Performance Measure				85%
Met/Not Met				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	262	33	325	620
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs	15	07	09	31
Subtotal	277	40	334	651
Have not made a decision	13	06	05	24
Subtotal	290	46	339	675
Nonrespondent	00	00	00	00
Total	290	46	339	675
Performance on this measure	95.52%	86.96%	98.53%	96.44%
ACL Performance Measure				90%
Met/Not Met				Met

Overall Satisfaction Rating

Customer Rating of Services	Percent	ACL Target	Met/Not Met
Highly satisfied and satisfied	99.81%	95%	Met
Response Rate	100%	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	02
Representatives of Education	349
Representatives of Employment	00
Rep Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation	204
Representatives of Community Living	00
Representatives of Technology	00
Unable to Categorize	26
TOTAL	581

Geographic Distribution of Participants
Metro	Non Metro	Unknown	TOTAL
533	08	40	581

B. Training Topics

Trainings by Topic
Primary Topic of Training	Participants
AT Products/Services	139
AT Funding/Policy/ Practice	00
Combination of any/all of the above	50
Information Technology/Telecommunication Access	390
Transition	02
Total	581

C. Description of Training Activities

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

We provided a training to assist a technician in some common troubleshooting scenarios. It goes through common error codes, both with the handheld programmer in some scenarios and how to properly set a Multi-meter in order to troubleshoot and more simplistic approaches, such as how to plug the joystick directly into the power base (if the power chair has power positioning) to narrow down the troubleshooting. This training brought together most of the complex rehab service provider from all over Arkansas.

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

We were able to provide a training for a group of caregivers tiring to help student transition from elementary school to high school. This student in particular was having a lot of problems with school. He was not able to read the board without getting right up close to it and was needing a way for him to see his paperwork as well as the board. We trained the Therapist, teacher and parent on how to use two different digital magnifiers that have features that will allow the student to view documents as well as the white board. This taring helped this student to successfully use this device and become independent in class.

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

the ICAN staff was asked to provide a workshop on document accessibility for the Spring ArkAHEAD Workshop which was held on April 21st, 2023. We provided a hands-on training called The Basics of Document Accessibility: A Hands-On Learning Opportunity. Attendees were encouraged to bring their laptops and work along together on sample documents that she provided. They learned how to create headings, how to change heading styles, how to add alt text to images and how to create meaningful links. There were 40 professionals in attendance who represented several colleges and universities across Arkansas.

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	366
Training or Technical Assistance will be developed or implemented	00
No known outcome at this time	01
Nonrespondent	23
Total	390
Performance Measure Percentage	93.8%
ACL Target Percentage	70%
Met/Not Met	Met

E. Notes:

Technical Assistance

A. Frequency and Nature of Technical Assistance

Technical Assistance by Recipient Type
Education	80%
Employment	03%
Health, Allied Health, Rehabilitation	14%
Community Living	03%
Technology (IT, Telecom, AT)	00%
Total	100%

B. Description of Technical Assistance

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

1) Fall workshop for ArkAHEAD members: We collaborated with ArkAHEAD, the Arkansas affiliate of the Association on Higher Education and Disability to sponsor workshop for ArkAHEAD members on November 10th, 2022. Titled Expanding Accessibility for Online Learners, it focused on designing online courses to be more accessible using universal design principles. It was provided through Zoom and 30 people attended from universities across Arkansas. The presenters, Dawn Hunziker, Associate Director, Disability Resource Center, University of Arizona and Barbie Lopez, Digital Accessibility Consultant, Sr., Disability Resource Center, University of Arizona, focused on designing with universal design in mind and providing accommodations to online students. Some comments from the evaluation: • The Discussion on Universal Design and, specifically, the learning guidelines were extremely helpful and practical. • Presenters used some everyday examples of how non-disabled persons would benefit f

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

The purchasing office of the University of Arkansas reached out to our department to ask for input on a request for information about the use of both spoken-language and ASL interpreters. It was clear from the request that they were considering a contract with someone to provide remote services (rather than in-person). We provided educational information in response to the request about what is required to make video remote interpreting accessible from a technical standpoint. We also provided information about the limitations of video remote interpreting for specific situations and groups of people. We reached out the members of the Deaf community to see if they were aware of this request for information. They were not and they followed up with a response to also educate the department collecting this information of their needs for accessibility. This interaction led us to think about ways we could more effectively educate people on this issue. We have begun to develop materials that c

C. Notes:

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. Every year in November ICAN hosts a new class of OT students to give them an opportunity to learn how the AT program works and how to access it. This day a proven very successful because we are now seeing these students come back to the program as practicing therapists. We are spreading awareness of the AT program in a more impactful way than just doing community events. We are now receiving requests to be part of the regular curriculum for each class.

2. We attended an American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) for Arkansas where we were able to be part of a discussion on how Medicaid has required SLPs to do evaluations with 3 unique devices and trial the chosen device with the client when one is chosen. This is very difficult to do because of the cost of the devices and the lack of loners from the vendors. We then were able to inform the professionals attending the conference that this program could provide the device from our loan program. This information was well received and this has changed the volume of people served dramatically in the aria of AAC. Now ICAN is struggling to keep up with demand but it has made a positive impact on the community.

Information And Assistance

Information And Assistance Activities by Recipient
Types of Recipients	AT Device/ Service	AT Funding	Total
Individuals with Disabilities	644	13	657
Family Members, Guardians and Authorized Representatives	589	38	627
Representative of Education	52	10	62
Representative of Employment	06	00	06
Representative of Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation	140	16	156
Representative of Community Living	46	03	49
Representative of Technology	07	01	08
Unable to Categorize	06	00	06
Total	1,490	81	1,571

Referral Types:

We Host lunch a learn events with discharge planning in many different Hospitals. We coordinate with Home health agencies and attend outreach events like open houses and wellness fairs.

Referral Sources:

50% is from word of mouth in the community. 25% is from Hospitals and VA 25% is from State agencies and VR programs.

Notes:

Coordination/Collaboration and State Improvement Outcomes

Overview of Coordination/Collaboration Activities

Coordination/Collaboration activities are not required. You may report up to two MAJOR coordination/collaboration activities for this reporting period. How many will you be reporting?

A. Coordination/Collaboration

1. As concisely as possible, describe the partnership initiative. What activities/services were provided? Who are the major collaborating organizations and what is their role? Who is served/benefited? What funding was used to implement the initiative?

ICAN and Partners for Inclusive Communities (Arkansas UCEDD) partnership was formed to increase the capacity of stakeholders in Arkansas to design more accessible digital environments which result in access for people who use assistive technology and other people with disabilities. This will be accomplished through the provision of training, technical assistance and resource development by University of Arkansas Partners for Inclusive Community personnel. With the Delivery of: • Training to at least 500 stakeholders. • Technical assistance or information and assistance to a minimum of 24 stakeholders including web accessibility testing, document remediation, captioning, policy development, or other assistance that increases the capacity of individuals and organizations to create more accessible digital products and environments. • Updating of resources created in previous years (online videos and social media toolkit) to maintain relevance and accuracy as technology interfaces have changed. • Creation of at least 2 additional online videos or tutorials. • Entering of activities and data into the database monthly.

2. As concisely as possible, describe the measurable results of the initiative and any lessons learned. How did access to AT change as a result of the coordination/collaboration/partnership? How did awareness of AT change as a result of the partnership? How did the reach of the state AT program change as a result of the partnership? What made the partnership successful? What would you change or wish you had done differently? Provided funding/resources are available, will the initiative continue or is this a one-time event? What advice would you give for replication of the initiative? Please include URL for initiative if available.

This partnership increased our digital accessibility training by 100% because, frankly, we did not have anything like this in place for Arkansas. It has been very successful and we intend to continue this partnership for as long as possible.

3. What focus areas(s) were addressed by the initiative?

Information and Communication Technology / Remote Connectivity;

4. What AT Act authorized activity(s) were addressed?

Training; Information & Assistance;

Overview of State Improvement Activities

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?

Additional And Leveraged Funds

A. Leveraged Funding for State Plan Activities

Fund Source	Amount	Use of Funds	Data Reported

For any leveraged funding reported above for which data could not be reported, please describe the extenuating circumstances that precluded data from being reported and efforts to remediate the situation in future reporting periods.

B. Public Health Workforce Grant Award

All Section 4 AT Act grantees were awarded $80,000.00 in supplimental Public Health Workforce grant funding to increase the full-time equivalent (FTE) of staff withing the disability and aging network for public health professionals. Please document the status of these funds below.

The status of these funds at the end of the FY23 (9/30/2023) is as follows: (Check one) We did not utilize this funding in FY23 and wish to decline the funds in the future
We did not expend any of this funding in FY23, but plan to expend funding in FY24 and/or FY25
We expended some of all of this funding in FY23 (please complete the section below)

Please report the amount expended (drawn down and liquidated) in this reporting period, FY23:

$0.00

Please report the number of Full Time Equivalent (FTE) positions this funding supported by type. This can be a direct employee FTE or contractual FTE.

Type of FTE Position	FTE Positions (0.01 to 9.99)
Assistive Technology Specialist	0.00
Information and Assistance Specialist	0.00
Outreach and Awareness Specialist	0.00
Training Specialist	0.00
Health Care Professional (includes PT, OT, SLP)	0.00
Accessibility Expert	0.00
Policy Expert	0.00
Technology Expert (Digital Divide, Mobile Tech)	0.00
Program Manager	0.00
Other positions needed to advance public health and prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVid-19 (describe with narrative field required)	0.00

Please describe the activities of the above FTE and how such activities advance public health.

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).

Center for Assistive Technology Act Data Assistance . Saved: Tue Feb 13 2024 14:00:17 GMT-0600 (Central Standard Time)