National Assistive Technology Act Data System

Annual Progress Report - Full Report

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Arizona 2024

General Information

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

State AT Program Title:

Arizona Technology Access Program (AzTAP)

State AT Program Title:

State AT Program URL

http://aztap.org

Mailing Address:

300 West Clarendon Ave, Suite 475

City:

Phoenix

State:

Arizona

Zip Code:

85013

Program Email:

AskAzTAP@nau.edu

Phone:

602-728-9534

TTY:

Relay-711

Lead Agency

Agency Name:

Northern Arizona University - Institute for Human Development - Office of Sponsored Projects

Mailing Address:

NAU - IHD - OSP: Box 4130 (Science Annex Bldg. # 20, 4th Floor)

City:

Flagstaff

State:

Arizona

Zip Code:

86011

Program URL:

https://in.nau.edu/osp

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):

Clayton Guffey

Title:

AzTAP Program Director

Phone:

602-776-4699

E-mail:

Clayton.Guffey@nau.edu

Program Director at Lead Agency (last, first):

Kelly Roberts

Title:

Executive Director - IHD

Phone:

928-523-4982

E-mail:

Kelly.Roberts@nau.edu

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):

Thomas Champagne, Jr.

Title:

Associate Vice President - Research

Phone:

928-523-4880

E-mail:

NAU-OSP@nau.edu

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	11	01	12
Approved Not made	03	00	03
Rejected	05	00	05
Total	19	01	20

2. Income of Applicants to Whom Loans Were Made

Lowest/Highest Incomes
Lowest Income:	$6,215	Highest Income:	$189,168

Average Income
Sum of Incomes	Loans Made	Average Annual Income
$838,028	12	$69,836

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	02	03	01	02	00	04	12
Percentage of Loans	16.67%	25%	8.33%	16.67%	0%	33.33%	100%

3. Loan Type

Loan Type
Type of Loan	Number of Loans	Percentage of loans
Revolving Loans	00	0%
Partnership Loans
Without interest buy-down or loan guarantee	00	0%
With interest buy-down only	00	0%
With loan guarantee only	12	100%
With both interest buy-down and loan guarantee	00	0%
Total	12	100%

Loan Type Summary
Type of Loan	Number of Loans	Dollar Value of Loans
Revolving Loans	00	$0
Partnership Loans	12	$102,083
Total	12	$102,083

4. Interest Rates

Interest Rates
Lowest	4.5%
Highest	4.5%

Interest Rate Summary
Sum of Interest Rates	Number of Loans Made	Average Interest Rate
54	12	4.5%

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%	12
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	12

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	02	$2,747
Hearing	04	$10,280
Speech communication	00	$0
Learning, cognition, and developmental	00	$0
Mobility, seating and positioning	04	$5,730
Daily living	01	$811
Environmental adaptations	05	$74,040
Vehicle modification and transportation	03	$8,475
Computers and related	00	$0
Recreation, sports, and leisure	00	$0
Total	19	$102,083

6. Defaults

Defaults
Number Loans in default	01
Net loss for loans in default	$3,078

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?

Activity 1

How would you describe this state financing activity?

Other:

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

County of Residence	Individuals Served
A. Metro (RUCC 1-3)	9
B. Non-Metro (RUCC 4-9)	0
C. Total Served	9

Performance Measure
D. Excluded from Performance Measure	1
E. Number of Individuals Included in Performance Measures	8

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

3. Types and Dollar Amounts of AT Funded

Type of AT Device / Service	Number of Devices Funded	Value of AT Provided
Vision	309	$802,126
Hearing	45	$55,918
Speech communication	6	$10,019
Learning, cognition, and developmental	104	$84,145
Mobility, seating and positioning	0	$0
Daily living	87	$77,240
Environmental adaptations	0	$0
Vehicle modification and transportation	0	$0
Computers and related	0	$0
Recreation, sports, and leisure	16	$2,665
Total	567	$1,032,113

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?

Activity 1

How would you describe this state financing activity?

AT Fabrication or AT Maker Program

2. Geographic Distribution and Number of Individuals Served

County of Residence	Individuals Served
A. Metro (RUCC 1-3)	1
B. Non-Metro (RUCC 4-9)	0
C. Total Served	1

Performance Measure
D. Excluded from Performance Measure	0
E. Number of Individuals Included in Performance Measures	1

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

3. Types and Dollar Amounts of AT Funded

Type of AT Device / Service	Number Provided	Total Estimated Current Retail Purchase Price	Total Price for Which Devices Were Sold	Savings to Consumers
Vision	61	$2	$2	$0
Hearing	0	$0	$0	$0
Speech communication	0	$0	$0	$0
Learning, cognition, and developmental	137	$23	$23	$0
Mobility, seating and positioning	0	$0	$0	$0
Daily living	48	$20	$20	$0
Environmental adaptations	0	$0	$0	$0
Vehicle modification and transportation	0	$0	$0	$0
Computers and related	0	$0	$0	$0
Recreation, sports, and leisure	2	$2	$2	$0
Total	248	$47	$47	$0

D. Anecdote

Our alternative financing program, the Arizona Loans for Assistive Technology (AzLAT) program, received a cash loan application for a bathroom modification. The applicant was applying for an AzLAT financial loan to help with the cost of installing a barrier-free handheld shower, grab bars, and bidet for her 75-year-old spouse with advanced Parkinson’s disease (PD). The applicant received two quotes from licensed contractors and chose the contractor they wanted to use. In addition, the spouse’s PD was related to his service in the armed forces, so they were able to secure a Veteran’s Administration Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (VA HISA) grant of $6,800 to put toward the job. The overall cost of the job was $17,290. Our loan review committee reviewed the application and supporting documentation. Since the applicant had excellent credit and income, the committee voted to approve the loan for the full amount of the cost of the home modification just in case the VA HISA funding fell through. Our lending partner, Marisol Federal Credit Union, processed the loan, had the applicant sign the closing documents, and cut a check to the family/chosen contractor for $10,490. The loan was at a 4.5% interest rate, and the applicant chose a 36-month repayment term with a monthly payment of $282.33. The applicant called back a few weeks after the completion of the work to relay that the contractor had done excellent work, and they were pleased with how it had turned out and how it was working for her spouse. Furthermore, she was highly satisfied with the services she received from AzTAP staff.

Impact Area Education Employment Community Living

Via an interagency service agreement, our lead agency – the Institute for Human Development at Northern Arizona University – in collaboration with the Arizona Rehabilitation Services Administration (AzRSA) – launched the Assistive Technology for Employment & Independence (ATEI) program in July 2022. The ATEI program provides AT device evaluations, provision and purchasing of AT devices and systems, and hands-on trainings on the provided AT devices for Arizona Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) referred clients. The ATEI program spent most of 2023 in development. It is now fully staffed and became fully operational in early 2024. Since then, the program has provided AT devices valued at $1,028,911 to the clients of the state RSA system. The value of this adaptive equipment has been entered as a “state financing-other acquisition” activity in this APR. The establishment and launch of this program has helped streamline the AT provision process for getting employment and independent living related AT devices and systems to clients of the state RSA system.

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	01	09	10
2. AT was only available through the AT program.	00	02	05	07
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long.	00	00	03	03
4. Subtotal	00	03	17	20
5. None of the above	00	00	01	01
6. Subtotal	00	03	18	21
7. Nonrespondent	00	00	00	00
8. Total	00	03	18	21
9. Performance on this measure	NaN%	100%	94.44%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	16	72.73%
Satisfied	00	0%
Satisfied somewhat	00	0%
Not at all satisfied	00	0%
Nonrespondent	06	27.27%
Total Surveyed	22
Response rate %	72.73%

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	03
B. Device Refurbish/Repair - Reassign and/or Open Ended Loan	53
C. Total	56

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	56

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	Number of Devices Exchanged	Total Estimated Current Purchase Price	Total Price for Which Device(s) Were Exchanged	Savings to Consumers
Vision	04	$4,519	$300	$4,219
Hearing	00	$0	$0	$0
Speech Communication	00	$0	$0	$0
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	01	$149	$0	$149
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	01	$700	$300	$400
Daily Living	01	$1,999	$0	$1,999
Environmental Adaptations	00	$0	$0	$0
Vehicle Modification & Transportation	00	$0	$0	$0
Computers and Related	00	$0	$0	$0
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	00	$0	$0	$0
Total	07	$7,367	$600	$6,767

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	$28,617	$0	$28,617
Hearing	00	$0	$0	$0
Speech Communication	02	$3,877	$0	$3,877
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	04	$664	$86	$578
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	01	$470	$0	$470
Daily Living	00	$0	$0	$0
Environmental Adaptations	00	$0	$0	$0
Vehicle Modification & Transportation	00	$0	$0	$0
Computers and Related	25	$5,952	$856	$5,096
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	01	$14	$14	$0
Total	58	$39,594	$956	$38,638

D. Anecdote

Ethel, age 90, has experienced a significant decline in her vision due to macular degeneration. As a result, Ethel is unable to read standard size print and requires information to be presented in a minimum font size of thirty-six. A donor provided AzTAP with a used Merlin HD Ultra 24” video magnifier. We refurbished the system, cleaned up the device, and made sure it had all its component parts, and all its features were operating within normal parameters. Our blindness and low vision specialist took the referral for Ethel, discussed her needs, and offered to have her come in and do a device trial. If it worked for her she could have it, and if not we could then explore and trial other options. Ethel arrived at the office with a mix of hope and uncertainty. Upon the arrival of Ethel and her friend Joanne at AzTAP, our team greeted them, oriented Ethel to the basic layout and buttons on the Merlin HD and helped her set the font size and color contrast to best suit her visual needs. In just 15 minutes, Ethel was confidently adjusting the settings on her own. With the Merlin HD, Ethel was able to read a few lines of the user manual, the title of a magazine, and even see her cell phone screen clearly. When the ATS asked if she thought the machine would benefit her, Ethel’s eyes lit up as she exclaimed, “Yes, this is wonderful.” The moment the ATS told her, “Well then, it’s yours!”, tears of joy streamed down her face. Ethel was able to leave with the device that day. Her friend Joanne had been a constant support, helping her with various tasks. Joanne saw that the Merlin Ultra system could help maintain Ethel’s independence at home. With this device, Ethel could read her bills, manage her medication, and keep up with any necessary reading.

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.	02	01	16	19
2. AT was only available through the AT program.	10	04	21	35
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long.	00	00	02	02
4. Subtotal	12	05	39	56
5. None of the above	00	00	00	00
6. Subtotal	12	05	39	56
7. Nonrespondent	00	00	00	00
8. Total	12	05	39	56
9. Performance on this measure	100%	100%	100%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	55	98.21%
Satisfied	00	0%
Satisfied somewhat	00	0%
Not at all satisfied	00	0%
Nonrespondent	01	1.79%
Total Surveyed	56
Response rate %	98.21%

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)	663
Serve as loaner during service repair or while waiting for funding	41
Provide an accommodation on a short-term basis for a time-limited event/situation	28
Conduct training, self-education or other professional development activity	103
Total	835

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	614	69	683
Family Members, Guardians, and Authorized Representatives	20	02	22
Representative of Education	19	17	36
Representative of Employment	00	05	05
Representatives of Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation	01	28	29
Representatives of Community Living	01	04	05
Representatives of Technology	08	47	55
Total	663	172	835

C. Length of Short-Term Device Loans

Length of Short-Term Device Loan in Days	14

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	131	88	219
Hearing	28	41	69
Speech Communication	331	145	476
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	228	102	330
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	40	38	78
Daily Living	330	143	473
Environmental Adaptations	215	99	314
Vehicle Modification and Transportation	00	00	00
Computers and Related	325	93	418
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	119	111	230
Total	1,747	860	2,607

E. Anecdote

Ethan is 10 years old and has arthrogryposis, a condition which causes poor formation of the muscles and joints in his body. Due to his arthrogryposis, Ethan is only able move and use his arms when they are supported by a surface. To eat and feed himself, he needs the surface elevated to his chest level so that his arms have support, enabling him to move the utensil from the plate to his mouth. His occupational therapist submitted a request to borrow a Jaeco MultiLink Evaluation Kit from our demo/loan program inventory to trial with him. The Jaeco is a mobile arm support system that helps support a user’s upper extremities and helps them overcome gravity to gain more functional usage of their arms. When his therapist positioned the Jaeco system to assist Ethan with lifting and moving his arms, she reported that his face lit up. Using the device in the clinic, he was able to play Connect4 with his mom and experimented with simulating eating by bringing his hand to his mouth. His therapist and the family saw the potential of the device for Ethan, so they went ahead and ordered him a mobile arm support system. Ethan is excited to get the device that was ordered for him so that he can feed himself in a restaurant, play games with his family, and participate in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education tasks to learn how to assemble engineering projects more independently. His mom was so proud to watch him move and engage physical items instead of only doing things on his cell phone.

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	272	35	192	499
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs	96	11	48	155
Subtotal	368	46	240	654
Have not made a decision	00	00	02	02
Subtotal	368	46	242	656
Nonrespondent	01	00	06	07
Total	369	46	248	663
Performance on this measure	100%	100%	99.17%

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.	06	02	17	25
2. AT was only available through the AT program.	64	21	52	137
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long.	00	02	01	03
4. Subtotal	70	25	70	165
5. None of the above	01	00	00	01
6. Subtotal	71	25	70	166
7. Nonrespondent	00	00	06	06
8. Total	71	25	76	172
9. Performance on this measure	98.59%	100%	100%

H. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	741	88.74%
Satisfied	78	9.34%
Satisfied somewhat	07	0.84%
Not at all satisfied	01	0.12%
Nonrespondent	08	0.96%
Total Surveyed	835
Response rate %	99.04%

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	23
Hearing	15
Speech Communication	197
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	03
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	11
Daily Living	41
Environmental Adaptations	09
Vehicle Modification and Transportation	00
Computers and Related	23
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	18
Total # of Device Demonstrations	340

B. Types of Participants

Type of Participant	Decision-Makers	Other Participants	Total
Individuals with Disabilities	205	126	331
Family Members, Guardians, and Authorized Representatives	127	207	334
Representatives of Education	00	08	08
Representatives of Employment	00	02	02
Health, Allied Health, Rehabilitation	04	198	202
Representative of Community Living	03	09	12
Representative of Technology	01	14	15
Total	340	564	904

C. Number of Referrals

Referrals
Type of Entity	Number of Referrals
Funding Source (non-AT program)	202
Service Provider	129
Vendor	66
Repair Service	00
Others	26
Total	423

D. Anecdote

Marian was a 70-year-old woman living with advanced multiple sclerosis (MS). Due to her MS, Marian had significantly limited mobility, minimal movement/function in all her extremities, and chronic pain. Marian was residing in an adult foster care home, and she spent all her time in a specialized manual layback wheelchair in her room. Marian’s social worker referred her to AzTAP because she was unable to operate a standard remote control for her TV system. Marian wanted the ability to turn her TV on and off, switch to her favorite channels, and mute/change the volume. She had been dependent on caregivers to do this, and they were not always available or were busy with another resident’s needs. The AzTAP team discussed a range of potential devices with her, and together we decided that the Amazon Fire TV Cube was a low-cost option that would interface with and give her voice control over her TV system. We had this device in our AT demo/loan program inventory, so we set up a demonstration appointment to have our assistive technology specialist (ATS) and a support person go to her care home and install the device on her TV system so that Marian could trial it. After learning how the device worked, Marian quickly adapted to the system. For the first time in a long while, she was able to use voice commands to change channels, adjust the volume, and access her favorite programs independently. AzTAP was able to loan her the equipment until her family could order her device. Unfortunately, just as she was beginning to fully enjoy her autonomy with the TV, Marian passed away before her personal equipment could arrive. While her time with the device was brief, AzTAP’s intervention made a profound impact on Marian’s life, offering her control of her TV during her final weeks.

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	07	28	293	328
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs	00	00	11	11
Subtotal	07	28	304	339
Have not made a decision	00	00	00	00
Subtotal	07	28	304	339
Nonrespondent	00	00	01	01
Total	07	28	305	340
Performance on this measure	100%	100%	99.67%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	839	92.81%
Satisfied	63	6.97%
Satisfied somewhat	00	0%
Not at all satisfied	00	0%
Nonrespondent	02	0.22%
Total	904
Response rate %	99.78%

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.	08	04	42	54
2. AT was only available through the AT program.	74	27	78	179
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long.	00	02	06	08
4. Subtotal	82	33	126	241
5. None of the above	01	00	01	02
6. Subtotal	83	33	127	243
7. Nonrespondent	00	00	06	06
8. Total	83	33	133	249
9. Performance on this measure	98.8%	93.94%	94.49%	95.88%
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	279	63	485	827
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs	96	11	59	166
Subtotal	375	74	544	993
Have not made a decision	00	00	02	02
Subtotal	375	74	546	995
Nonrespondent	01	00	07	08
Total	376	74	553	1,003
Performance on this measure	100%	100%	99.45%	99.7%
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	99.56%	95%	Met
Response Rate	99.06%	90%	Met

Educational/Training Activities

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

Educational/Training Activities by Participant Type
Type of Participant	Number
Individuals with Disabilities	493
Family Members, Guardians and Authorized Representatives	346
Representatives of Education	571
Representatives of Employment	399
Rep Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation	493
Representatives of Community Living	300
Representatives of Technology	184
Unable to Categorize	45
TOTAL	2,831

Geographic Distribution of Participants
Metro	Non Metro	Unknown	TOTAL
2,336	463	32	2,831

B. Educational/Training Activity Topics

Educational/Training Activities by Topic
Primary Topic of Educational/Training Activities	Participants
AT Products/Services	1,705
AT Funding/Policy/ Practice	55
Combination of any/all of the above	908
Information Technology/Telecommunication Access	131
Transition	32
Total	2,831

C. Description of Educational/Training Activities

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

As part of our 2024 annual conference, AzTAP launched a daylong, four-session strand in collaboration with the Center for Assistive Technology Training (CATT), a partnership between the Foundation for Blind Children, the American Printing House for the Blind (APH), and the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind. CATT, a new assistive technology initiative focused on AT products for individuals with visual impairments and blindness, presented four sessions dedicated to blind and low-vision technology, providing conference participants with the opportunity for in-depth learning about these devices. Session titles included “Magnify This! Choosing the Best Magnifier for My Students” (focused on magnifiers), “Coding Education and Accessibility in Schools” (focused on making coding accessible for visually impaired students), “Getting in Touch: Providing Classroom Solutions for Blind Children through Technology and Tactile Literacy Skills” (introducing the Monarch’s ground-breaking technology that simultaneously displays tactile graphics and Braille texts), and “Using the APH Chameleon 20 & APH Mantis Q40 in Education” (focused on notetakers). Attendance ranged from 12 to 22 in each session, and satisfaction scores ranged from 3.50 to 3.86 out of 4.00.

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

Brandon was a 15-year-old sophomore at a local charter school. Brandon emailed the AzTAP adaptive gaming clinic in the fall of 2023 to see if we had any summer internship opportunities. Brandon was interested in engineering, had started designing some assistive devices on his own, and wanted to learn about adaptive gaming and persons with disabilities. Since he was a minor, our gaming clinic coordinator and I met with Brandon and his mother and developed the plan for a six-week internship in the summer of 2024. Brandon would come into AzTAP one full day a week, work with all our staff – including the gaming clinic coordinator and Doctor of Occupational Therapy capstone students – and be responsible for the following activities: 1) Researching different diagnoses and disabilities that are commonly seen for assistive technology (AT) and adaptive gaming access; 2) researching different adaptive gaming controllers; 3) observing consultations and demonstrations with clients (both general AT and the gaming clinic; 4) assisting in the preparation of demo equipment; 5) assisting in day-to-day operations of AzTAP and assisting staff with labeling new adaptive equipment, checking in loans, and putting away equipment; and 6) submitting and presenting on a design for an adaptive gaming device, with a short narrative outlining its features, how it would work, and how it would assist someone with a disability (ies) in gaming. Brandon successfully completed his volunteer internship with AzTAP and presented his concept adaptive gaming device to our staff. In addition to the experience of working with persons with disabilities and learning about adaptive gaming, Brandon also had his first experience of working in our office with all our diverse staff, being responsible for work activities as well as receiving feedback on his performance.

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

AzTAP once again teamed up with GrackleDocs, a leader in the accessibility field, to provide an Information Communication Technology (ICT) training this year. In April 2024, we delivered a webinar on Zoom titled “The 3 D's: Disability, Diversity, and Digital Accessibility” that had 58 attendees. This webinar focused on supporting the civil rights of students with disabilities as they engage in the expanding landscape of digital education, from emails to online courses to web content and more. Participants were able to learn from case studies and examples what it is like for some students with print-related disabilities to access inaccessible materials and digital spaces that we may be unintentionally creating. Easy steps and resources were given to increase access and equity for all learners while also minimizing participant institutions’ risk of liability. Twenty-eight attendees relayed that they attended the webinar to improve procurement or development policies, procedures, or practices to ensure accessibility in ITC, while 17 attendees reported that they were planning to use the content toward implementing training or technical assistance for ICT.

D. IT/Telecommunications Educational/Training Activity Performance Measure

IT/Telecommunications Educational/Training Activity Performance Measure
Outcome/Result From IT/Telecommunications Educational/Training Activities Received	Number
IT and Telecommunications Procurement or Dev Policies	57
Training or Technical Assistance will be developed or implemented	38
No known outcome at this time	20
Nonrespondent	16
Total	131
Performance Measure Percentage	72.5%
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	07%
Employment	40%
Health, Allied Health, Rehabilitation	00%
Community Living	51%
Technology (IT, Telecom, AT)	02%
Total	100%

B. Description of Technical Assistance

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

AzTAP was contacted by our county’s Office of Preparedness and Response. They were working with the county resource centers on emergency response and sheltering to determine the different types of low-tech AT for communication they could purchase for each facility. They were interested in AT that did not require maintenance or updates and that were intuitive for shelter staff to implement and use. We put together a list of about 20 items that included a description of the item, its cost, and a link to where they could obtain/get more information. Based on this their team decided to acquire one main device for all the sheltering facilities. They requested that AzTAP AT staff be available in the future to come and do a training on the one device they were acquiring as well as do an overview training of the additional items on the suggestion list. We agreed to make our staff available to do such a training when they are ready.

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

AzTAP did not have TA project related to transition in this reporting period.

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. AzTAP held 67 public awareness outreach events, providing information on our programs and services to 3,286 individuals. In addition, we hosted an annual statewide conference (the Evidence for Success Disability Conference) focused on AT and disability services, held in collaboration with the Institute for Human Development at Northern Arizona University (NAU-IHD), the Arizona Department of Education, the Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council, and the Rehabilitation Services Administration. In total, between participants, exhibitors, community members, students, and volunteers, we had 568 attendees. AzTAP has an established multifaceted communication and outreach plan for the community that we follow consistently. This plan provides trainings throughout the year on new/innovative AT; a virtual training on Information Communication Technology (ICT) topics/information; and a regular email newsletter providing news and updates on our program/services as well as updates about our services/activities on our social media. In addition, we have several popular and well-attended community events that we attend each year, but we make it a priority to identify and attend events that target new or underserved populations. Overall, our public awareness efforts encompassed 93 activities that reached more than 13,000 people.

2. NA

Information And Assistance

Information And Assistance Activities by Recipient
Types of Recipients	AT Device/ Service	AT Funding	Total
Individuals with Disabilities	417	62	479
Family Members, Guardians and Authorized Representatives	390	31	421
Representative of Education	39	02	41
Representative of Employment	18	00	18
Representative of Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation	163	07	170
Representative of Community Living	56	07	63
Representative of Technology	31	00	31
Unable to Categorize	08	00	08
Total	1,122	109	1,231

Referral Types:

The vast majority of our known referrals come from Program Area Entity/Providers category. This shows that our public awareness outreach is focused on connecting with AT service providers, rehabilitation therapists, case manager and social service providers. Overall our staff provided 67 public awareness outreach events providing information on our programs and services. In addition, we hosted an annual statewide conference (the Evidence for Success Disability Conference) focused on AT and disability services, held in collaboration with the Institute for Human Development at Northern Arizona University (NAU-IHD), the Arizona Department of Education, the Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council, and the Rehabilitation Services Administration. In total, between participants, exhibitors, community members and volunteers we had 540 attendees. AzTAP also has an established multifaceted communication and outreach plan for the community that we follow consistently that provides trainings throughout the year on new/innovative AT; a virtual training on an ICT topic; and a regular email newsletter providing news and updates on our program/services as well as updates about our services/activities on social media. In addition, we have several consistent community events that we attend each year, but we continue to make it a priority to identify and attend events that target new or underserved populations.

Referral Sources:

AzTAP’s top five known referral sources are: 1) referrals from health care related professionals such as community occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech-language pathologists, which accounted for roughly 19% of our referrals this year; 2) referrals from insurance-related providers, accounting for nearly 9% of our referrals and mainly related to our lead agency’s AAC evaluation program; 3) referrals from prior AzTAP clients that return for new or additional services, which accounted for 7.8% of referrals; 4) individuals that refer themselves or their family member(s) for services, accounting for 7.7% of referrals; and 5) referrals from other technology related service providers like assistive technology specialists as well as AT vendors and durable medical equipment providers/suppliers, which accounted for 4.4% of referrals. Together these sources account for 48%, or nearly half, of all customers coming to AzTAP for our services.

Notes:

Coordination/Collaboration and State Improvement Outcomes

Overview of Coordination/Collaboration Activities

Outreach was conducted with the State Education Agency *

Yes

Was collaboration implemented? *

Yes

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?

Since 2006, AzTAP has had a contract with the Arizona Department of Education - Exceptional Student Services (ADE-ESS) to operate an assistive technology lending program for all public and charter schools in Arizona. The program provides a wide variety of assistive technology devices, equipment, software, and professional development materials to school personnel at no cost in order to improve access to assistive technology for students with disabilities. ADE-ESS funds all expenses related the program, which include a full-time staff member, purchase of AT devices for the inventory, travel and conference registrations, shipping of the equipment, and other program supplies/materials. The program offers four-week loans of assistive technology to be used for the following purposes: consideration/assessment as part of the individualized education plan (IEP) development process or IEP recommendations; classroom implementation on a time limited basis; loaners during device repair or while waiting for funding; accommodations for a student on a short-term basis; and professional development (teacher training, skill development, etc.). To help support the acquisition of AT for students, this program is not intended to provide long-term use of equipment either for student-specific or classroom use. School districts enroll in the program on an annual basis (a designated administrator completes a written agreement form) and then they are able to have assigned school staff use the program. Our ADE-ESS AT loan program coordinator works very closely with the AT specialists at the Arizona Department of Education to help borrowers select and implement the devices to best support their students. We track and report data about the type of devices borrowed, their purpose, and the outcome for both the general AzTAP and ADE – ESS loan programs.

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?

AzTAP has entered into its eighteenth year of running and managing the Arizona Department of Education – Exceptional Student Services (ADE-ESS) AT short term equipment loan program. ADE-ESS provides annual funding to purchase equipment for a dedicated AT inventory and maintain a full-time employee to manage the program, in addition to other related program expenses. This program has served as a resource to help education providers all around the state access AT devices and systems to trial with eligible students with disabilities. This access helps the education provider determine if an AT device will help the student access the curriculum, be successful with their academic program, and receive their receive their free appropriate public education (FAPE) as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). For this data reporting year, the program provided 323 loans of 1071 AT devices to the state’s school system, charter schools, and select local education agencies. In addition to providing loans of AT devices/system, the ADE AT loan program (at ADE-ESS’s request) is providing low-tech “maker” type workshops each year around the state for making switches and switch adapting toys. Our ADE AT Loan program coordinator also supports the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) AT team in promoting the program at education-related events and assistive technology trainings they sponsor throughout the year. Given its longevity and success, it is likely this program will continue at AzTAP well into the future.

2.a Please include URL for initiative if available

https://adeatloan.org/

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

Education,

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

Device Loan, Training, Public Awareness,

Outreach was conducted with the Vocational Rehabilitation Agency *

Yes

Was collaboration implemented? *

Yes

Via an interagency service agreement, our lead agency – the Institute for Human Development (IHD) at Northern Arizona University – in collaboration with the Arizona Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) launched the Assistive Technology for Employment & Independence (ATEI) program in July 2022. The ATEI program provides AT device evaluations, provision and purchasing of AT devices and systems, and hands-on trainings on the provided AT devices for Arizona Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) referred clients. The ATEI program spent most of 2023 in development. It is now fully staffed and became fully operational in early 2024. Since then, the program has provided AT devices valued at $1,028,911 to the clients of the state RSA system. The value of this adaptive equipment has been entered as a state financing other acquisition activity in this APR. The establishment and launch of this program has helped streamline the AT provision process for getting employment and independent living related AT devices and systems to clients of the state RSA system. We are working toward establishing the parameters for the ATEI program to report AT device demo and loan activities in future APRs.

For many years, the Arizona Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) did not have a coordinated system or provider of AT related services. AzTAP was able to work with the state RSA to develop the plan and the interagency service agreement for our lead agency (IHD) to establish the Assistive Technology for Employment and Independence (ATEI) program. The program was launched in July of 2023 and began serving clients in early 2024. Arizona RSA rehabilitation counselors and their clients now have a “one stop shop” for the provision of most AT services. The ATEI program provides AT evaluations, purchases the recommended devices, implements the AT into the client plan of services, and trains the client on the operation and usage of the devices. The ATEI program also provides services statewide, so it will hopefully make the provision of AT devices and services more uniform across the state. The ATEI program has performed outreach to Arizona RSA counselors across the state to train them on the operation of the program, service guidelines, and how to refer new clients who need AT-related services. This coordinated and structured system for providing AT devices and related services has proven highly effective, so it is likely to be continued when the current interagency service agreement expires.

2.a Please include URL for initiative if available

https://nau.edu/ihd/atei/

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

Employment,

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

Device Loan, Demo, State Financing,

Outreach was conducted with the Aging Agency *

Why was outreach not conducted? *

We have no established relationships, contacts or requests from the State Area Agency on Aging for AT related supports or services.

Outreach was conducted with the Medicaid Agency *

Yes

Was collaboration implemented? *

Yes

Our lead agency (IHD) is one of the providers of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) evaluation and training for two Medicaid providers in the state’s Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) system. This program provides team-based evaluations for AAC systems, the coordination of the funding paperwork for the Medicaid insurance provider provision of AAC systems, and the follow-up hands-on training on the devices/systems. This program has been in operation for over 20 years and has often been considered a national model for the provision of these systems and related support services. With this program families who receive the state’s Medicaid DDD services have a structured and coordinated service delivery system for all aspects of their AAC needs. Despite numerous challenges and evolutions over the years, this program and it service delivery have proven highly effective and are likely to be sustained into the future.

The Institute for Human Development (IHD) Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Evaluation and Training program has been in operation for over 20 years. Over the years it has been considered a national model for the provision of AAC systems and related support services for individuals with developmental disabilities. This past reporting year, the program provided 185 team-based AAC evaluation to 575 participants and provided hands-on training to 127 recipients of new AAC systems. Though this program, families who receive the state’s Medicaid DDD services have a structured and coordinated service delivery system for all aspects of their AAC needs. Despite numerous challenges and evolutions over the years, this program and its service delivery have proven highly effective and are likely to be sustained into the future.

2.a Please include URL for initiative if available

https://nau.edu/ihd/aac/

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

Community Participation and Integration,

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

Demo, Training, Information & Assistance,

Additional Coordination/Collaboration activities

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
Public/State Agency	$2,504,974	Training	True
Federal	$29,876	Demonstration	True
State Appropriations	$45,000	Training	True
Public/State Agency	$199,497	Device Loan	True
Public/State Agency	$393,049	Demonstration	True
	Amount: $3,172,396

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 FY24 (September 30, 2024) is as follows: (Check one) We did not utilize this funding in FY22, FY23 or FY24
We already expended the full award amount and reported associated data in the FY22 and/or FY23 APR
We expended some OR all this funding in FY24 (please complete the section below)

Please report the amount expended (drawn down and liquidated) in this reporting period, FY24:

$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).

The Public/State Agency program listed in Section A for $2,504,974 is the Assistive Technology for Employment & Independence (ATEI) program. The Institute for Human Development (IHD) at NAU entered into an interagency service agreement to oversee this service for our Arizona Rehabilitation Services Administration (AzRSA). The ATEI program was launched in July 2022 and went into full operation in January 2024. The ATEI program provides AT device evaluations, provisions and purchasing of AT devices and systems, and hands-on trainings for RSA referred clients. Of the available services in the drop-down list in section A, “training” is the only or the best one that fits the services the ATEI program is providing. For this APR, the ATEI program has provided data on AT related device trainings, public awareness, and “state financing - other acquisition” services related to providing AT devices for AzRSA clients.