National Assistive Technology Act Data System

Annual Progress Report - Full Report

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Oklahoma 2024

General Information

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

State AT Program Title:

Oklahoma ABLE Tech

State AT Program Title:

State AT Program URL

https://www.okabletech.org

Mailing Address:

1514 W Hall of Fame

City:

Stillwater

State:

Zip Code:

74078

Program Email:

abletech@okstate.edu

Phone:

405.744.4608

TTY:

800.257.1705

Lead Agency

Agency Name:

Oklahoma State University

Mailing Address:

1514 W Hall of Fame

City:

Stillwater

State:

Zip Code:

74078

Program URL:

https://www.okabletech.org

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):

Robinson, Allyson

Title:

Director

Phone:

405-744-4608

E-mail:

allyson.robinson@okstate.edu

Program Director at Lead Agency (last, first):

Robinson, Allyson

Title:

Director

Phone:

405-744-4608

E-mail:

allyson.robinson@okstate.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):

Robinson, Allyson

Title:

Director

Phone:

405-744-4608

E-mail:

allyson.robinson@okstate.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	35	42	77
Approved Not made	07	07	14
Rejected	30	36	66
Total	72	85	157

2. Income of Applicants to Whom Loans Were Made

Lowest/Highest Incomes
Lowest Income:	$9,360	Highest Income:	$144,000

Average Income
Sum of Incomes	Loans Made	Average Annual Income
$3,795,678	77	$49,295

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	08	20	16	10	07	16	77
Percentage of Loans	10.39%	25.97%	20.78%	12.99%	9.09%	20.78%	100%

3. Loan Type

Loan Type
Type of Loan	Number of Loans	Percentage of loans
Revolving Loans	41	53.25%
Partnership Loans
Without interest buy-down or loan guarantee	00	0%
With interest buy-down only	11	14.29%
With loan guarantee only	00	0%
With both interest buy-down and loan guarantee	25	32.47%
Total	77	100%

Loan Type Summary
Type of Loan	Number of Loans	Dollar Value of Loans
Revolving Loans	41	$186,890
Partnership Loans	36	$725,062
Total	77	$911,952

4. Interest Rates

Interest Rates
Lowest	5%
Highest	8%

Interest Rate Summary
Sum of Interest Rates	Number of Loans Made	Average Interest Rate
556	77	7.22077922077922%

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%	20
6.1% to 8.0%	57
8.1% - 10.0%	00
10.1%-12.0%	00
12.1%-14.0%	00
14.1% +	00
Total	77

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	01	$1,027
Hearing	104	$285,023
Speech communication	00	$0
Learning, cognition, and developmental	00	$0
Mobility, seating and positioning	06	$4,778
Daily living	06	$502
Environmental adaptations	00	$0
Vehicle modification and transportation	20	$619,684
Computers and related	03	$938
Recreation, sports, and leisure	00	$0
Total	140	$911,952

6. Defaults

Defaults
Number Loans in default	33
Net loss for loans in default	$123,453

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)	27
B. Non-Metro (RUCC 4-9)	5
C. Total Served	32

Performance Measure
D. Excluded from Performance Measure	0
E. Number of Individuals Included in Performance Measures	32

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	0	$0
Hearing	0	$0
Speech communication	32	$23,548
Learning, cognition, and developmental	0	$0
Mobility, seating and positioning	0	$0
Daily living	0	$0
Environmental adaptations	0	$0
Vehicle modification and transportation	0	$0
Computers and related	0	$0
Recreation, sports, and leisure	0	$0
Total	32	$23,548

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)	26
B. Non-Metro (RUCC 4-9)	10
C. Total Served	36

Performance Measure
D. Excluded from Performance Measure	0
E. Number of Individuals Included in Performance Measures	36

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	3	$23	$0	$23
Hearing	0	$0	$0	$0
Speech communication	0	$0	$0	$0
Learning, cognition, and developmental	2	$11	$0	$11
Mobility, seating and positioning	0	$0	$0	$0
Daily living	24	$235	$0	$235
Environmental adaptations	13	$137	$0	$137
Vehicle modification and transportation	0	$0	$0	$0
Computers and related	0	$0	$0	$0
Recreation, sports, and leisure	0	$0	$0	$0
Total	42	$406	$0	$406

D. Anecdote

Niko and his family were referred to Oklahoma ABLE Tech by the Oklahoma Office of Disability Concerns. After a subdural hematoma and spinal injury required Niko to start using a wheelchair, Niko’s family needed a mobility van. Niko’s family received a loan to purchase his mobility van through the Financial Loan Program at Oklahoma ABLE Tech. Now, Niko enjoys the freedom the van provides, especially trips to the mall and basketball games. He is looking forward to going on a longer trip in the new van soon! The Oklahoma ABLE Tech Financial Loan Program provides individuals in need of assistive technology (AT), durable medical equipment (DME), home modifications, or modified vehicles, with loans to purchase needed items. These loans are low-interest and have flexible repayment terms to ensure Oklahomans can get the devices they need to help them live, learn, and work independently. To learn more about the Financial Loan Program, visit https://www.okabletech.org/core-programs/financial-program/.

Niko is a dark-skinned man with short black hair and a beard. He is sitting in a reclined position in his power wheelchair on the sideline of a basketball court.

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.	07	10	34	51
2. AT was only available through the AT program.	01	03	56	60
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long.	00	00	01	01
4. Subtotal	08	13	91	112
5. None of the above	08	02	08	18
6. Subtotal	16	15	99	130
7. Nonrespondent	00	06	09	15
8. Total	16	21	108	145
9. Performance on this measure	50%	61.9%	84.26%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	81	55.86%
Satisfied	49	33.79%
Satisfied somewhat	00	0%
Not at all satisfied	00	0%
Nonrespondent	15	10.34%
Total Surveyed	145
Response rate %	89.66%

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	239
B. Device Refurbish/Repair - Reassign and/or Open Ended Loan	999
C. Total	1,238

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	1,237

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	07	$4,869	$0	$4,869
Hearing	27	$18,285	$0	$18,285
Speech Communication	06	$22,459	$0	$22,459
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	03	$24	$0	$24
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	58	$19,521	$0	$19,521
Daily Living	269	$9,804	$0	$9,804
Environmental Adaptations	73	$1,343	$0	$1,343
Vehicle Modification & Transportation	01	$3,500	$0	$3,500
Computers and Related	09	$2,454	$0	$2,454
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	19	$344	$0	$344
Total	472	$82,603	$0	$82,603

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	09	$661	$0	$661
Hearing	00	$0	$0	$0
Speech Communication	00	$0	$0	$0
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	00	$0	$0	$0
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	567	$302,153	$0	$302,153
Daily Living	553	$68,908	$0	$68,908
Environmental Adaptations	45	$3,865	$0	$3,865
Vehicle Modification & Transportation	00	$0	$0	$0
Computers and Related	00	$0	$0	$0
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	00	$0	$0	$0
Total	1,174	$375,587	$0	$375,587

D. Anecdote

Assistive technology (AT) increases independence for people with disabilities and often makes life feel possible again! This summer, Debby received several pieces of durable medical equipment (DME) including a wheelchair, blood pressure monitor, shower chair, and lift chair from Oklahoma ABLE Tech’s Device Reutilization program in partnership with the Oklahoma Assistive Technology Foundation (OkAT). Debby’s disabilities include arthritis, degenerative back disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. She was officially diagnosed when she was in her 50s but has experienced pain during work since she was 17 years old. Access to DME allows Debby to get out of her home and socialize with her community, friends, and family again. She said, “Now, I have a much brighter outlook on my place in this part of my life!”

Debby is an older light-skinned woman with grey hair. She sits in a black reclining chair that is placed in front of a window. To the right of her, there is a side table with a blood pressure monitor

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.	08	05	347	360
2. AT was only available through the AT program.	21	07	819	847
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long.	01	00	02	03
4. Subtotal	30	12	1,168	1,210
5. None of the above	00	09	17	26
6. Subtotal	30	21	1,185	1,236
7. Nonrespondent	00	00	02	02
8. Total	30	21	1,187	1,238
9. Performance on this measure	100%	57.14%	98.4%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	1,237	99.92%
Satisfied	00	0%
Satisfied somewhat	00	0%
Not at all satisfied	00	0%
Nonrespondent	01	0.08%
Total Surveyed	1,238
Response rate %	99.92%

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)	1,739
Serve as loaner during service repair or while waiting for funding	40
Provide an accommodation on a short-term basis for a time-limited event/situation	461
Conduct training, self-education or other professional development activity	66
Total	2,306

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	335	429	764
Family Members, Guardians, and Authorized Representatives	667	35	702
Representative of Education	365	49	414
Representative of Employment	09	01	10
Representatives of Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation	350	37	387
Representatives of Community Living	05	03	08
Representatives of Technology	08	13	21
Total	1,739	567	2,306

C. Length of Short-Term Device Loans

Length of Short-Term Device Loan in Days	42

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	221	71	292
Hearing	166	95	261
Speech Communication	1,418	125	1,543
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	519	112	631
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	132	317	449
Daily Living	79	74	153
Environmental Adaptations	268	161	429
Vehicle Modification and Transportation	06	17	23
Computers and Related	269	82	351
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	165	171	336
Total	3,243	1,225	4,468

E. Anecdote

Four-year-old KL found success in trialing an iPad with the TD Snap app using the symbol-based Motor Plan 30 language system from Oklahoma ABLE Tech! Before the device trial, KL sometimes struggled to communicate. TD Snap is a flexible Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) app/software made by Tobii Dynavox. This app offers multiple AAC page sets/language systems to help individuals communicate, and Oklahoma ABLE Tech has many options to borrow including accessories like table mounts and keyguards. With help from a graduate clinician in the Oklahoma State University Communication Sciences and Disorders Department and the device loan from ABLE Tech, KL now communicates much more effectively than before. His family hopes he will continue to develop expressive and receptive language skills using the TD Snap app that will ultimately help him participate in a classroom!

KL is a light-skinned boy with blond hair. He is sitting on the floor palming the screen of a tablet.

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	778	45	457	1,280
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs	119	05	73	197
Subtotal	897	50	530	1,477
Have not made a decision	05	00	01	06
Subtotal	902	50	531	1,483
Nonrespondent	170	11	75	256
Total	1,072	61	606	1,739
Performance on this measure	99.45%	100%	99.81%

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.	20	02	10	32
2. AT was only available through the AT program.	460	05	10	475
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long.	00	00	00	00
4. Subtotal	480	07	20	507
5. None of the above	18	00	10	28
6. Subtotal	498	07	30	535
7. Nonrespondent	22	00	10	32
8. Total	520	07	40	567
9. Performance on this measure	96.39%	100%	66.67%

H. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	1,793	77.75%
Satisfied	207	8.98%
Satisfied somewhat	31	1.34%
Not at all satisfied	05	0.22%
Nonrespondent	270	11.71%
Total Surveyed	2,306
Response rate %	88.29%

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	2,007
Hearing	38
Speech Communication	3,761
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	3,810
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	436
Daily Living	518
Environmental Adaptations	210
Vehicle Modification and Transportation	794
Computers and Related	142
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	131
Total # of Device Demonstrations	11,847

B. Types of Participants

Type of Participant	Decision-Makers	Other Participants	Total
Individuals with Disabilities	9,844	1,982	11,826
Family Members, Guardians, and Authorized Representatives	1,708	1,372	3,080
Representatives of Education	99	89	188
Representatives of Employment	00	18	18
Health, Allied Health, Rehabilitation	194	146	340
Representative of Community Living	02	50	52
Representative of Technology	00	00	00
Total	11,847	3,657	15,504

C. Number of Referrals

Referrals
Type of Entity	Number of Referrals
Funding Source (non-AT program)	03
Service Provider	08
Vendor	149
Repair Service	00
Others	01
Total	161

D. Anecdote

Presley has a rare condition that affects her vision, specifically her depth perception. Presley lives in Oklahoma City and recently has begun to receive Orientation and Mobility services from NewView Oklahoma. The goal is for Presley to eventually be able to travel independently in both her home and community. With the help of NewView Oklahoma and Oklahoma ABLE Tech, Presley was able to access different canes to determine which will be the best fit for her.

Presley is seen here using her long white cane outside of her home.

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	7,090	475	3,912	11,477
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs	28	14	80	122
Subtotal	7,118	489	3,992	11,599
Have not made a decision	18	05	213	236
Subtotal	7,136	494	4,205	11,835
Nonrespondent	00	01	11	12
Total	7,136	495	4,216	11,847
Performance on this measure	99.75%	98.79%	94.69%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	12,749	82.23%
Satisfied	2,567	16.56%
Satisfied somewhat	152	0.98%
Not at all satisfied	32	0.21%
Nonrespondent	04	0.03%
Total	15,504
Response rate %	99.97%

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.	35	17	391	443
2. AT was only available through the AT program.	482	15	885	1,382
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long.	01	00	03	04
4. Subtotal	518	32	1,279	1,829
5. None of the above	26	11	35	72
6. Subtotal	544	43	1,314	1,901
7. Nonrespondent	22	06	21	49
8. Total	566	49	1,335	1,950
9. Performance on this measure	95.04%	65.31%	96.3%	95.15%
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	7,868	520	4,369	12,757
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs	147	19	153	319
Subtotal	8,015	539	4,522	13,076
Have not made a decision	23	05	214	242
Subtotal	8,038	544	4,736	13,318
Nonrespondent	170	12	86	268
Total	8,208	556	4,822	13,586
Performance on this measure	99.71%	98.9%	95.26%	98.09%
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	98.84%	95%	Met
Response Rate	98.49%	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	597
Family Members, Guardians and Authorized Representatives	36
Representatives of Education	1,411
Representatives of Employment	120
Rep Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation	737
Representatives of Community Living	1,079
Representatives of Technology	176
Unable to Categorize	779
TOTAL	4,935

Geographic Distribution of Participants
Metro	Non Metro	Unknown	TOTAL
1,640	1,113	2,182	4,935

B. Educational/Training Activity Topics

Educational/Training Activities by Topic
Primary Topic of Educational/Training Activities	Participants
AT Products/Services	874
AT Funding/Policy/ Practice	719
Combination of any/all of the above	1,115
Information Technology/Telecommunication Access	1,797
Transition	430
Total	4,935

C. Description of Educational/Training Activities

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

In FFY24, Oklahoma ABLE Tech staff provided a Financial Loan Program training for Medicaid Service Unit (MSU) Providers. 256 participants joined a Zoom presentation at the MSU Quarterly Provider Training for Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) Community Living, Aging, and Protective Services. Director of Lending, Natalie Rohwer, trained on the Financial Loan Program products, process, qualifications, and how to use the program for their members. Community based providers in attendance serve Advantage Members and in many cases they also serve a larger contingent of their communities as well. This training provided community based providers information on a financing option for them to share that offers the members and others individuals an opportunity to exercise independence and autonomy by seeking a low-interest loan for needed equipment.

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

Through support provided by and collaboration with the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS), Oklahoma ABLE Tech created and shared an introductory video developed for the Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) Building Employment Skills for Today (BEST) Summer Transition Employment Program (STEP) camps. DRS Transition and OU Pre-ETS offer the BEST STEP program every summer and provide career-focused preparation activities and employment services all year long to assist youth and students with disabilities in successfully transitioning from high school to post-secondary education or employment. In the training video, Bethany Potts, a new program coordinator with Oklahoma ABLE Tech, highlights several assistive technologies relevant to employment. Additional training materials and resources were developed and disseminated to support students and staff in this initiative.

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

Over the past year, Oklahoma ABLE Tech has greatly increased collaboration with Oklahoma State University. ABLE Tech's digital accessibility team has trained multiple OSU colleges, departments, and classes including OSU Extension, Fire Protection Publications, and Brand Management. Trainings targeted faculty, staff, and students. In November 2023, the Digital Accessibility team guest lectured in the Digital and Online Media course for agricultural communications students at OSU. The training focused on introducing the class to Assistive Technology (AT), the four core concepts of digital accessibility, and how to make their social media content accessible. Peyton Haley and Adam Thiel led an interactive presentation, testing the students’ knowledge and practicing skills like writing alternative text. Students were excited to get hands-on exposure to AT and asked questions throughout the presentation!

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	692
Training or Technical Assistance will be developed or implemented	408
No known outcome at this time	275
Nonrespondent	422
Total	1,797
Performance Measure Percentage	61.2%
ACL Target Percentage	70%
Met/Not Met	Not Met

E. Notes:

Technical Assistance

A. Frequency and Nature of Technical Assistance

Technical Assistance by Recipient Type
Education	48%
Employment	01%
Health, Allied Health, Rehabilitation	12%
Community Living	22%
Technology (IT, Telecom, AT)	17%
Total	100%

B. Description of Technical Assistance

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

Oklahoma is known for having severe weather annually. This past year multiple cities were hit with tornadoes, including the city of Sulphur, home of the Oklahoma School for the Deaf. News anchor and meteorologist, Emily Sutton, subsequently visited with Oklahoma ABLE Tech Assistant Director, Shelley Gladden, and others in the state regarding weather safety and alerts for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Shelley was able to provide technical assistance to Emily and KFOR News 4 regarding timely and effective communication to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing in the event of severe weather. This contributed to changes in the way information is communicated by the news station during severe weather events. This also led to the creation of an informational video, "Severe Weather Safety with American Sign Language" available at kfor.com.

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

In FY25, ABLE Tech accepted a new contract with the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) and started providing targeted technical assistance in digital accessibility on the development and management of the Oklahoma Pathways to Partnerships (OP2P) website to ensure that the site and its contents are accessible to all individuals with disabilities. This was made possible through ongoing technical assistance provided to OSDE in FY24. OP2P is possible through a Rehabilitation Services Administration Disability Innovation Fund (DIF) award.

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. In FFY 24, Oklahoma ABLE Tech Assistant Director, Shelley Gladden, hosted news anchor and meteorologist, Emily Sutton, of KFOR News 4 for a tour of smart home technology including weather alert and safety devices. Shelley helped increase awareness re: assistive technology devices that can be helpful to those who are deaf or hard of hearing in a news segment entitled, Oklahoma’s Wicked Weather 2024 Special”. View the recording here: https://kfor.com/weather/4warn-weather-stories/oklahomas-wicked-weather-2024-special. Watch around the 2:00-minute mark to catch the clip of Shelley!

Information And Assistance

Information And Assistance Activities by Recipient
Types of Recipients	AT Device/ Service	AT Funding	Total
Individuals with Disabilities	8,137	320	8,457
Family Members, Guardians and Authorized Representatives	1,214	53	1,267
Representative of Education	367	33	400
Representative of Employment	45	05	50
Representative of Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation	1,733	62	1,795
Representative of Community Living	101	12	113
Representative of Technology	143	07	150
Unable to Categorize	1,008	04	1,012
Total	12,748	496	13,244

Referral Types:

New and developing relationships with Oklahoma Human Services (OHS) including Developmental Disabilities Services (DDS) and Community Living, Aging and Protective Services (CAP) have increased referrals to Oklahoma ABLE Tech programs and services. New initiatives with DDS focus on Wearables for Wellness assisting individuals (ages 18-60 years old) with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities) with setting health goals, using health care wearable technology, and exploring accessibility. New initiatives with CAP focus on using assistive technology to provide respite to caregivers. This year, ABLE Tech has put program/service information in senior journals/magazines, spoken on the Oklahoma Senior Journal radio segment, hosted booths and conducted trainings and co-presentations all to help Oklahomans learn about resources and supports to help individuals with disabilities live more independent lives - and be healthy, safe, and well. These activities also assisted caregivers in finding solutions for balancing the demands of their roles with rest and rejuvenation. As a funder and a partner, Oklahoma Human Services has actively sought to cross-promote, co-present, and otherwise co-own the initiatives of the partnerships which has allowed the information to get in front of more audiences than would otherwise be possible if Oklahoma ABLE Tech were promoting and presenting alone.

Referral Sources:

As a result of these OHS partnerships, more Person Centered Options Counselors, DDS Case Managers, and therapists including many speech-language pathologists are making referrals to Oklahoma ABLE Tech.

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?

Oklahoma ABLE Tech has a very solid relationship and partnership with the Oklahoma State Department of Education. More recently, through collaborative meetings focusing on assistive technology (AT) and accessible educational materials (AEM), Oklahoma ABLE Tech has had more opportunities to focus on expanded initiatives/directions including areas of transition. Annual contractual funds were increased to focus on transition, and another contract was added to further expand technical assistance (TA) opportunities related to digital accessibility for a new OSDE website under the Oklahoma Pathways to Partnership (OP2P) initiative.

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?

Enhanced/Increased collaboration has more directly involved stakeholder groups including the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES). OMES assists state agencies in areas of finance, property, human resources and technology services to help them succeed. Collaborations with OMES, specific to digital accessibility rules/regulations, have the potential to positively impact ALL state agency websites managed by OMES. Starting with OSDE's OP2P website, Oklahoma ABLE Tech demonstrated the process of standing up a fully accessible website with accessibility at the forefront (vs retroactively fixing accessibility issues as is often the case). The initiative will continue (at least) for the next four years (per the RSA DIF mentioned in a previous section of the APR).

2.a Please include URL for initiative if available

currently in development

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

Education, Employment, Transition (school to work or congregate care to community),

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

Technical Assistance,

Outreach was conducted with the Vocational Rehabilitation Agency *

Yes

Was collaboration implemented? *

Yes

Decades ago Oklahoma ABLE Tech had a relationship with the VR program wherein VR was an AT demonstration partner. Oklahoma ABLE Tech provided requested AT to the VR program, and VR collected and reported data on AT demonstrations conducted to assist individuals seeking to gain/maintain competitive integrated employment. Over the years, the initiative dissolved; however, last year - after multiple meetings and discussions - the initiative was revived! No additional funding is received for this initiative.

Seeing the demonstration data year after year, ABLE Tech sought to more positively impact the area of Employment throughout the state. ABLE Tech approached VR and the Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired (SBVI) to determine if an AT demonstration partnership could be redeveloped. Both groups were agreeable! ABLE Tech was able to speak to improvements in processes (Ex. easier data entry) and benefits to partnering (Ex. ease and timeliness acquiring AT for demonstrations compared to the VR program's ability to procure needed AT in a timely way). Ongoing friendly and collaborative discussions helped the initiative thrive. Data shows a good increase in demonstrations that support employment-related performance measure outcomes (from 266 to 495). We think this is directly related to an expanded relationship/collaboration with VR and SBVI. Specifically and intentionally Oklahoma ABLE Tech worked through the CDC's Strategic Partnering Framework, and it worked!

2.a Please include URL for initiative if available

https://www.okabletech.org/resources/program-partnerships/

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

Employment,

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

Demo,

Outreach was conducted with the Aging Agency *

Yes

Was collaboration implemented? *

Why was collaboration not implemented? *

Collaboration will be implemented in FY26.

Outreach was conducted with the Medicaid Agency *

Yes

Was collaboration implemented? *

Why was collaboration not implemented? *

Collaboration will be implemented in FY26

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?

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.

ABLE Tech, in collaboration with the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) and AEM Corporation, developed data collection pathways related to Accessible Educational Materials (AEM). Representatives from the Oklahoma State Department of Education and other in-state agencies also participated in this effort over the past year, which culminated in the development of five (5) new Common Education Data Standards (CEDS) elements. When fully implemented, these elements will enable Oklahoma (and other states) to collect critical data about the use of AEM in schools. Having accurate data facilitates informed decision-making and resource distribution.

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.)

The Common Education Data Standards can be found here: https://ceds.ed.gov.

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

Education

Additional And Leveraged Funds

A. Leveraged Funding for State Plan Activities

Fund Source	Amount	Use of Funds	Data Reported
State Appropriations	$8,000	Technical Assistance	True
Public/State Agency	$70,000	Demonstration	True
Federal	$9,467	Training	True
Public/State Agency	$235,000	Reuse	True
Public/State Agency	$100,000	State Financing	True
Federal	$8,000	Technical Assistance	True
Public/State Agency	$10,000	Reuse	True
Federal	$9,290	Public Awareness, I&A	True
Public/State Agency	$17,858	Demonstration	True
Federal	$10,653	Training	True
Public/State Agency	$25,000	Public Awareness, I&A	True
Private	$80,819	State Financing	True
Public/State Agency	$125,000	Training	True
Private	$2,000	Technical Assistance	True
Federal	$14,000	Public Awareness, I&A	True
Private	$12,033	Reuse	True
Private	$7,000	Reuse	True
Public/State Agency	$100,000	Training	True
Private	$10,000	Reuse	True
State Appropriations	$78,000	State Financing	True
Public/State Agency	$20,000	Public Awareness, I&A	True
Public/State Agency	$25,000	Public Awareness, I&A	True
Public/State Agency	$155,000	Technical Assistance	True
Public/State Agency	$40,000	Training	True
Public/State Agency	$175,000	Device Loan	True
State Appropriations	$5,021	Public Awareness, I&A	True
	Amount: $1,352,141

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.

$23,000 of these leveraged dollars were used to provide ICTA training and TA to state/territory AT Act Programs who will be recording training data and reporting it in their own APRs thus the "Individuals Served" will not be reported in this section.

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:

$18,757.00

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	0.50
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)	0.50

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

Two additional employees were hired as temps until additional funds could be secured to braid with the PHW dollars and ensure sustainability for the positions. The first FTE was hired to train and coordinate grant/contract activities. The majority of her time was spent helping individuals with I/DD match with wearable tech that can assist them in reaching self-identified, health-related goals. The second FTE was hired to assist with communications and messaging of our programs and services to increase awareness and use of ABLE Tech programs and services.

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).

n/a