National Assistive Technology Act Data System
Annual Progress Report - Full Report
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Alabama 2025
General Information
Statewide AT Program (Information to be listed in national State AT Program Directory)
Lead Agency
Implementing Entity
Program Director and Other Contacts
Person Responsible for completing this form if other than Program Director
Certifying Representative
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? | No |
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? | 1 |
|---|
Activity 1
| How would you describe this state financing activity? | Last resort - Activity |
|---|
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) | 438 |
| B. Non-Metro (RUCC 4-9) | 83 |
| C. Total Served | 521 |
| Performance Measure | |
|---|---|
| D. Excluded from Performance Measure | 0 |
| E. Number of Individuals Included in Performance Measures | 521 |
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 | 1 | $177 |
| Hearing | 3 | $2,712 |
| Speech communication | 148 | $143,271 |
| Learning, cognition, and developmental | 85 | $145,251 |
| Mobility, seating and positioning | 164 | $105,726 |
| Daily living | 20 | $6,997 |
| Environmental adaptations | 10 | $11,992 |
| Vehicle modification and transportation | 6 | $9,436 |
| Computers and related | 0 | $0 |
| Recreation, sports, and leisure | 84 | $10,293 |
| Total | 521 | $435,855 |
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? | 1 |
|---|
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) | 165 |
| B. Non-Metro (RUCC 4-9) | 5 |
| C. Total Served | 170 |
| Performance Measure | |
|---|---|
| D. Excluded from Performance Measure | 0 |
| E. Number of Individuals Included in Performance Measures | 170 |
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 | 0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Hearing | 0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Speech communication | 124 | $5,670 | $174 | $5,496 |
| Learning, cognition, and developmental | 118 | $4,301 | $719 | $3,582 |
| Mobility, seating and positioning | 0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Daily living | 0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Environmental adaptations | 0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Vehicle modification and transportation | 0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Computers and related | 66 | $6,270 | $330 | $5,940 |
| Recreation, sports, and leisure | 0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total | 308 | $16,241 | $1,223 | $15,018 |
D. Anecdote
Our last resort funding partner, Libby’s Friends, helps purchase essential devices not covered by insurance. We received powerful feedback from the family of Atlas, a young child who received his Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) device ("talker") through the program. His mother reported that since getting the device, his vocabulary has "grown tremendously" and he is now "starting to string 3-5 word sentences together, both verbally and with his device." She concluded: "He will be starting kindergarten this year and one of the only things giving my 'mom-heart' some peace is knowing that he will be heard and understood, no matter how he chooses to express himself... Libby's Friends has helped Atlas find his voice."
In November 2024, we held our first ever toy modification workshop. We partnered with United Ability, a community rehabilitation partner, to host the event just in time for holiday gifts! Thanks to generous donations of toys and supplies, 26 participants were able to attend for free. They chose to adapt either a bubble blower or a dancing monkey toy. They learned step-by-step how to make the toy switch accessible. Everyone left with a switch-adapted toy. Also, thanks to a friend of APTAT who 3D printed, assembled, and donated ability switches, attendees also left with a switch to activate their toy. Switch-adapted toys sell for 2-3 times the cost of the retail value of the toy alone and similar ability switches cost around $75. With our workshop we were able to provide approximately $125 in devices, for free, to 26 attendees. One dad who attended said, “We didn’t even know switch adapted toys were an option. It was such a joy watching our son play and interact with a toy for the first time!”.
E. Performance Measures
| Response | Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education | Employment | Community Living | ||
| 1. Could only afford the AT through the AT program. | 183 | 00 | 391 | 574 |
| 2. AT was only available through the AT program. | 15 | 01 | 08 | 24 |
| 3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long. | 93 | 00 | 00 | 93 |
| 4. Subtotal | 291 | 01 | 399 | 691 |
| 5. None of the above | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 |
| 6. Subtotal | 291 | 01 | 399 | 691 |
| 7. Nonrespondent | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 |
| 8. Total | 291 | 01 | 399 | 691 |
| 9. Performance on this measure | 100% | 100% | 100% | |
F. Customer Satisfaction
| Customer Rating of Services | Number of Customers | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| Highly satisfied | 688 | 99.57% |
| Satisfied | 02 | 0.29% |
| Satisfied somewhat | 01 | 0.14% |
| Not at all satisfied | 00 | 0% |
| Nonrespondent | 00 | 0% |
| Total Surveyed | 691 | |
| Response rate % | 100% |
G. Notes:
Reutilization
A. Number of Recipients of Reused Devices
| Activity | Number of Individuals Receiving a Device from Activity |
|---|---|
| A. Device Exchange | 00 |
| B. Device Refurbish/Repair - Reassign and/or Open Ended Loan | 6,006 |
| C. Total | 6,006 |
| 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 | 6,006 |
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
| 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 | 00 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Hearing | 00 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Speech Communication | 00 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Learning, Cognition and Developmental | 00 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Mobility, Seating and Positioning | 00 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Daily Living | 00 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| 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 | 00 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
C. Device Refurbish/Repair - Reassignment and/or Open Ended Loan Activities
| 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 | 01 | $100 | $0 | $100 |
| Hearing | 05 | $10,800 | $0 | $10,800 |
| Speech Communication | 00 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Learning, Cognition and Developmental | 00 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Mobility, Seating and Positioning | 5,289 | $1,829,677 | $0 | $1,829,677 |
| Daily Living | 2,741 | $530,942 | $0 | $530,942 |
| Environmental Adaptations | 43 | $6,335 | $0 | $6,335 |
| Vehicle Modification & Transportation | 01 | $3,560 | $0 | $3,560 |
| Computers and Related | 02 | $185 | $0 | $185 |
| Recreation, Sports and Leisure | 16 | $1,457 | $0 | $1,457 |
| Total | 8,098 | $2,383,056 | $0 | $2,383,056 |
D. Anecdote
Tristan is a 12-year-old boy living with his grandmother in Houston County, Al. He has been through more than 50 surgeries and uses supports for breathing, eating, and moving around. Tristan outgrew his old wheelchair and badly needed a new one that was more suitable for his size, until he can get fitted for a new wheelchair funded through insurance. Tristan’s grandmother visited the R.E.A.L. Project, a reuse program of the Wiregrass Rehabilitation Center in Dothan, Al. They were able to provide him with a manual wheelchair that has a bigger seat and footrests that move up and down, along with a comfortable cushion. Buying this equipment new would have cost his grandmother around $1,000. The R.E.A.L. Project was able to provide it for free thanks to generous community donations of durable medical equipment. Now, Tristan, a happy kid who loves music, is much more comfortable. His grandmother says the program is a blessing because it gives Tristan the right tools to live his best life without the family having to pay a huge cost.