National Assistive Technology Act Data System

Annual Progress Report - Full Report

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Rhode Island 2025

General Information

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

State AT Program Title:

Rhode Island Assistive Technnology Access Partnership

State AT Program Title:

State AT Program URL

https://ors.ri.gov/programs/assistive-technology-access-partnership-atap

Mailing Address:

40 Fountain Street

City:

Providence

State:

Rhode Island

Zip Code:

02903

Program Email:

jennifer.fiske@ors.ri.gov

Phone:

401-871-1145

TTY:

401-222-1328

Lead Agency

Agency Name:

Office of Rehabilitation Services

Mailing Address:

40 Fountain Street

City:

Providence

State:

Rhode island

Zip Code:

02903

Program URL:

https://ors.ri.gov

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):

Jennifer Fiske

Title:

ATAP DIrector/Assistant Administrator

Phone:

401-871-1145

E-mail:

jennifer.fiske@ors.ri.gov

Program Director at Lead Agency (last, first):

same as above

Title:

Phone:

E-mail:

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):

Fiske, Jennifer

Title:

ATAP Director/Assistant Administrator

Phone:

401-871-1145

E-mail:

jennifer.fiske@ors.ri.gov

State Financing

Did your approved state plan for this reporting period include any State Financing?

Yes

Did your approved state plan for this reporting period include conducting a Financial Loan Program?

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?

Telecommunications equipment distribution

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)	81
B. Non-Metro (RUCC 4-9)	0
C. Total Served	81

Performance Measure
D. Excluded from Performance Measure	0
E. Number of Individuals Included in Performance Measures	81

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	69	$39,485
Speech communication	3	$2,359
Learning, cognition, and developmental	1	$699
Mobility, seating and positioning	9	$7,231
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	82	$49,774

C. State Financing Activities that Allow Consumers to Obtain AT at Reduced Cost

1. Overview of Activities Performed

How many state financing activities that allow consumers to obtain AT at a reduced cost were included in your approved state plan?

D. Anecdote

Consumer is a 95-year-old client who lives independently. Consumer originally received an amplified telephone from our Adaptive Telephone Loan Program (ATEL). Consumer learned about an upcoming training on Smart Phones at his local Senior Center and decided to attend. Consumer attended an ATEL presentation on Challenges and Solutions of Older Adults and Technology. At this presentation, consumer learned that iPhone accessibility for seniors includes features like Assistive Access, which simplifies the home screen with larger buttons and limited apps, and general accessibility settings such as magnification, Voice Control, and simplified touch gestures. These features can help consumer remain more independent. Consumer has a hearing loss so he is eligible for the ATEL program. As part of the program, consumer is attending ATEL's monthly Technology Training sessions at East Providence Senior Center. Consumer reports to love the phone and its features.

Impact Area Education Employment Community Living

A home visit was conducted with a 93-year-old man who had previously received an amplified phone from Adaptive Telephone Loan Program (ATEL). He contacted ATEL to report that he was having more difficulty hearing on it. Given his advanced age it would have been easy to conclude that the issue was increased hearing loss. The home visit allowed ATEL to test the phone. It was determined that indeed even with the volume set to max, it sounded a bit muted. It is plausible that the speaker in the headset had degraded over the years. The Equipment was replaced with the same model phone (brand new) and the consumer reported he could hear better on it. It was noted that even though he could hear better he was still struggling with some communication. ATEL provided the consumer with information about a caption phone that does not require he have an internet connection. Consumer reached out to ATEL inquiring on a demonstration of a captioning phone. By doing a home visit ATEL was able to observe firsthand that the phone was no longer operating as it should. It also allowed for a conversation with the consumer to make him aware of other options should the replacement phone prove to be not enough to aid in communication and independence.

Impact Area Education Employment Community Living

E. Performance Measures

Performance Measures
Response	Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed			Total
Response	Education	Employment	Community Living	Total
1. Could only afford the AT through the AT program.	00	02	79	81
2. AT was only available through the AT program.	00	00	00	00
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long.	00	00	00	00
4. Subtotal	00	02	79	81
5. None of the above	00	00	00	00
6. Subtotal	00	02	79	81
7. Nonrespondent	00	00	00	00
8. Total	00	02	79	81
9. Performance on this measure	NaN%	100%	100%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	80	98.77%
Satisfied	00	0%
Satisfied somewhat	01	1.23%
Not at all satisfied	00	0%
Nonrespondent	00	0%
Total Surveyed	81
Response rate %	100%

G. Notes:

Reutilization

Did your approved State Plan for this reporting period included conducting any device reuse activities?

A. Number of Recipients of Reused Devices

Activity	Number of Individuals Receiving a Device from Activity
A. Device Exchange	06
B. Device Refurbish/Repair - Reassign and/or Open Ended Loan	43
C. Total	49

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	49

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	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	04	$7,050	$0	$7,050
Daily Living	00	$0	$0	$0
Environmental Adaptations	02	$100	$0	$100
Vehicle Modification & Transportation	00	$0	$0	$0
Computers and Related	00	$0	$0	$0
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	00	$0	$0	$0
Total	06	$7,150	$0	$7,150

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	00	$0	$0	$0
Hearing	09	$2,010	$0	$2,010
Speech Communication	03	$2,700	$0	$2,700
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	00	$0	$0	$0
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	28	$2,729	$0	$2,729
Daily Living	13	$1,073	$0	$1,073
Environmental Adaptations	11	$1,290	$0	$1,290
Vehicle Modification & Transportation	00	$0	$0	$0
Computers and Related	02	$173	$0	$173
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	00	$0	$0	$0
Total	66	$9,975	$0	$9,975

D. Anecdote

Ocean State Center for Independent Living (OSCIL) received a generous donation from a community member—an adjustable platform rising bed in excellent condition. Thanks to the efforts of our Assistive Technology Access Partnership (ATAP) staff, the bed quickly found a new home with an OSCIL consumer in need. The recipient is an 81-year-old woman living independently in Warwick. She faces several medical challenges, including COPD, spinal stenosis, severe arthritis, hypertension, and macular degeneration. Her previous electric bed, which helped her breathe more easily by elevating her upper body, had stopped working the year before. Since then, she had been sleeping propped up with six pillows just to breathe comfortably at night. OSCIL staff coordinated the delivery of the donated bed to her home. The impact was immediate and profound.

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	00	36	36
2. AT was only available through the AT program.	00	00	00	00
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long.	00	00	12	12
4. Subtotal	00	00	48	48
5. None of the above	00	00	00	00
6. Subtotal	00	00	48	48
7. Nonrespondent	00	00	01	01
8. Total	00	00	49	49
9. Performance on this measure	NaN%	NaN%	97.96%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	48	97.96%
Satisfied	00	0%
Satisfied somewhat	00	0%
Not at all satisfied	00	0%
Nonrespondent	01	2.04%
Total Surveyed	49
Response rate %	97.96%

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)	92
Serve as loaner during service repair or while waiting for funding	03
Provide an accommodation on a short-term basis for a time-limited event/situation	09
Conduct training, self-education or other professional development activity	06
Total	110

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	52	08	60
Family Members, Guardians, and Authorized Representatives	05	00	05
Representative of Education	30	06	36
Representative of Employment	02	01	03
Representatives of Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation	01	00	01
Representatives of Community Living	01	02	03
Representatives of Technology	01	01	02
Total	92	18	110

C. Length of Short-Term Device Loans

Length of Short-Term Device Loan in Days	30

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	21	01	22
Hearing	19	07	26
Speech Communication	15	06	21
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	17	03	20
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	09	03	12
Daily Living	12	03	15
Environmental Adaptations	04	04	08
Vehicle Modification and Transportation	00	00	00
Computers and Related	62	04	66
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	04	01	05
Total	163	32	195

E. Anecdote

Consumer contacted ATAP partner needing assistance working with a deaf student. Consumer is a teacher at a local school. This teacher works with deaf and hard of hearing students in public schools. She contacted ATAP because one of her students had a project which involved taking care of an infant simulator doll. These dolls are designed to behave like real babies by crying, burping, and requiring 'feeding' and diapering, to try to deter teen pregnancy. Since the student is deaf, she needed to find a way to be able to be notified that the baby is crying to participate with her fellow classmates. This proved to be difficult as the student cannot hear when/if the baby is crying. She contacted ATAP inquiring if there was any type of Assistive Technology that could help. ATAP partners met to brainstorm possible Assistive Technology solutions. Different strategies and AT equipment such as various alerting devices were discussed. Student borrowed three devices from the AT Loan Library. It was recommended she borrow an Apple Watch, Flashing Baby Monitors and a Shake-a-Wake Alarm with Bed Shaker and Baby Sound Transmitter. Student used the accessibility feature on her watch to vibrate when it hears a baby cry; however, the vibration wasn’t enough to wake her at night. Then she used a baby monitor that flashes a light to indicate the baby is crying; however, the flash was not on This AT Equipment allowed the student to recognize when her baby was crying by a flash. The student was so happy that she would be able to participate in the class like her peers. The Assistive Technology equipment that was loaned to the student for this project was an easy mid tech solution that worked out very well. She was able to fully participate and complete the class with her peers.

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	48	00	18	66
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs	04	01	04	09
Subtotal	52	01	22	75
Have not made a decision	13	00	03	16
Subtotal	65	01	25	91
Nonrespondent	01	00	00	01
Total	66	01	25	92
Performance on this measure	80%	100%	88%

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.	05	00	03	08
2. AT was only available through the AT program.	01	01	01	03
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long.	00	00	04	04
4. Subtotal	06	01	08	15
5. None of the above	00	01	00	01
6. Subtotal	06	02	08	16
7. Nonrespondent	01	00	01	02
8. Total	07	02	09	18
9. Performance on this measure	100%	50%	100%

H. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	98	89.09%
Satisfied	11	10%
Satisfied somewhat	00	0%
Not at all satisfied	00	0%
Nonrespondent	01	0.91%
Total Surveyed	110
Response rate %	99.09%

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	08
Hearing	11
Speech Communication	08
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	09
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	14
Daily Living	07
Environmental Adaptations	06
Vehicle Modification and Transportation	00
Computers and Related	10
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	00
Total # of Device Demonstrations	73

B. Types of Participants

Type of Participant	Decision-Makers	Other Participants	Total
Individuals with Disabilities	39	16	55
Family Members, Guardians, and Authorized Representatives	06	04	10
Representatives of Education	24	25	49
Representatives of Employment	02	00	02
Health, Allied Health, Rehabilitation	00	02	02
Representative of Community Living	02	03	05
Representative of Technology	00	00	00
Total	73	50	123

C. Number of Referrals

Referrals
Type of Entity	Number of Referrals
Funding Source (non-AT program)	29
Service Provider	06
Vendor	09
Repair Service	00
Others	02
Total	46

D. Anecdote

A consumer contact ATAP partner agency TechAccess to request a demonstration of different AT tools to help support her elementary school-aged son's reading and math development. The demonstration was scheduled and during the session, the Scanning Pen and the ArthimeType Math Keyboard were demonstrated. This keyboard helps to simplify the process of typing math. The hardware keyboard conveniently locates the numbers, operations, common math letters and symbols in one plug-and-play device that works alongside students own computer. Both the parents and the student were impressed by the equipment and felt like this could be a good solution for some help with his learning difficulties. Following the demonstration, the parents requested a more comprehensive assistive technology(AT) evaluation to be conducted at her son’s school. The ArthimeType keyboard is a newly acquired device at TechACCESS, purchased after one of the clinicians discovered it at the annual ATIA conference.

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	23	01	25	49
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs	01	01	05	07
Subtotal	24	02	30	56
Have not made a decision	01	00	12	13
Subtotal	25	02	42	69
Nonrespondent	01	00	03	04
Total	26	02	45	73
Performance on this measure	92.31%	100%	66.67%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	113	91.87%
Satisfied	08	6.5%
Satisfied somewhat	02	1.63%
Not at all satisfied	00	0%
Nonrespondent	00	0%
Total	123
Response rate %	100%

G. Notes:

Overall Performance Measures

Overall Acquisition Performance Measure

Acquisition Performance Measures
Response	Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed			Total
Response	Education	Employment	Community Living	Total
1. Could only afford the AT through the AT program.	05	02	118	125
2. AT was only available through the AT program.	01	01	01	03
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long.	00	00	16	16
4. Subtotal	06	03	135	144
5. None of the above	00	01	00	01
6. Subtotal	06	04	135	145
7. Nonrespondent	01	00	02	03
8. Total	07	04	137	148
9. Performance on this measure	100%	75%	87.5%	87.67%
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	71	01	43	115
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs	05	02	09	16
Subtotal	76	03	52	131
Have not made a decision	14	00	15	29
Subtotal	90	03	67	160
Nonrespondent	02	00	03	05
Total	92	03	70	165
Performance on this measure	83.52%	100%	74.29%	79.88%
ACL Performance Measure				90%
Met/Not Met				Not Met

Overall Satisfaction Rating

Customer Rating of Services	Percent	ACL Target	Met/Not Met
Highly satisfied and satisfied	99.17%	95%	Met
Response Rate	99.45%	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	716
Family Members, Guardians and Authorized Representatives	00
Representatives of Education	117
Representatives of Employment	00
Rep Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation	00
Representatives of Community Living	00
Representatives of Technology	03
Unable to Categorize	00
TOTAL	836

Geographic Distribution of Participants
Metro	Non Metro	Unknown	TOTAL
614	221	01	836

B. Educational/Training Activity Topics

Educational/Training Activities by Topic
Primary Topic of Educational/Training Activities	Participants
AT Products/Services	715
AT Funding/Policy/ Practice	00
Combination of any/all of the above	11
Information Technology/Telecommunication Access	109
Transition	01
Total	836

C. Description of Educational/Training Activities

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

Rhode Island ATAP collaborated on a training with the Rhode Island Governors Commission on Disabilities. This training was presented by RI ATAP and RI Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired. The training was in the form of a webinar and it focused on consumers who are Blind and Visually Impaired and/or Deaf and Hard of Hearing who want to learn more about how Assistive Technology is utilized in the Workplace. Topics for this training included: Benefits of AT in the Workplace, The ADA and Reasonable Accommodations, Review of the Job Accommodation Network, Workplace Accommodations for deaf and hard of hearing, Assistive Listening Devices, Captioning, CART, Video Remote Interpreting, Telecommunication, Relay Services, Captioning Telephones, Workplace Alerting and Community Resources. The webinar was widely attended and circulated. It remains on the Governors Commission Website as a resource. This was the first collaboration of its kind with the Governors Commission and Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired and because of the success, we certainly plan to continue to collaborate on future projects.

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

One impactful training related to Transition that was held focused on Accessible Reading Materials. This training was presented by TechACCESS, an ATAP partner, and provided to a few local school districts. This session was developed to explore tools and strategies to ensure that all students, including those with print disabilities, can access curriculum content effectively. As part of this training, TechACCESS demonstrated and showcased several of their accessible kits housed within the Rhode Island Materials Access Center (RIMAC) at TechACCESS. The training highlighted the range of adaptive tools and technologies available to support inclusive learning for all ages and abilities. The kits are available for distribution to school districts through the RIMAC Library. This type of training is impactful because besides the information presented and the kits available, the training itself is presented to Teachers including Special Educators, OT's, and Speech Therapist's. It reaches a wide variety of professionals who work with students with disabilities in Transition.

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

Rhode Island's Cyber-Seniors Program along with one of RI ATAP's partners, the Adaptive Telephone Loan Program ATEL have been offering one-on-one intergenerational technology training throughout the state to help bridge the digital divide that many older adults experience effecting communication. Together, they have collaborated on a new project and hosted a series of 8 workshops which will last 1-2 hours at limited locations around the state. These workshops feature group learning focused on building a new skills with their smartphone or tablets (Apple or Android), followed by individualized mentoring to coach consumer as they practice new communication skills. Some of the topics covered at these workshops are: Workshop 1: Accessibility Features (font size, visual tweaks, captioning, sound amplification, visual or vibration alerts, ringtones, sound notifications) Workshop 2: Camera (taking and sending pictures, videos, selfies; scanning QR codes; using camera for magnification) Workshop 3: Virtual assistants (use of Siri or Hey Google to send text, search the web, make a phone call, ask about the weather, etc.) Workshop 4: As requested by participants APPS (for example, downloading and using apps, social media). These workshops have been invaluable in helping to promote using Assistive Technology like smartphones to better communicate.

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	107
Training or Technical Assistance will be developed or implemented	02
No known outcome at this time	00
Nonrespondent	00
Total	109
Performance Measure Percentage	100%
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	35%
Employment	00%
Health, Allied Health, Rehabilitation	65%
Community Living	00%
Technology (IT, Telecom, AT)	00%
Total	100%

B. Description of Technical Assistance

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

One of ATAP's partner agencies, Ocean State Center for Independent Living (OSCIL) provided technical assistance to four Rehabilitation Organizations in various parts of the state. The purpose was to educate staff and provide technical assistance on various Assistive Technology devices and services to better improve services to their consumers. Topics reviewed with staff at each facility include: AT devices for mobility, Daily living, Communication, Home safety, and Health monitoring. Examples discussed range from physical aids like wheelchairs and grab bars to digital tools such as voice-activated lights, hearing aids, screen readers, and personal emergency alert systems. These technologies help individuals perform daily tasks with greater independence, safety, and quality of life. Community resources for devices and services were also provided to the staff at each facility.

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

One of ATAP's partner agencies, West Bay Collaborative provided technical assistance to a particular school district. The school was looking for help identifying solutions for students who have significant ADD, ADHD, and various distraction issues. Some of these students and young adults require some noise cancelling equipment and distraction of quiet or music during their school day to help with productivity and work process. West Bay Collaborative met with staff and made some recommendations such as Air Bone Conduction Headphones. These particular headphones are equipped with Al features that can be great for students that need some alternate noise and music while eliminating distraction and maintaining attention to tasks. The school and district were provided with some Technical Assistance and information on resources and devices.

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. One of ATAP's Partner agencies, TechACCESS held an Open House on November 6, 2024. At this event, TechACCESS showcased their assistive technology and services to the community. The event had over 40 attendees. Participants joined actively in lively discussions about TechACCESS services. One attendee remarked, “I am so glad you did this event; I had no idea of all the great things you are doing here.” A former client and presently a service community member added, “Thanks for all you did for me and continue to do for our community.” “What amazing things you do. TechACCESS is helping many who otherwise miss out on the helpful things you offer to give their lives a second chance at learning, healing, a sense of independence, and communication.” This event serves as a way to get the message out to the community about Assistive Technology and the services available.

2. The ATAP partners hosted our first Assistive Technology Awareness Expo. The event was held on March 20, 2025, at the Radisson Hotel in Warwick. This inaugural event provided attendees with the opportunity to explore a wide range of assistive technology products and services aimed at enhancing independence and quality of life for individuals with disabilities, and fostered networking among members of the assistive technology community, enabling attendees to share experiences and learn about the latest innovations in the field. ATAP Partner, TechACCESS staff facilitated hands-on activities in a Maker Space, allowing participants to create their own "Assistive Technology tools". We had over 130 attendees at the event and 23 vendor tables set up. The vendor tables were loaded with equipment for participants to try out. Some of the vendors include: T-Mobile Accessibility, Crick Software, PRC-Saltillo, Hamilton Relay, Talking Books, Mobility Recyclers, Tobi Dynavox, VoiceItt by the Babel Group, Easter Seals, RI Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Lift & Care Systems, RI Governors Commission on Disabilities, Insight, Sherlock Center, Mobius Mobility, New England Low Vision, and HipMe. This was a very successful event and is helping RI to gear up for the 2025 New England AT Conference scheduled for November.

Information And Assistance

Information And Assistance Activities by Recipient
Types of Recipients	AT Device/ Service	AT Funding	Total
Individuals with Disabilities	301	100	401
Family Members, Guardians and Authorized Representatives	82	31	113
Representative of Education	74	02	76
Representative of Employment	25	06	31
Representative of Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation	10	04	14
Representative of Community Living	19	19	38
Representative of Technology	02	03	05
Unable to Categorize	01	01	02
Total	514	166	680

Referral Types:

Rhode Island ATAP seeks to assist as many individuals as possible. We are committed to reaching as many individuals as we can. We do this through many different ways. One of the ways we are outreaching to the community is through social media. All four of the partners have an excellent social media presence on many different platforms. Many referrals are received this way and it is also a great platform to provide information to the public on issues, new devices, training opportunities, and all things AT related. Another strategy we use to get referrals is through Statewide Collaboration efforts. For example, ATAP has collaborated with Rhode Island's Cyber Senior Program. Cyber Seniors is a program for older adults seeking help with AT. Cyber Seniors has trained volunteers able to assist with any tech help. Additionally, an individual can book a private 45 minute tech session. There has been an increase in referrals from this partnership and we plan on continuing to expand the relationship. ATAP also has a strong relationship with the RI Department of Education (RIDE). ATAP partners work closely with RIDE to make sure all Rhode Island students have access to the best and most useful AT available. We partner with RIDE to provide training to Administrators, teachers, counselors, speech therapists, special educators, and teacher's assistants. Many referrals come from RIDE and the local school departments. Finally, unique to our program is that one of our ATAP partners is the Independent Living Center for the state (OSCIL). This allows for the easy back and fourth for referrals. OSCIL refers individuals to ATAP and we refer individuals to OSCIL. We are lucky to have such a great collaboration with our Independent Living Center in Rhode Island.

Referral Sources:

Rhode Island's ATAP program receives referrals from all over the state. Rhode Island is unique because we are so small of a state, the ATAP program is very well known. Additionally, because of the size of the state, ATAP can go statewide and attend many different events to promote our mission. We attend events at our local Senior Centers, Libraries, Health Fairs, transition fairs, and various conferences. We have relationships with our local colleges. Through the work ATAP has done with two local colleges, we have created a great relationship which has resulted in a increase in referrals. Also, members from both colleges sit on our Advisory Board. ATAP partners also receive referrals from our Resident service coordinators, the United Way 211, Health Care Providers, and various Community Action Agencies.

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?

ATAP Partner agency West Bay Educational Collaborative (WBEC) was contacted by a local school district to provide training to Educators and Para Educators on Assistive Technology for students with various disabilities. A variety of both low tech and high tech technology was presented in this training. The information presented was used for students in Behavioral classroom settings Pre K thru High School age. Integration of tech tools and strategies within the classroom environment were discussed with emphasis on Literacy for all disabilities. Preference and Accessibility features of the Chromebook that addresses technology users were reviewed. Additional accessibility features of the Chromebook that were presented included: Magnification, Text difference and script choice, read aloud settings Integration of no tech, low tech and high tech tools within the daily classroom situation were also presented. Finally, Personalization and set up of AT Equipment for students with literacy disabilities was a primary focus for these Educators and Para educators.

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?

This partnership was very successful and ATAP continues to have a collaborative working relationship with our local Department of Education. We are requested to consult and provide information, assistance, demonstrations, equipment loans and reuse, and training on a regular basis to the various school districts throughout the state.

2.a Please include URL for initiative if available

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

Education, Community Participation and Integration, Transition (school to work or congregate care to community),

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

Training, Information & Assistance, Public Awareness, Technical Assistance,

Outreach was conducted with the Vocational Rehabilitation Agency *

Yes

Was collaboration implemented? *

Yes

RI ATAP in collaboration with RI Office of Rehabilitation Services (ORS) and RI Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired implemented training and accessibility to all the Department of Human Services (DHS) front facing offices. DHS reached out to ATAP looking for training for their staff on Disability Sensitivity and Accessibility. ATAP, ORS, and SBVI developed a training for all front facing DHS staff. These are the staff that work at the client drop-in DHS offices around the state. Training was provided on sensitivity when working with someone with a disability and an iPad equipped with APPS necessary to communicate were provided to each office throughout the state. Now, when a deaf client walks into any DHS office, they will be serviced as communication will take place using the iPad and an interpreter APP.

The results from this collaboration are immense. This training and equipment helped to ensure that all the DHS offices throughout the state are accessible to anyone who needs assistance and has a disability.

2.a Please include URL for initiative if available

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

Education, Community Participation and Integration, Information and Communication Technology/Remote Connectivity,

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

Training, Information & Assistance, Public Awareness, Technical Assistance,

Outreach was conducted with the Aging Agency *

Yes

Was collaboration implemented? *

Yes

ATAP partner, The Adaptive Telephone Loan Program (ATEL), is working with the RI Office of Healthy Aging Cyber-Seniors Program to collaborate on a new project and will hosted a series 4 workshops which will last 1-2 hours at limited locations around the state; these workshops have a group learning focus on building a new skill with a smartphone or tablet (Apple or Android), then the opportunity to practice that new skills with one-on-one mentoring during the workshop. These workshops have been extremely successful helping many individuals and spanning the entire state.

As part of our sustainability plan for this project, RI Office on Healthy Aging developed a partnership with (ATEL). ATEL hired a part-time employee and also enlists the help of free interns from a local college to run the workshops which are now called Tech Time. ATEL will continue the work at various Rhode Island community sites that agreed to host in-person technology and health technology Tech Time with intergenerational mentors. As part of Tech Time, priority and target information to caregivers based on findings from the literature and in consultation with caregiving experts. Tech Time continues the one-on-one mentoring by appointment at community sites and at locations with Spanish-speaking older adults.

2.a Please include URL for initiative if available

https://ors.ri.gov/assistive-technology/adaptive-telephone-equipment-loan-program-atel

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

Education, Community Participation and Integration, Aging, Aging and Disability Network/No Wrong Door,

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

Demo, Training, Information & Assistance, Public Awareness, Technical Assistance,

Outreach was conducted with the Medicaid Agency *

Why was outreach not conducted? *

RI ATAP understands the importance in outreach to Medicaid agencies within the state. We are committed to work on making connections in the upcoming year.

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.

RI's ATAP in collaboration with RI Office of Rehabilitation Services is working together to ensure all forms, documents, and website material are fully accessible and remediated. We have hired a company to train identified staff on document remediation. The goal is to have every form accessible for all disabilities. This is a long term project that will improve service delivery to all individuals with disabilities who are accessing RI Office of Rehabilitation Services and RI Services for Blind and Visually Impaired .

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.)

ATAP and ORS have just begun to remediate forms and develop a procedure.

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

Technology (ICT accessibility and AT

Additional And Leveraged Funds

A. Leveraged Funding for State Plan Activities

Fund Source	Amount	Use of Funds	Data Reported

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

B. Public Health Workforce Grant Award

All Section 4 AT Act grantees were awarded $80,000.00 in supplemental Public Health Workforce grant funding to increase the number of positions within the disability and aging network for public health professionals. Please document below the cumulative status of these funds, FY22 through FY25, as a final closeout report.

The status of these funds at the end of the FY25 (September 30, 2025) is as follows: (Check one) We did not utilize this funding. (Do not complete this section.)
We expended all or some of this funding (Complete the section below)

Please report the total amount expended (drawn down and liquidated) from FY22 through FY25:

$80,000.00

Please check all position types that were supported with these funds over the period of FY22-25. This can be a direct employee or contractual position.

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

RI ATAP utilized the additional leveraged funds by advancing and expanding our Technology Training program. This program was aimed at helping the aging adult population to bridge the digital divide by providing technical training and support. Activities for this position include training individuals in various forms of technology, device demonstration, provide community education by display tables at conferences, and to assist with installation and demonstration of landline and wireless telecommunication devices. We have maintained this program utilizing local college interns.

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).