Major Legislative Initiatives Pros and Cons

Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Amended)

Mandated reasonable accommodation and LRE in federally funded employment and higher education; requires both assistive technology device and services be included in state plans and IWRP for each client; Section 508 mandates equal access to electronic office equipment for all federal employees; defines rehabilitation technology as rehabilitation engineering and assistive technology devices and services; mandates rehabilitation technology as primary benefit to be included in IWRP. The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was the first major legislative effort to secure an equal playing field for individuals with disabilities. This legislation provides a wide range of services for persons with physical and cognitive disabilities.

Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990

Prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment,state and local government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation, and telecommunications, all of which affect the application of assistive technology; use of assistive technology impacts requirement that Title II entities must communicate effectively with people who have hearing, vision, or speech disabilities; addresses telephone and television access for people with hearing and speech disabilities. The ADA was originally enacted in public law format and later rearranged and 

published in the United States Code. Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act

Medicare

Major funding source for assistive technology (durable medical equipment); includes individuals 65 or over and those who are permanently and totally disabled; federally administered with consistent rules for all states. As a social insurance program, Medicare spreads the financial risk associated with illness across society, even to people who cannot use it and may never want it or use it, and thus has a somewhat different social role from private insurance, which involves a risk portfolio (underwriting) and adjusts premiums according to perceived risk.

Elementary and Secondary Education Act (2001 Reauthorization)

ESEA is the largest source of federal spending on elementary and secondary education.The law’s original goal, which remains today, was to improve educational equity for students from lower income families by providing federal funds to school districts serving poor students. School districts serving lower income students often receive less state and local funding than those serving more affluent children.

Assistive Technology Act of 1998 as Amended (2004)

First legislation to specifically address expansion of assistive technology devices and services; mandates consumer-driven assistive technology services, capacity building, advocacy activities, and statewide system change; supports grants to expand and administer alternative financing of assistive technology systems.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a national law that protects qualified individuals from discrimination based on their disability. The nondiscrimination requirements of the law apply to employers and organizations that receive financial assistance from any Federal department or agency, including the U.S.Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). These organizations and employers include many hospitals,nursing homes, mental health centers and human service programs. Section 504 forbids organizations and employers from excluding or denying individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to receive program benefits and services. It defines the rights of individuals with disabilities to participate in, and have access to, program benefits and services.

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

The Reauthorized Rehabilitation Act of 1998 included amendments to Section 508 of the Act. This section bars the Federal government from procuring electronic and information technology (E&IT) goods and services that are not fully accessible to those with disabilities. This would include the services of web design since the Internet was specifically mentioned.

Professional Practices in Assistive Technology Powerpoint

Tec from Zarea22

The College of Education Conceptual Framework Decision Maker- “Change Agent” component related to Human Activity Assistive Technology System

The College of Education Conceptual Framework Decision Maker- “Change Agent” component related to Human Activity Assistive Technology System

Conceptual Framework Model

According to the shared vision in the Conceptual Framework Model, the purpose of the College of Education is to provide coherence for initial and advanced programs of teachers and other professional school personnel.  The focus on the theme “Educator as Decision Maker,” and as a change agent means taking pride in the work you do and in your work environment.  This means that educators must continually reflect on their teaching practices and seek opportunities to grow professionally.  They must also take initiative to make changes by sharing their vision and practice with others to improve future change to create lifelong learners.  The framework reflects the mission and the goals of the university to help students develop intellectual abilities, to be creative and reflective, as they remain lifelong learners.

     HAAT model reaches out to people with disabilities who are faced with an activity in a given context, and may use ATs to gain access to the benefits of the activity and/or to facilitate performance.  Working as a change agent I would get members of my environment involved to ensure their support and commitment related to human activity of the assistive technology system.  As a change agent I would be the voice to help educate others about the special need for people with this disability.  Getting others involved in helping would implement change and help people with this need succeed in the classroom and provide them with new ways to interact with the world around them.

The decision-making component of the Conceptual Framework includes planning, predicting, implementing, reflecting, evaluating, and revising.  Students improve their knowledge and skills as they plan where they want to begin.  They select and implement their plans as they learn and become decision makers.  They become reflective practitioner as they continually evaluate their choices and others in the learning community.  This evaluation leads to change and revising the plans or start all over again.  The decision-making cycle is represented by rotating arrows that is continuous and promotes professional growth.  The educator is informed and responsible decision maker.   The decision-maker is described as a change agent and a lifelong learner.   Learning takes place all the time and in all places. As lifelong learners, we continue to build knowledge throughout our life as an educator.  

Framework of Assistive Technology Questions

Question # 2

What are the three basic performance areas defined in the HAAT model? Give an example of each.

Three basic performance areas of the HAAT Model:

Daily living

• Dressing, hygiene, grooming, bathing, eating, communication, health maintenance, socialization, taking medications, sexual expression, responding to an emergency, and mobility

Work and productive activities

• Home management activities, educational activities, vocational activities, and care of others

Play and leisure activity

• Activities related to self-expression, enjoyment, or relaxation

Question # 6

Distinguish between ability and skill. 

It is possible to distinguish between a person’s skills and abilities. An ability is a basic trait of a person, what a person brings to a task, a skill is a level of proficiency

Question # 13

What are the four components of the assistive technology portion of the HAAT model?

The Human Activity Assistive Technology Model proposes a framework for understanding the place of assistive technologies in the place of the lives of those with disabilities.

The model has four components – the human, the activity, the assistive technology, and the context in which all three of these exist.

Question # 14

Why do we refer to assistive technology as extrinsic enablers?

Assistive Technology is referred as extrinsic enablers because they provide the basis in which human performance is improved in the presence of disability.

Question # 10

How do cultural consideration affect the application of assistive technology system?

The world is viewed as a cultural screen which is the product of our experiences, family relationships, heritage and many other factors. In assistive technology the it affects establishing and achieving goals.

Glossary of Terms

Introduction and Overview

Activity

The portion of the HAAT model that defines the goal of the assistive technology system.
Example:

The activities an individual performs that are determined by the role a person plays in life.

Alpha Testing

Evaluation of a production prototype; in assistive technologies it is often one or two units.
Example:

Alpha testing is a type of acceptance testing; performed to identify all possible issues/bugs before releasing the product to everyday users or public.

Assistive Technology

Any item, piece of equipment or system, whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized that is commonly used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities. 

Examples include: adapted mouse, switch, screen magnifier, VOCA, text reader, F/M system.

Practitioner (ATP)

A specialist who works with in assistive technology helping to promote and administers to those in need of assistive technology.

Example:

A counselor in a school or hospital.

Assistive Technology Service

An assistive technology service is one that directly assists in the selection, buying, designing, fitting, customizing, maintaining, repairing, replacing, and coordinating of assistive technology devices. It also includes the training of students, teachers, therapists and family members on the use and maintenance of the device.

Example:

A hospital, therapy clinic, a assistive school, any type of transportation service, or manufacturing company who makes devices.

Assistive Technology Supplier

A business that provides supplies for the disable in the areas of wheeled mobility, seating and alternative positioning, ambulation assistance, environmental control, and activities of daily living.

Example:

Bio-Tech, Pro-Fit, Accessibility Orthopedic Specialist

Consumer of Assistive Technologies

The end user of the assistive technology system.

Example:

Devices such as braille watches  (low-tech), large print computers (hig-tech)

Device

An device is any item, piece of equipment, or product system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functioning of individuals with disabilities. It may be purchased commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized. The term does not include a medical device that is surgically implanted, or the replacement of such a device. AT devices range from low tech, such as a magnifying glass to high tech, such as a computer that responds to touch and allows a child to communicate more effectively.

Example:

Computer voice response, assabitlity options

Direct Consumer Services

Assistive technology services provide to consumer.

Example: 

The Office for the Blind Assistive Technology Services support individuals who are blind and visually impaired in the selection, training and use of adaptive devices

Participation

A framework for the identification of potential barriers to educational access, especially those that can be addressed through the application of assistive technology.

Example:

Office for the Blind believes in providing individuals with the tools and devices and instruction needed in order for them to achieve their independent living, educational and vocational goals

Prototype

The initial new device that is produced as the product of engineering development.Quality Assurance

Example:

Selecting, designing, fitting, customizing, adapting, applying, maintaining, repairing, or replacing assistive technology devices

Reasonable Accommodation

Is an adjustment made in a system to accommodate or make fair the same system for an individual based on a proven need. Accommodations can be religious, academic, or employment related and are often mandated by law. Each country has its own system of reasonable accommodations.

Example:

Reasonable Accommodation means necessary and appropriate modification and adjustments not imposing a disproportionate or undue burden, where needed in a particular case, to ensure to persons with disabilities the enjoyment or exercise on an equal basis with others of all human rights and fundamental freedoms; 

Tele-rehabilitation

The use of telecommunications technologies to capture and transmit visual and audio information, biomedical data and consumer information.

Example: 

Leasing and devices for assistive technology.

Trans-disciplinary Team Approach

The trans disciplinary approach is a framework for allowing members of an educational team to contribute knowledge and skills, collaborate with other members, and collectively determine the services that most would benefit a child.

Example:

Training or technical assistance for professionals to employ, or improve the major life functions of an individual

Universal Design

Universal Design for Learning is a set of principles for designing curriculum that provides all individuals, including those with learning differences, with equal opportunities to learn.

Examples:

Include accessible websites, electronic versions of textbooks and other materials; captioned and/or narrated videos; word processors with word prediction; and voice recognition