Fw: Assistive Tech Survey

Wed Sep 29 06:42:09 PDT 1999

> September 20, 1999
> 
> TO:  NCIL members
> FR:  Kirsten Dunham
> RE:  Assistive Technology Survey
> EMAIL: kdunham at paraquad.org
> 
> As a part of the Assistive Technology Act, the National Council on
> Disability is required to submit a report to Congress on policy barriers
to
> receiving necessary AT.  The Association of Tech Act Projects (ATAP) is
> conducting a survey of people who use AT.  ATAP has asked for NCIL's help
> in identifying the barriers and recommendations for change.  This is an
> important opportunity for NCIL members to voice to Congress the need for
> improvements in AT policies.  Our input and our participants' input can
> help impact policies that promote independent living.
> 
> The attached ATAP survey includes a list of possible barriers and a brief
> questionnaire asking which barriers are the most common.   We need you to
> distribute and collect the survey data.  This survey can be given to
anyone
> who uses AT - whether it's low-tech or high-tech devices.  This means
that
> staff and board members in addition to participants can answer the
> questionnaire. Congress is especially interested in hearing the issues
that
> minority and underserved populations face.
> 
> There is also a provider questionnaire, which includes a question about
> specific policy recommendations.  This survey can be completed by CIL
staff
> and others who have knowledge of the system.
> 
> Paraquad is coordinating the survey on behalf of NCIL.  Responses are
> needed no later than October 8, 1999.  Please try to get as many surveys
> completed as possible, but start returning them to me via email or fax
once
> you get 5 or 10.  We appreciate your help in getting this done in a short
> time frame.  This is our chance to make sure that Congress hears from the
> everyday users of AT, not just from the provider perspective.
> 
> Kirsten Dunham
> Paraquad
> kdunham at paraquad.org
> (314)567-1559 fax
> (314)567-1558 phone
> (314)567-5552 TTY
> 311 N. Lindbergh, St. Louis, MO  63141
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> NAME__________________________________________________________________
> CITY_________________________________ STATE________________________
> 
>  The National Council on Disability is preparing a report for Congress.
>  Congress wants to understand the barriers faced by users of those
> assistive devices such as volume control phones, easy grip garden tools,
> and wheelchairs, that make life easier called Assistive Technology or AT.
>  Whether you or your family member use simple low technology devices such
> as divided pill boxes, or sophisticated high technology voice-activated
> computers or augmentative communication devices, have you run into
barriers
> finding and paying for the appropriate devices? Please read over the
> attached list on page 2. We need your help in making it a complete and
> accurate reflection of the problems everyone encounters. Take as much
space
> as you need for answers.
> 
> Are these barriers you have encountered? /_/ no /_/ yes. Please tell us
> your story about how you got around these barriers as well as any that
are
> missing.
> 
> For example: Did you /_/ Pay for the device you needed out of your own
> pocket?
>  /_/ Make do with something else? What?
>  /_/ Find a service group (Lions Club, etc.) to provide it?
>  /_/ Go without?
> ________________________________________________________________________
> _____
> ________________________________________________________________________
> _____
> ________________________________________________________________________
> _____
> ________________________________________________________________________
> _____
> 
> If you could ask for something to help you get the assistive technology
you
> or your family member needs, what would you ask for?
> ________________________________________________________________________
> ________________________________________________________________________
> ________________________________________________________________________
> __________________
>     ____________________________________________________________________
> __________
> 
> May we phone you for more details? Phone #_______________________Voice or
> TTY
> 
> Best time to call___________________
> 
> Optional: Congress is especially interested in learning if any groups
face
> additional barriers in accessing AT. For statistical purposes only, are
you
> or your family member with a disability:  /_/ African American, /_/ Asian
> American, /_/ Caucasian, /_/ Hispanic American, /_/ Native American,  /_/
> other __________; /_/ low income; /_/ rural, /_/ inner city, /_/ over 65?
> 
> Thank you for your help. Your story may help Congress improve policies
and
> get assistive technology more easily to the people who need it.
> 
> 
> 
> Barriers to Accessing Assistive Technology
> 
> I.  Knowledge
> 
> > I don't know that I don't know.  "I just must live with the effects of
my
> disability, nothing can help,"or "I don't have a disability I'm just
> getting older."
> 
> > I don't know what works best-assume the old way is the only way.
>  "Hearing
> aids don't work well in large auditoriums so I'm out of luck in attending
> large conferences."
> 
> > My doctor (therapist, audiologist, counselor, independent living
> specialist, medical equipment retailer) doesn't know of anything that
will
> help-I trust her completely  "If she doesn't know about it, it doesn't
> exist"
> 
> > I can't find anyone knowledgeable about cognitive impairments; they
only
> understand physical problems.
> 
> > I don't know where to get help in evaluating my needs or trying out and
> comparing devices "I tried a hearing aid once--those don't work for me."
> 
> II.  Funding
> > I can't afford it
> 
> > I can't even afford the evaluation to find out what would work best for
> my child or myself.
> 
> > My family insurance (private or public including Medicare or Medicaid)
> won't
> pay for either evaluation or devices.  The benefits clearly don't match
my
> needs or those of my family member.
> 
> > Medicare only pays for yesterday's technology, not the newest, best
> performing devices.
> 
> > No other sources of payment exist-private charity, state or federal
> program, employer, and school.
> 
> > My child's school says my insurance must pay, my insurance says the
> school
> must pay.  In the meantime my child has nothing.
> 
> > Government says technology must be provided but doesn't fund their
> mandates.
> 
> III.  Rights and Policy
> > My child's school doesn't provide it.
> 
> > My insurance company won't provide it-they only provide wheelchairs not
> hearing aids and communications aids.  Plus they won't provide other
> equipment for use in my home.
> 
> > My employer won't provide it-"If I can't do the same job duties, the
same
> way as all other employees, I won't have a job."
> 
> > State agencies won't provide it and won't work together-"I can't go to
> the State University because they teach undergraduate classes in big
> auditoriums.  They won't provide real-time captioning, saying Voc.
> Rehabilitation must provide it, but VR won't provide it saying the
> University is responsible."
> 
> > Federal employers don't provide it-" I don't have civil rights, I'm a
> civilian working for the military.  Unless the program primarily serves
> people with disabilities, the government doesn't abide by the same rules
as
> private businesses do."
> 
> > So what if I have rights, no one will enforce them, plus rights are
> interpreted differently in different states.  No one is accountable and
no
> one coordinates the system.
> 
> IV.  Progress
> > I could use my old washing machine, microwave, dishwasher and stove by
> feeling the position of the pointers as I turned the dials.  But these
new
> touch panels have no reference point for blind users.
> 
> > I used to love the Internet when it was a purely visual medium, but now
> many sites have audio components that I can't access without captioning.
> Why does everything new have to create new problems?
> 
> > The assistive technology market is so specialized and small, there is
not
> enough profit so no one tries to meet my needs.
> 
> 
> 
> Provider Survey
> NAME______________________________________
TITLE__________________________
> 
> AGENCY
____________________________________________________________________
> 
> CITY______________________________________ STATE
> ___________________________
> 
> The National Council on Disability is preparing a report for Congress.
> Congress wants to understand the policy barriers faced by providers and
> users of those assistive devices  commonly called Assistive Technology or
> AT. We need your help to make this report a complete and accurate
> reflection of current problems and to provide recommendations for policy
> improvement. Take as much space as you need for answers.
> 
> What are the barriers you have observed in your work? Please tell us
about
> them and how you addressed these problems in your work.
> 
> For example: Did you /_/ Develop an interagency agreement?
> 
> /_/ Seek state, federal or foundation funding?
> 
> /_/ Write legislation or new policy to address the need?
> ________________________________________________________________________
> ________________________________________________________________________
> ________________________________________________________________________
> ________________________________________________________________________
> ________________________
> 
> In honor of the year 2000, Uncle Sam is granting you two wishes to help
> your agency deliver assistive technology to those who need it. What would
> you request?
> ________________________________________________________________________
> ________________________________________________________________________
> ________________________________________________________________________
> ________________________________________________________________________
> ________________________________________________________________________
> ________________________________________________________________________
> ____________________________________
> 
> May we phone you for more details? Phone #_________________ Voice or TTY
> 
> Best time to call___________________
> 
> Congress is especially interested in learning if any groups face
additional
> barriers in accessing AT. For statistical purposes only, what percent of
> your clients are: /__/ African American, /__/ Asian American, /__/
> Caucasian, /__/ Latino, /__/ Native American, /__/ other __________; /__/
> low income; /_/ rural, /__/ inner city; /__/over 65?
> 
> Thank you for your help. Your story and recommendations may help improve
> policies and get assistive technology more easily to the people who need
> it.
>