Oklahoma ABLE Tech
The Assistive Technology Program for the State of Oklahoma
Connecting Oklahomans with Disabilities to Assistive Technology   (PDF)

Annual Report 2010

Key Activities 2010

Oklahoma ABLE Tech Statistics

• 601 assistive technology (AT) devices loaned to Oklahomans in “try before you buy” short-term loan program

• 1246 AT demonstrations to Oklahomans - 393 were demonstrated by SoonerStart personnel to children 0-3 years old

• The Alternative Financing Program provided $506,203 in AT device low interest bank loans assisting 86 Oklahomans with disabilities

• 177 AT devices exchanged from sellers to buyers for a savings of $345,211

• Sooner AMBUCS Share4Life Komputers, donated 517 recycled computers to individuals to improve independent living and vocational skills

• 318 individuals received information and referral on AT devices and services

• AT training events served over 1,300 people

Highlights

• ABLE Tech serves individuals of all ages and all disabilities in Oklahoma.

• ABLE Tech and its partners provided 8 AT loan and demonstration sites to give Oklahomans an opportunity to touch, try, and take home AT devices and improve independence in the community, schools, and workplace.

• ABLE Tech provided training on accessible information technology including web access, telecommunications, software accessibility, and procurement to 337 state agency and postsecondary personnel.

• ABLE Tech provided training on AT devices and services to individuals, disability related organizations, state agencies, and higher education students.

• “Fire Safety for Oklahomans with Disabilities” professionally installed 206 specialized smoke alarms in 111 households statewide.

• 37 Special Education Due Process hearings were resolved by the Special Education Resolution Center - keeping state dollars in the classroom educating students. Due Process proceedings cost the state an average of $300,000; therefore, resolved hearing requests saved Oklahomans approximately $11,100,000.

• The Oklahoma AgrAbility Project provided education, assistance and support to farmers, ranchers and their family members with disabilities or debilitating injuries that limited their abilities to perform farm tasks. ABLE Tech, through its partnership with Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Services, Langston University, School of Physical Therapy and the Oklahoma Assistive Technology Foundation provided direct services to 52 farmers or their family members and completed 29 on-farm site visits.

Demo and Loan Program Assisted Oklahomans

Type of Individual

Individual with Disability - 50%
Family Member – 30%
Education - 14%
Health & Rehab - 3%
Other - 3%

AT Category

Environmental - 23%
Vision - 20%
Hearing - 20%
Speech Communication - 11%
Mobility, Seating, Positioning - 10%
Computer Related - 9%
Other - 7%

Programs are provided at no cost to Oklahomans.

Oklahoma ABLE Tech Coordination and Collaboration

Oklahoma ABLE Tech maintains coordination and collaboration efforts among partners that provide funding that will enhance the opportunities for individuals to access and acquire assistive technology.

Oklahoma’s National Ranking

ABLE Tech ranks 1st in the nation for number of recycled devices out of 36 reutilization programs

ABLE Tech ranks 3rd in the nation for number of loans made out of the 26 financial loan programs

ABLE Tech ranks 8th in the nation for number of device demonstrations out of 55 AT demonstration programs

ABLE Tech ranks 17th in the nation for number of device loans out of 54 loan programs

Success Stories in Oklahoma

The Mary K. Chapman Center for Communicative Disorders partners with Oklahoma ABLE Tech and provides an Assistive Technology (AT) loan program to Oklahomans with disabilities. A Tulsa county child, Diego, is a non-verbal communicator. He attempts to use gestures and facial expressions to communicate his needs and wants. Due to his limited abilities to communicate he is unable to engage in many opportunities to discover, explore, learn about or interact with his environment. The AT loan program provided Diego the opportunity to borrow the Vantage Plus and try this device in his home, with successful results. Diego is now able to initiate and engage in interaction with his family and clinicians because of the Vantage Plus. According to his mother he asks for the device every morning when he wakes up. A request for funding has been submitted for the Vantage Lite and while he is waiting for his own device he will continue to utilize the Vantage Plus, which is part of the loan program inventory.

Lynn is a Tulsa county woman with sudden severe hearing loss due to radiation and chemotherapy treatments. She was referred to one of Oklahoma ABLE Tech’s assistive technology device demo and loan programs, Total Source for Hearing - Loss and Access (TSHA) in Tulsa. Lynn does not want to purchase hearing aids at this time because of the possibility of further hearing loss and/or improvement. So the AT program was able to offer a variety of equipment she could use right away. The Pockettalker is a device that worked for her and she was thrilled to be able to hear voices again. She said that her quality of life and attitude changed immediately after being able to use the device. “Thank you for helping to make a huge, wonderful difference during this difficult time in my life,” said Lynn.

Kevin Janecke is a 59 year old who lost his sight in 1976 due to a gun shot. He lives with Alvin, his fourth guide dog from Leader Dog and Zoe. Kevin likes to come for Computer Assistive Technology (CAT) training at NewView in Oklahoma City so Alvin gets out and gets some exercise.
Kevin is learning to use Window Eyes, an audible screen reader software that allows him to check his email. Also, Kevin uses Microsoft Word to type documents and attach them to emails. He is hoping with his CAT training to take classes at Rose State College in grant writing.
Kevin states that the training he is receiving has helped to increase his self-esteem and decrease his blood pressure. With his increased ability to use assistive technology he is excited about pursuing the grant writing classes. Some ABLE Tech equipment he has tried includes, the Note Teller, a voice recorder, Olympus Digital recorders, Window Eyes, Microsoft Outlook, and Microsoft Word.

The Oklahoma Alternative Financing Program provided a loan for a gentleman in Pittsburg County. Mike has paraplegia and was interested in purchasing a wheelchair lift and seating for a 2009 Dodge Ram mega cab pickup truck. He had previous loans with BancFirst of McAlester and wanted to pursue the program because of the low interest rate that the Oklahoma Assistive Technology Foundation (OkAT) provided. “The application process was simple and the people at BancFirst were easy to work with,” said Mike. The lift system in the truck has improved his ability to go back and forth to work and his ability to be involved in his community. Mike collaborated with OkAT, Oklahoma ABLE Tech, BancFirst of McAlester and Stillwater, and the Oklahomans for Independent Living in McAlester.

Dr Knight is a retired college professor, age 80, and she contacted Oklahoma ABLE Tech for a demonstration appointment to try out a variety of equipment to magnify reading materials. She was gradually losing vision and having difficulty identifying products on store shelves and reading. She tried a Ruby handheld magnifier to carry in her purse to help read small items when on the go. She also tried ZoomText magnification software for the computer to allow her to read and send emails as well as browse through websites. She enjoyed using a CCTV to magnify reading materials at home. She appreciated the ability to take home devices to try for a period of time for day-to-day activities. Her independence increased since she is able to read her mail and pay bills again. The ability to try the devices is a cost savings since she could compare features and cost without having to spend money for devices that may not fit her needs.

Oklahoma ABLE Tech Partners

Oklahoma ABLE Tech, Stillwater 1-888-885-5588
New View, Oklahoma City 405-232-4644
Mary K. Chapman Center for Communicative Disorders, Tulsa 918-631-2913
Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education, Stillwater 405-743-5542
SoonerStart Early Intervention Program 405-522-5167
Hearing Loss Association of Oklahoma City 405-717-9820
Total Source for Hearing-loss and Access, Tulsa 918-823-8742
Department of Rehabilitation Services, AT Lab for Blindness and Low Vision,
Oklahoma City 405-522-3442
Development Disabilities Services Division (DDSD), Tulsa 918-794-7632

Oklahoma ABLE Tech Contact Information

Robin Purdie, OSU Seretean Wellness Center Director 

Linda Jaco, Director of Sponsored Programs 

Milissa Gofourth, Oklahoma ABLE Tech Program Manager 

Brenda Dawes, Program Specialist and Marketing Coordinator 

Lindsey Davis, Alternative Financing Program Coordinator 

Diana Sargent, Senior Administration Support Specialist 

Shelby Sanders, Assistive Technology Specialist 

Tessa Stinnett, Assistive Technology Specialist 

Jo Anne Pool, Oklahoma Special Education Resolution Center 

Shannon Esmeyer, Administrative Assistant 

Sandra Stevenson, Oklahoma AgrAbility Case Manager 

Stacy Bauter, Oklahoma AgrAbility Program Assistant 

OSU Seretean Wellness Center
1514 W. Hall of Fame Stillwater, OK 74078
1-800-257-1705 or 405-744-9748 Fax 405-744-2487
Info-line 1-888-885-5588 V/TTY
ABLE Tech Website http://okabletech.okstate.edu
AT Equipment Exchange http://oec.okstate.edu

This program is funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) of the U.S. Department of Education, Grant #H224A090036. This publication does not necessarily reflect the position of the policy of RSA/ED, and no official endorsement of the material should be inferred.

 Seretean Wellness Center  REAL SOLUTIONS FOR REAL PEOPLE