Oklahoma ABLE Tech

The Assistive Technology Program for the State of Oklahoma

Connecting Oklahomans with Disabilities to Assistive Technology

2011 Annual Report

Oklahoma ABLE Tech Key Statistics

-557 assistive technology (AT) devices loaned to Oklahomans in “try before you buy” short-term loan program.
 

-529 AT demonstrations to Oklahomans were demonstrated by SoonerStart personnel to children
 

-0-3 years old, another 759 demonstrations to Oklahomans were provided serving all ages.
 

-The Alternative Financing Program provided $455,146 in AT device low interest bank loans assisting 79 Oklahomans with disabilities.

-AT training events served over 1,403 people.

-98 AT devices exchanged from sellers to buyers for a savings of $149,824.

-396 individuals received information and referral on AT devices and services.
 

Oklahoma ABLE Tech Highlights

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

-ABLE Tech and its partners provided 9 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 395 state agency and post secondary 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 62 specialized smoke alarms in 45 households statewide.
-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 50 farmers or their family members and completed 32 on-farm site visits.

-25 Special Education Due Process hearings were resolved by the Special Education Resolution Center - keeping state dollars in the classroom educating students. Due Process proceedings can cost the state an average of $300,000; therefore, resolved hearing requests saved Oklahomans approximately $7,500,000.

 

Demo and Loan Program 

Oklahoma ABLE Tech provided device demonstrations and loans to people in the following categories with their representative percentages: 

Other 1%
Daily Living 2%
Speech Communication 16%
Environmental 11%
Health & Rehab 4%
Family Member 32%
Individual with Disability 53%
 

Device demonstrations and device loans were provided for the following purposes with their representative percentages: 

Education 9%
Employment 1% 
Vision 21%
Hearing 20%
Mobility,Seating, Positioning 12%
Computer Related 8%
Developmental 10%
 

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.

National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard
 

Special Education Resolution Center
888-267-0028

New View Oklahoma City 
405-232-4644

Mary K. Chapman Center for Communicative Disorders
Tulsa 918-631-2913

The Childrens Center
405-789-6711

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

Department of Rehabilitation Services,Rehabilitation 
800-745-8476

Oklahoma Assistive Technology Center
800-700-6282

Development Disabilities Services (DDSD), Tulsa 
918-794-7632

Oklahoma's National Ranking

ABLE Tech ranks 3rd in the nation for number of loans made out of the 31 financial loan programs.
ABLE Tech ranks 2nd in the nation for number of devices exchanged out of 36 reutilization programs.
ABLE Tech ranks 10th in the nation for number of device demonstrations out of 55 AT demonstration programs.
ABLE Tech ranks 19th in the nation for number of device loans out of 54 programs.

 

Success Stories in Oklahoma 

William is an 88 year old Tulsa native with hearing loss. Total Source for Hearing Loss and Access located in Tulsa, an ABLE Tech device demo and loan program, helped William select AT including the PocketTalker and XL50.
The PocketTalker amplifies sounds closest to the listener while reducing background noise, while the XL50 is an amplified phone. William said he was very satisfed with the products he tried, “I could talk on the phone and increase the volume, and the phone did everything but tell the time in Hong Kong!” William said. “The PocketTalker worked really well, and I was able to connect the cord with the TV and could watch television without turning
up the volume. It allowed me to talk with my family and friends again.”

The Childrens Center partners with Oklahoma ABLE Tech to provide assistive technology (AT) to Oklahoma children with disabilities. This Bethany resident, K, uses a Jelly Bean switch attached to a Gooseneck mount to activate different devices. The Jelly Bean Switch is a button or touch switch designed to control a wide range of electrically operated toys for children with upper extremity disabilities. This provides K with opportunities to develop and strengthen her cause/effect association through the activation of a variety of different toys and computer programs. Activating a speech generating device allows her to participate in social greetings or phrase fill-in
activities. This has provided her with increased independence in the classroom and therapy sessions, as well as increased enjoyment through play with cause/effect toys.

Sean was referred to NewView Oklahoma by the Department of Rehabilitation Services for Computer Assistive Technology training. He started with the Talking Typing Tutor. The Talking Typing Tutor is designed to teach typing skills to people with disabilities by helping them practice typing skills through specially designed lessons. Sean said when he started he only knew about six keys on the keyboard. Now he knows the entire keyboard and is working on keystroke commands for JAWS screen reader software. He can now learn how to surf the internet and send email. Sean is very excited to continue this learning so he will be qualified to get a job. In his spare time he enjoys talking to friends on the phone, watching TV, and hanging out with friends and family.

Brian is a 9th grader at Memorial High School in Tulsa, who uses Braille technology to complete his class work. Recently, he borrowed a Braille Note Apex QT to try for a few weeks from Oklahoma ABLE Tech. Brian said, “ I really liked the Braille display and the other features on the Apex! I especially liked the scientific calculator because I used it in Geometry class.” He continues saying, “I thought it was easy to learn and it was very helpful. I like the APEX much better than what I had been using because it doesn’t ‘freeze up’ as much. It is very frustrating when equipment fails and I have to go back to using a manual brailler. I really liked the Apex and I hope I get to buy one for school!”

Oklahoma ABLE Tech is helping Oklahomans find assistive technology (AT) solutions through its demonstration program. Austin from Guymon currently is in need of Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM) at his school. Austin and his family came to the Seretean Wellness Center to receive demonstrations of available AT that could assist him in accessing his classroom textbooks as well as complete his in-class and homework assignments. ABLE Tech staff demonstrated many pieces of equipment, but Austin chose the SOLO 6 by Don Johnston. This software can be loaded onto Austin’s laptop to help him read digital textbooks, organize and write papers, and complete
worksheets and tests electronically. Now this fun, energetic young man has a tool available to him that can grow with him as he continues his studies.