5337.01
ACCESSING
ASSISTIVE
TECHNOLOGY
Chapter 17
Resource Guide
(With Table of Contents)
From a 17-Chapter Manual
Available by Chapter and in Manual Form
Third Edition, 2007
Written by:
Protection
Copyright © 1995 by PAI
Prepared with
funding provided through State Grants for Protection and Advocacy Related to
Assistive Technology Program supported by funds from the Rehabilitation
Services Administration,
These materials are based on the laws and court decisions in effect at
the time of publication. Federal and state law can change at any time. If there
is any question about the continued validity of any information in this manual,
contact PAI or a legal resource in your community.
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Protection
PAI
Toll Free:
PAI receives funding under the Developmentally Disabled Assistance and Bill of Rights Act, the Protection and Advocacy for Mentally Ill Individuals Act, the Protection and Advocacy for Individual Rights Act, and the Assistive Technology Act of 1998. Any opinions, findings, recommendations or conclusions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations which fund PAI.
ACCESSING ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1 Introduction and Overview
Chapter 2 Advocacy Skills
Chapter 3 Private Health Benefit Plans
Chapter 4 Regional Centers
Chapter 5
Chapter 6 Reasonable Accommodation in Employment
Chapter 7 Vocational Rehabilitation (Including Loan Programs)
Chapter 8 Social Security Work Incentives
Chapter 9 Special Education
Chapter 10 Medi-Cal
Chapter 11 Medicare
Chapter 12 Veterans Administration
Chapter 13 Right to Assistive Technology from Public Entities
Chapter 14 Right to Assistive Technology from Private Businesses
Chapter 15 Right to Assistive Technology in Higher Education
Chapter 16 The Protections of The Lemon Law for Buyers of Assistive Technology
Chapter 17 Resource Guide (with Table of Contents)
Acronyms & Abreviations
Glossary
ACCESSING ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
Chapter 17
RESOURCE GUIDE
Table of Contents
Question Page
INTRODUCTION............................................................................................. 1
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY SERVICE
PROVIDER LIST.................................. 3
INDEPENDENT LIVING CENTERS............................................................... 18
REGIONAL CENTERS.................................................................................... 24
HIGH-TECH CENTERS FOR THE
DISABLED............................................... 28
SPECIALIZED SERVICES.............................................................................. 29
VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS.......................................................................... 31
SPECIAL SERVICES FOR
PERSONS WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENTS....... 34
SOURCES OF PROCUREMENT ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEMS............ 35
PROFESSIONAL AND
INTERDISCIPLINARY RESOURCES......................... 37
ORGANIZATIONS.......................................................................................... 38
ADVOCACY RESOURCE GUIDE................................................................... 41
HEALTH INSURANCE COUNSELING and
ADVOCACY PROGRAM “HICAP” 45
PUBLICATIONS............................................................................................. 46
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Chapter 17
RESOURCE GUIDE
This Assistive Technology Resource Guide is presented to make information available to persons with disabilities, health professionals, employers and other interested individuals to help identify and locate assistive technological equipment and devices. These devices and equipment can enable persons with disabilities to more effectively work, learn and access community services and resources.
The inclusion of any organization or product in the guide does
not indicate or imply official endorsement of approval of such organization or
product by the California Assistive Technology System or the State of
In considering the application of assistive technology, there are three important principles which must be stressed: The importance of a thorough evaluation, the team approach and consumer involvement.
Evaluation: In most cases an evaluation of the device or equipment should be carried out by professionals in the field related to the technology involved. For example, there are many types of aids for persons with visual impairments, including special glasses, closed‑circuit TV cameras which enlarge print, and “talking” computer terminals. They all have certain advantages and drawbacks and should be appropriately evaluated for each user to make sure they match his/her needs. In some cases, the selection of inappropriate equipment can even aggravate the user's impairment.
The Team approach: Ideally, the evaluation should be carried out by a team of professionals with the active involvement of the consumer. Depending on the technology involved, the evaluation team can be composed of individuals from various disciplines, such as an occupational therapist, physical therapist, physician, rehabilitation counselor, equipment vendor, computer expert, and others. The key to any team's success is the active involvement of the consumer.
Consumer Involvement: It is the consumer who will have to adapt to and live with the technology (i.e., device, equipment, computer software) after a determination is made by the evaluation team. Therefore, it is crucial that he/she play as active a role as is possible. The consumer must, as much as possible, let the evaluation team know what the purpose of technology is (e.g., independent living, working or transportation). During the evaluation, the consumer must advise the team of any problem or discomfort in using the recommended technology. The consumer must also ensure the device or equipment is adequately maintained after obtaining it. The important component of any assistive ‑ technology system is the user.
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY SERVICE PROVIDER LIST
The following programs can provide assessment and recommendations of assistive devices. They are listed geographically. (Once again, we emphasize the importance of individuals obtaining a thorough evaluation.)
Northern California and
Name:
Address: 406 ˝
Phone: (916) 536-2425
Contact: Margaret Keeling
Services: Seating and wheeled mobility evaluations, home and worksite evaluations, work capacity and physical capacity evaluation.
Name: Department of Rehabilitation – Client Assistance Program
(
Address: Offices throughout the State. Check phone book for listing.
Phone: (800) 952-5544
(866) 712-1085 (TTY)
Services: Worksite and home evaluations, assessments, and referral.
Name: Easter Seals of
Address:
Phone: (888)
877-3257 (toll free)
(916) 485-6711
Contact: Sue Harris / Program Administrator
Services: Vocational assessment, Functional Capacity Evaluations, Worksite and home evaluations and assessment for persons with traumatic brain injuries and other physical disabilities, body mechanics and Activities of Daily Living training, and device procurement, modification, and training.
Name: United Cerebral Palsy of Greater
Address:
Sacramento
Phone: (916) 565-7700
Contact: Joanna Toynbee
Services: Independent living skills
Name: United Cerebral Palsy of the
Address:
Phone: (707) 766-9990
Services: Referrals, and social/entertainment.
Name: United Cerebral Palsy of
Address:
Phone: (209) 956-0290
Contact: Debbie Link
Services: Assistive Technology, and therapy services. Seating, positioning and mobility assessment. Alternative and augmentative communication, environmental access and control, work-site/educational access assessments, Occupational, speech and language therapy, follow along services.
Name: United Cerebral Palsy of Stanislaus County, Inc.
Address:
Phone: (209) 577-2122
Contact: Jeanette Jones
Services: Computer lab. Hand over hand help for people who need assistance with computers.
Name: United Cerebral Palsy of
Address:
Phone: (559) 221-8272
Contact: Kelly Cunningham
Services: Assistive
Technology (i.e. computers),
Bay Area
Name: Adaptive Driving Aid
Address:
Phone: (800) 371-4243
Contact: Sam Graf
Service: Install adaptive driving equipment in cars and vans. Evaluate and instruct disabled drivers.
Name: Adaptive Engineering Services
Address:
Phone: (707) 938-6482
Contact: Emmett Band
Services: Design, fabrication, modification, and evaluation for seating and mobility systems and adaptive equipment.
Name: Vocational Technology Services
Address:
Phone: (707) 938-6452
Contact: Jerry Champion
Services: Provide computer access, environmental control, and augmentative communication devices evaluation for inpatient and referral clients.
Name: Augmentative Communication News
Address:
Phone: (831) 649-3050
Contact: Sarah Blackstone
Services: Augmentative communication assessment and training. Consultation to families, schools, hospitals, regional centers, agencies, etc., re: Individual aspects of the delivery of augmentative communication services. Publish an international publication six times per year that highlights topics related to augmentative communications.
Name:
Address: Castro
& Duboce Streets
Phone: (415) 600-0200
Services: Vocational evaluations, functional capacity evaluations, work hardening, upper extremity and hand evaluations, industrial rehabilitation, seating and mobility evaluations, and driving evaluations.
Name: Center for Accessible Technology
Address:
Phone: (510) 841-3224
Services: Assistive technology resources including hands-on training, consulting, evaluations and workshops in the areas of education, work and independent living.
Name:
Address:
Phone: (415) 921-7658 (Voice) (415) 921-8990 (TDD)
Services: Display and demonstration of all types of assistive devices for persons with hearing loss (alerting, signaling, informing, etc.). Information, guidance, referral and counseling for persons with hearing loss and their families; also, programs for children/youth and seniors.
Name:
Address: 1981
North Broadway,
Phone: (925) 947-5300
Contact: Nina Kaur
Services: Driving evaluations for autos only, no vans. Work hardening, physical capacity evaluations, upper extremity and hand evaluation and therapy.
Name:
Adaptive Driving Program
Address:
Phone: (408) 885-5613
Contact: Susan Lillie
Services: Adaptive Driving Evaluation Program. Car and van driving evaluations.
Name: Sensory Aids Foundation
New Name: Sensory Access Foundation
Address:
Phone: (408)-245-7330
Contact: Diana Drews
Services: Onsite job evaluations to determine appropriate access technology for blind, visually impaired, deaf, and hearing impaired persons. May provide loan equipment on a short-term basis to use on the job until the employee gets his own equipment.
Name:
Address:
Phone: (408) 894-9041
(408) 842-2591 (TTY)
Contact: Margie Jensen, O.T.R.
Services: Home and work site assessments; wheelchair evaluations; Activities of Daily Living, device procurement, and computer training.
Name: Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute
Address:
Phone: (415) 345-2125
Contact: William Gerrey
Services: Design and modification of sensory aids for blind & visually impaired persons. Custom computer interface modification. Consultation on job site modification.
Name:
Address:
Phone: (650) 462-0102
Services: Evaluation, design, fitting, and modification in the following areas: orthotics, prosthetics, communication and control systems, seating systems, mobility systems, protective devices, and workstations.
Name: United Cerebral Palsy of Santa Clara & San Mateo
Counties
Address:
Phone: (408) 737-7083
Contact: Jane Lefferdink
Services: Counseling, referral. High Tech Futures Program, sophomore in high school to sophomore in college business awareness and mentoring.
Name: United Cerebral Palsy – Pathways
Address: 1970
Broadway,
Phone: (510) 832-7430
Contact:
Services: Information and referral.
Name: Braille Institute
Address:
Phone: (323) 663-1111
Contact: Heidi Gilston
Services: Library, education, and career service for persons who are blind or visually impaired. Offers demonstrations and evaluation in the use of computer access and other electronic devices for blind and visually impaired persons. Provides financial subsidy for purchase of job-related devices.
Name: Center for Applied Rehabilitation Technology (CART)
Address: Los
Amigos Research & Education Institute, Inc.
Phone: (562) 401-6800 ext. 6803 (McBride) or 6806 (Doyle)
Contact: Carlene McBride or Molly Doyle
Services: Custom equipment modification, setup, and training. Seating, positioning and mobility; augmentative and alternative communication; environmental control; ergonomics for home, school and work; computer access and use.
Name:
Address:
Phone: (818) 677-1200 ext.2684
Contact: Susan Cullen
Services: Assessment of CSUN students on an individual basis. Specialized hardware, peripherals, and software are offered. Full service disabled student program including: Tutoring, readers, writers, proctoring exams, disability management counseling, parking, priority registration, assessment.
Name:
Address:
Phone: (909)596-7733
Contact: Out-Patient Admissions
Services: Physical Rehabilitation. Driving evaluations for cars and vans. Driver training. Home and work site evaluations. Hand therapy.
Name: Center for the Partially Sighted
Address:
Phone: (310) 458-3501
Services: Low vision, mobility, and daily living skills evaluations. Counseling and support groups.
Name:
Address:
Phone: (310) 338-1597
Contact: Eric Larsen
Services: Consult with parents, consumers, and professionals; software opportunities for hands-on experiences; workshops on various aspects of computer technology for people with disabilities.
Name:
Address:
Phone: (310) 674-7050 ext. 3324; ext. 3100 (driving)
Services: Driving evaluations for autos only, communication disorder evaluation, seating, and wheelchair evaluations. Technology evaluation and equipment recommendation.
Name: Department of Rehabilitation
Mobility Evaluation Program
Address:
Phone: (562) 803-6712
Services: Passenger and driver evaluation including all available vans. Wheelchair evaluations. Worksite and home evaluations, assessment, and referral.
Name: House Ear Institute/Center for Deaf Children
Address:
Phone: (213)
483-2226 ext. 7005 voice/TDD – Children’s Center
(213) 483-9930 Clinic
(213) 483-4431 Institute
Services: Hearing evaluations for profoundly deaf children.
Name: Nonverbal Assessment/Augmentative Communications Program
(AT/
Address:
Phone: (323) 731-1027
Contact: Carol Casperson / Coordinator
Services: AT/Augmentative communication assessment and intervention for children (birth – 22).
Name:
Address:
Phone: (818) 885-5460
Contact: Gail SanMarco
Services: Driving evaluations for autos and vans.
Name: SACC Assistive
Address:
Phone: (805) 582-1881
Contact: Debi Schultze
Service: Consultation with parents, consumers, professionals. Provide software opportunities for hands-on experiences; workshops on various aspects of computer technology for people with disabilities.
Name: Team of Advocates for Special Kids (TASK)
Address:
Phone: (714) 533-8275
Contact: Laura Martinez
Services: Consultation
with parents, consumers, professionals; software opportunities for hands-on
experiences; workshops on various aspects of computer technology for people
with disabilities. Open computer lab. Member of the
Name:
New Name: Goodwill Industries of Southern California,
Address: 342 San Fernando Rd.
Los Angeles, CA 90031
Phone: (323) 539-2000
Contacts: Ceasar Perez, Kathryn Roberts
Services: Computer, Clerical, and Work services training. Accredited Secondary School. Work experience.
Name: West Orange
Address:
Phone: (714) 964-3339
Services: Provides assessment and training to children (0-22) within the county and consultation to parents and professionals.
Name: United Cerebral Palsy of the
Address:
Phone: (760) 321-8184
Fax: (760) 321-8284
Contact: Jan Warner
Services: Respite program, after-school programs, referral.
Name: United Cerebral Palsy of
Address: 3620 Sacramento Dr, Suite 201C
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Phone: (805) 541-8751
Contact: Mark Shafer
Services: In-home respite care, counseling/peer groups, transportation, in-hospital counseling children and parents.
Name: United Cerebral Palsy of
Address: 230
Commerce,
Phone: (714) 200-2600
Contact: Joanne Miner, Ph.D.
Services: Adult and child day care program.
Name: United Cerebral Palsy of
Address:
Phone: (818) 782-2211
Contact: Ronald Cohen, Ph.D.
Services: Occupational Therapist, evaluation for wheelchair needs, and residential day program.
Name: Assistive Device Assessment Program
Address: Communications
Clinic
Phone: (619) 594-7747
Contact: Charlotte Lopez / Clinic Director
Services: Provides
assessment and evaluation in communication/control/
computer/application/ seating/wheeled mobility.
Name:
Address:
Phone: (619) 221-3400
Name:
Address:
Phone: (858) 939-3400
Service: Wheelchair orthotic seating systems evaluation and fitting. Manual and electric powered wheelchair evaluation and fitting. Control evaluation and setup for a variety of devices including wheelchairs, communication aids, environmental controls, and computer interfaces. Worksite and tool evaluations and modifications.
Name:
Address:
Phone: (858) 939-6942
Contact: Lisa
Services: Driving evaluations and training, including vans.