• Home
• About Us
• AT Loan
• AT Exchange
• Funding Options
• AT Resources
• Calendar
• News
• Media
• Contact Us

News

New Assistive Technology Demonstration Center Opening in Connecticut’s Eastern Region

The Eastern Connecticut Assistive Technology Center located at the Windham Regional Community Council, 872 Main Street in Willimantic, CT will open on June 24th!

The Connecticut Tech Act Project is very excited to have a new partner agency offering Assistive Technology demonstrations in the Eastern Region of Connecticut.

What is an AT demonstration?
An AT demo is an opportunity to explore the various functions and features of an AT device, or a variety of devices, to help an individual make an informed decision about the device.

The Eastern Connecticut Assistive Technology Center (ECAT) will house a variety of AT devices and equipment that will focus on reducing barriers and increase functioning for individuals with disabilities in the workplace.  This is the primary goal for ECAT, however, visitors will find that many of the devices that are available can assist with school as well as at home. Employers are encouraged to contact and visit ECAT to find out how they may be able to accommodate an employee with a disability.

ECAT will be open 2 days a week – visitors should call 860-423-4534 in advance to schedule an appointment.

CTTAP Newsletter - Fall 2008

Click the titles to show/hide the article or download this issue as a PDF

Expand all Articles | Close all Articles

Expand all Articles | Close all Articles

A Day In the Life: Richard Devylder

Richard Devylder is the Deputy Director of the Department of Rehabilitation (Vocational Rehab) in California. He was born without arms and legs. He and his family have been very creative in coming up with AT that works for him, such as mounting his electric shaver, building stairs to transfer him into his wheelchair, and having a mouth stick custom made for him. See how he uses both low tech and high tech Assistive Technology to be as independent and successful as possible.

Watch Video - 11 minutes - Video will open in new window and is a 25 MB file that is best viewed over a broadband connection.

In order to view this video on your computer, you will need to have Windows Media Player. If your computer does not have the Windows Media Player, you can download a free copy at: Microsoft Windows Media Player Download Site

The CT Tech Act Project would like to thank Richard Devylder, the California Department of Rehabilitation and the California Employment Development Department for giving us permission to post a copy of this video on our site.

Triumphant over Disability: How a Blind Man’s Darkest Moments Led to Success and a Mission to Help Others

Press Release - December, 2007

Thirty years ago, Charlie Collins was a typical 10-year old fun loving boy, riding dirt bikes through the woods in his home town of Cheshire, CT., playing baseball and attending the local elementary school. At the age of 13, though, his ordinary childhood ended, and his extraordinary journey began.  Charlie’s life was shattered with devastating news; he suffered from a rare, untreatable eye disease that causes progressive blindness - Juvenile Macular Degeneration. In fact, three of Charlie’s siblings from their close-knit family of six were also diagnosed with the genetic disease.

During the next several years, while his blindness progressed, Collins battled with mental and emotional demons.  He experienced several stages of distress; anger, shame, disbelief. He could not participate with classmates in most school activities, he was picked on, ostracized, he felt stupid and never quite fit in anywhere.  His self-esteem hit rock bottom. “I felt completely alone out there and unequipped to live an independent, productive life.” Doctors told him nothing could be done to help him. “I focused only on the problem and never a solution,” says Collins.  He considered suicide, but he just couldn’t bear to do it.

Instead, he stumbled through his young adulthood; fear prevented him from attending college, and he took a series of odd jobs, including one mowing the lawn at a motorcycle dealership. His knowledge of motorcycles led to a sales position at the dealership. “That was the day that defined my future,” says Collins, “because finally, I decided to accept my disability and vowed to find ways to live with it.”  Much to his own surprise, Collins helped grow sales at the dealership by a million dollars in less than 18 months and was promoted to Vice President. The success gave him a new-found sense of self worth and courage to face the world. He could succeed…despite his disease.  Something was missing, though. Charlie began to feel a burning passion to help others struggling with macular degeneration, to help them lead normal lives, and to inspire hope.

Today, at 40 years old, Collins is indeed legally blind. However, his story is one of bravery and overcoming adversity. He is now happily married, has two beautiful daughters, and neither carry the Juvenile Macular Degeneration gene.

He is a successful entrepreneur who in 1997 founded Vision Dynamics, a retail outlet in Cheshire that sells adaptive equipment for those with blindness and low vision.  Never forgetting his passion to help others, most of Vision Dynamics’ 10 employees are blind. The company is now in its tenth year of business and well on its way to providing the most comprehensive inventory of optical adaptive equipment available nationally.

Resources:

Macular Degeneration Foundation; www.eyesight.org
American Macular Degeneration Foundation; amdf@macular.org
Retina International; www.retina-international.org/maculardeg.htm

Among non-diabetics, Adult Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the most common problem affecting the retina, and it is the major cause of legal blindness in individuals over the age of 65. As the population enjoys a longer life, the number of those affected by AMD will increase as well. Early onset Macular Degeneration appears to be largely genetic; that is, it is a condition that is programmed into your cells and not caused by injury or infection or any other external agent. Certain genes that are necessary for normal vision give faulty messages to the cells in the macula, leading to their progressive degeneration and eventually to vision loss. 

According to Lighthouse International, www.lighthouse.orga non-profit organization dedicated to preserving vision and helping those with low vision challenges, macular degeneration affects more than 1.75 million individuals in the U.S. This number is expected to increase to almost 3 million by 2020 due to the rapid aging of the U.S. population.  

Low Vision Defined: Vision loss that cannot be corrected by ordinary glasses, contact lenses, medication or surgery is called "low vision." Signs of low vision include:

• Difficulty recognizing a familiar face.
  
• Difficulty reading - print appears broken or distorted.
  
• Difficulty seeing objects and potential obstacles such as steps, curbs, walls and furniture.
  
• But people with low vision retain some usable vision.

The New England Assistive Technology (NEAT) Center has opened a satellite facility in collaboration with the Disability Rights Center of Fairfield County.

Press Release - December 14, 2006

The new NEAT / DRC Technology Center is located at 80 Ferry Street in Stratford, Connecticut. NEAT has received start-up funding from the Connecticut Tech Act Project to expand it durable medical equipment reutilization program and assistive technology demonstration program to the southwestern region of Connecticut. The establishment of this new satellite will now allow individuals with disabilities, their families and the professionals that serve them, local availability to the services of NEAT. A variety of restored durable medical equipment will be available at the new NEAT / DRC Technology Center to consumers who can come in, try it out, and make an informed decision regarding their medical equipment needs. Restored durable medical equipment will be available for purchase at significantly reduced prices. Currently the program is open by appointment only. It is expected that full operational services, including the addition of an assistive technology demonstration center, will begin in February 2007.

For additional information or to schedule an appointment call: NEAT at 866-526-4492; email to neatrestore@neatmarketplace.org or bakerj@neatmarketplace.org or visit the website at www.neatmarketplace.org.

The U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) is pleased to share with you an important message about the newly released brochure, "Recycle Your AT."

On Feb. 1, 2001, President Bush announced the New Freedom Initiative-a comprehensive program to promote the full participation of people with disabilities in all areas of society. One of the pillars of the NFI is dedicated to increasing access to assistive and universally designed technologies, expanding educational opportunities and promoting full access to community life for all Americans.

OSERS has an important role in working to achieve these objectives by ensuring that youths with disabilities are prepared with the training and skills they need to take advantage of the postsecondary outcomes of competitive employment, education, independent living and community participation.
Assistive technology gives individuals, particularly those with disabilities, the freedom to explore the possibilities of work, school and home, and helps to ensure that all individuals who want to work can
find a job.

For many people with disabilities, assistive technologies are helping to defeat dependence, frustration and isolation: text telephones for those with hearing impairments; computer monitors for those with visual impairments; lighter wheelchairs. These modern technologies make the world more accessible, yet they are often unattainable to the people who need them but cannot afford them. We can help.

The reuse of assistive technology devices is an important and practical way to meet the needs of so many who would otherwise go without or who could benefit from higher-level devices. Reusing AT provides devices to people who need them, saves resources, benefits taxpayers, prevents waste, decreases health risks, helps people maintain their level of care and builds confidence in the system. Recycling and reuse of assistive technology just makes common sense.

It is abundantly clear that access to AT has a tremendous impact on the successful transition of young adults. For many people with disabilities, AT is an essential support to daily living. A person may
depend on a wheelchair, walker, special computer keyboard, speech-generating device or other AT device at home, at school or at work. Finding ways to make AT more available is something with which few could argue. Our task is now clear: We must strive to remove barriers for every American with or without a disability. Toward that end, I am pleased to make available the attached accessible brochure, Recycle Your AT.

This brochure provides information about AT reuse programs, as well as resources available to those interested in learning more about these programs across the country.

OSERS looks forward to continued partnerships to achieve America's goal of access and independence for all. We hope that this brochure will prove to be a helpful resource for those who recognize the reuse of AT as one of the most encouraging ways to make AT more available to
individuals who need it.
 
Sincerely,
 
John H. Hager
Assistant Secretary
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services U.S. Department of Education

To view the text version of the brochure, visit:
http://www.ed.gov/programs/atsg/at-reuse.html

To download a PDF version of the brochure, click:
http://www.ed.gov/programs/atsg/at-reuse.pdf

Source: U.S. Department of Education