Assistive Technology FAQ
- What is an Assistive Technology (AT) device?
- Can only people with disabilities benefit from AT?
- I don't really understand technology too well, can I still benefit from AT?
- It sounds like the most effective AT is also the most expensive; is that so?
- Is AT something that only a specific age-range can benefit from?
- How can I keep from purchasing AT that will soon be obsolete?
- What are some examples of AT for someone with a physical impairment?
- I have heard of power-assist wheels, what are they?
- What is meant by a sensory impairment?
- Someone told me about some software that transcribes what you say when you speak into a microphone and puts it into a computer document. What is this?
- I saw an AT device advertised and I think it would be perfect for me in all ways; is buying AT without trying it out a good idea?
- Is all AT geared towards a specific disability?
- I am low on funds/have a limited income; is there any organization to help me with the purchase of AT?
Updated March 2010
Q. What is an Assistive Technology (AT) device?
A. An AT device is defined in the Assistive Technology Act of 1998, PL 105-394 as "any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities."
[ top ]
Q. Can only people with disabilities benefit from AT?
A. No. In fact there are many common items that people use everyday that can be classified as AT. For example, electric dishwashers, voice recognition computer software, electric toothbrushes, pencil grips, to name just a few.
[ top ]
Q. I don't really understand technology too well, can I still benefit from AT?
A. Yes, you don't necessarily need to understand how an AT device works in order to benefit from using it. For example, most people don't fully understand how a car works but they can still benefit from using one.
Most AT devices fall into one of three categories: high-tech, low-tech and no-tech. The definitions of items in each category are not set in stone and different companies may categorize the same device differently.
• High-tech: Devices that require some type of microprocessor or computer chip in order to function; they may also require some technological savvy to operate. Some examples are: a computer, most electronic speech output devices, a power wheelchair or scooter, a TTY machine, etc.
• Low-tech: Devices that are electronically controlled but require less technological savvy to operate. Some examples are: a clock radio with vibrating alarm, nearly any wind-up or battery powered toy, a simple button that is used for various output, etc.
• No-tech: Devices that are not electronic in nature. Some examples are: a pen or pencil grip, a cane, a number or letter chart, etc.
[ top ]
Q. It sounds like the most effective AT is also the most expensive; is that so?
A. No, not always. AT needs are very individualized. All people have different needs and whereas one person might require a $2,000 piece of AT in order to live a more productive life another person may only require a $2 piece of AT to accomplish the same thing. So you only need to spend enough money to get something that works for you.
[ top ]
Q. Is AT something that only a specific age-range can benefit from?
A. No, not at all. Everyone can benefit from some type of AT. There are certainly some AT devices that may not be appropriate for all ages or may otherwise seem odd when used, but the most important thing about AT is that it works for you not what it looks like.
[ top ]
Q. How can I keep from purchasing AT that will soon be obsolete?
A. The short answer is that you can't. Most technology progresses at a rapid pace and it is generally not a good idea to avoid purchasing AT thinking that a better version of it will come along in a month or two because if you do wait, chances are an even better version will be due in another few months and this process keeps repeating itself. Not buying AT because the future might hold an improvement puts you on a very slippery slope.
[ top ]
Q. What are some examples of AT for someone with a physical impairment?
A. Some people with mobility impairments use what is probably the most recognizable form of AT today: the wheelchair. There are so many different kinds of wheelchairs on the market today that any attempt to list them all would invariably fall short. Listed below are a few of the bigger national vendors and a few of the local Northern Virginia/Metro DC dealers:
Sunrise Medical
www.sunrisemedical.com
7477 East Dry Creek Parkway
Longmont, Colorado, 80503
(800) 333-4000 (V)
(303) 218-4500 (V)
(303) 218-4590 (Fax)
Sunrise Medical is one of the world's largest manufacturers of homecare and extended care products.
Frank Mobility Systems, Inc.
www.frankmobility.com
1003 International Drive
Oakdale, PA 15071
(888) 426-8581 (V)
(724) 695-7822 (V)
(724) 695-3710 (Fax)
info@frankmobility.com
Manufacturer of mobility-related AT.
Invacare
www.invacare.com
One Invacare Way
Elyria, OH 44036
(800) 333-6900 (V)
Invacare sells its products to over 25,000 home health care and medical equipment providers, distributors, and government locations in the United States, Australia, Canada, Europe, New Zealand, and Asia.
Area Access
www.areaaccess.com
7131 Gateway Ct.
Manassas, VA 20109
(800) 333-AREA (Toll-free V/Relay)
703-396-4949 (V/Relay)
stacy.richard@areaaccess.com
AreaAccess specializes in accessibility and mobility through our wide range of home elevators, stairlifts, LULA elevators and vertical wheelchair lifts for your home and public buildings.
East Coast Rehab, LLC
4944C Eisenhower Ave.
Alexandria, VA 22304
703-370-5790 (V/Relay)
703-370-5793 (Fax)
information@EastCoastRehab.com
Rehab Equipment Professionals Inc.
www.rep-inc.com
5130 Duke St., Suite 12
Alexandria, VA 22304
703-370-2100 (V/Relay)
703-370-7985 (Fax)
clarence@rep-inc.com
Specializing in pediatric wheelchairs, but also selling and servicing a full line of custom wheelchairs for all ages, sizes, and needs with a large supply of wheelchair parts.
Roberts Home Medical
www.robertshomemedical.com
20465 Seneca Meadows Parkway
Germantown, MD 20876
(800) 807-7290 (V)
(301) 353-0300 (V/Relay)
(301) 916-2611 (Fax)
Northern Virginia
(866) 929-8599 (V/Relay)
703-385-8018 (V/Relay)
703-584-0012 (Fax)
Roberts Home Medical serves Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia as a supplier of home medical equipment and assistive technology.
Washington Area Wheelchair Society
8220 Mayor Lane
Silver Spring, MD 20910
301-495-0277 (V/Relay)
The Washington Area Wheelchair Society collects, refurbishes and distributes used durable medical equipment free of charge to the medically and financially needy of Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. Inventory is subject to whatever is donated each week, so it is always best to call and check availability for any particular item.
Mayor Lane is really a service alley in the Silver Spring business district; it is just off of Georgia Ave, so call for directions.
[ top ]
Q. I have heard of power-assist wheels, what are they?
A. There are different kinds of power-assist wheels on the market; most notably the e-motion (available from www.frankmobility.com). The e-motion power-assisted wheel is mounted on the wheelchair in place of the manual wheels. The batteries are integrated in the wheel hub and can be removed from a sitting position. A sensor registers the propelling movement and activates the electrical motors.
[ top ]
Q. What is meant by a sensory impairment?
A. A sensory impairment is when one of an individual's five senses (sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell) does not function at a typical level. There are many types of AT that can be used to make a positive difference to someone with a sensory impairment. Some companies that provide them are:
Advanced Bionics Corporation
www.advancedbionics.com
28515 Westinghouse Place
Valencia, California 91355 USA
(877) 829-0026 (V)
(800) 678-3575 (TTY)
(661) 362-1400 (V)
(661) 362-1503 (Fax)
CustomerService@advancedbionics.com
Advanced Bionics Corporation develops cochlear implant systems.
SSB BART Group
www.ssbbartgroup.com
1493 Chain Bridge Road, Suite 100
McLean, Virginia 22101
800-889-9659(V/Relay)
703-734-8381 (Fax)
The SSB BART Group helps companies design and enhance their IT systems - including Web sites, Web applications, software, hardware, and services - so they are accessible to persons with disabilities.
Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind - The Visionary Store
www.clb.org/store.html
8720 Georgia Avenue, Suite 210
Silver Spring, MD 20910
(301) 589-0894 (V/Relay)
(301) 589-7281 (Fax)
nka@clb.org
The Visionary Store carries an assortment of products for the home and office, including canes, talking clocks, writing aids, Braille watches and games to promote independence among people who are blind or visually impaired.
CPC Computer Prompting and Captioning Co.
www.cpcweb.com
1010 Rockville Pike
Suite 306
Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 738-8487 (V/Relay)
(800) 977-6678 (V/Relay)
(301) 738-8488 (Fax)
info@cpcweb.com
CPC provides captioning, subtitling, and teleprompting software, and operates a caption and subtitle service.
Drake Hearing Aid Center
www.drakehearing.com
403 S. Glebe Road
Arlington, Virginia 22204
703-521-1404 (V/Relay)
1707 Osage St.
Alexandria, VA 22302
703-998-6566 (V/Relay)
Drake Hearing Aid Centers offer all types and programs and manufacturers of digital hearing aids as well as assistive listening devices and hearing evaluations.
Duartek, Inc.
Engineered Accessible Systems
703-352-2285 (Voice)
703-425-4595 (Fax)
703-425-4596 (TTY)
joe@duartek.com
Duartek's technology expertise includes: professional audio technology, boardroom conferencing systems, inductive audio loop technology, FM and IR technologies, telephone conferencing, telecommunication systems, visual alerting technologies, and other accessibility oriented technologies.
Harris Communication
www.harriscomm.com
15155 Technology Drive
Eden Prairie, MN 55344
(800) 825-6758 (V)
(800) 825-9187 (TTY)
(800) 825-9187 (Fax)
(952) 906-1099 (Fax)
(866) 384-3147 (Video Phone)
(866) 789-3468 (Video Phone)
info@harriscomm.com
Harris Communications is a one-stop source for sign language books, TTYs, amplified telephones, signalers and vibrating clocks and other products for Deaf and Hard of Hearing people, as well as for children, parents, teachers, students, interpreters and others interested in American Sign Language and the Deaf Culture.
HumanWare
www.humanware.com
1 UPS Way
PO Box 800
Champlain, NY 12919
(800) 722-3393 (V/Relay)
(888) 871 4828 (Fax)
us.info@humanware.com
HumanWare provides human-friendly solutions; its products are designed to last, to grow and in many cases, to go with the user. Giving them the independence to compete effectively with peers, to feel connected – to be a vital part of the global information age in which we live.
Independent Living Aids, LLC
www.independentliving.com
Location:
200 Robbins Lane
Jericho, NY 11753
Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 9022
Hicksville, NY 11802-9022
(800) 537-2118 (V)
(516) 937-3906 (Fax)
Northern Virginia Resource Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons
www.nvrc.org
3951 Pender Dr.
Suite 130
Fairfax, VA 22030
703-352-9055 (V)
703-352-9056 (TTY)
703-352-9058 (Fax)
866-946-4902 (Video Phone)
info@nvrc.org
NVRC gives you an opportunity for "hands-on" experience with the AT for hearing impairments before you buy. A Resource and Technology Specialist can explain and demonstrate different devices, let you know the approximate cost and give you options for vendors.
Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center Gallaudet University
clerccenter.gallaudet.edu
800 Florida Ave. NE
Washington DC 20002
(202) 651-5855 (V/TTY)
(866) 204-0504 (Video Phone)
clerc.center@gallaudet.edu
The Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center at Gallaudet University provides information, training, and technical assistance for parents and professionals to meet the needs of children who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Assisted Access-NFSS Inc.
www.nfss.com
PO Box 230
Lake Villa, IL 60046-0230
(800) 950-9655 (V/TTY)
(847) 265-4022 (V/TTY)
(847) 265-8044 (Fax)
assistedaccess-nfss@comcast.net
A large range of assistive products for the deaf/hard of hearing, blind/low vision, mobility/support and home/health related items for the disabled, aging and those in rehabilitation.
Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc. (TDI)
www.tdi-online.org
8630 Fenton St. #604
Silver Spring, MD 20910
(301) 589-3786 (V)
(301) 589-3006 (TTY)
(301) 589-3797 (FAX)
(866) 970-6836 (Video Phone)
info@tdi-online.org
TDI (formally known as Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc.) is an active national advocacy organization focusing its energies and resources to address equal access issues in telecommunications and media for four constituencies in deafness and hearing loss, specifically people who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, late-deafened, or deaf-blind.
Virginia Relay
www.varelay.org
1602 Rolling Hills Drive
Suite 203
Richmond, Virginia 23229-5012
(866) 894-4116 (V)
(866) 246-9300 (TTY)
frontdsk@vddhh.virginia.gov
A free public service, Virginia Relay connects people who are deaf, hard of hearing, DeafBlind or speech disabled with standard telephone users, relaying the conversation between both parties. Relay services are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with no limit on the number or length of calls a user may make. Calls can be initiated by dialing 7-1-1 (from a Virginia location).
[ top ]
Q. Someone told me about some software that transcribes what you say when you speak into a microphone and puts it into a computer document. What is this?
A. This is called voice recognition software. There are several different kinds, but perhaps the most popular is called Dragon NaturallySpeaking. It is produced by:
Nuance Communications, Inc.
www.nuance.com
1 Wayside Road
Burlington, MA 01803
(781) 565-5000 (V/Relay)
(781) 565-5001 (Fax)
[ top ]
Q. I saw an AT device advertised and I think it would be perfect for me in all ways; is buying AT without trying it out a good idea?
A. No. As said earlier, AT needs are very individualized. It is definitely a good idea to try things out before you buy them. Many manufacturers of AT realize this as well and may offer a trial period. In addition, many times there are local vendors for specific products that may offer a free trial of a device.
[ top ]
Q. Is all AT geared towards a specific disability?
A. No, many places sell various types of AT that fit many cross-disability situations. Listed below are three such places, but there are many more:
Patterson Medical/Sammons Preston
www.sammonspreston.com
800-323-5547 (V/Relay)
800-547-4333 (Fax)
customersupport@patterson-medical.com
There is a local branch locater on their website (www.sammonspreston.com/app.aspx?cmd=findARep).
LS&S, LLC
www.lssproducts.com
145 River Rock Drive
Buffalo, NY 14207
(800) 468-4789 (V)
(800) 317-8533 (TTY)
(877) 498-1482 (Fax)
AllegroMedical.com
www.allegromedical.com
1833 West Main Street, Suite 131
Mesa, AZ 85201
(800) 861-3211 (V/Relay)
Funding for Assistive Technology
[ top ]
Q. I am low on funds/have a limited income; is there any organization to help me with the purchase of AT?
A. Yes. Some may only serve a specific area or population though. The three organizations below serve Virginia; if you need assistance in another state, ECNV suggests you contact your local Center for Independent Living and ask them to point you in the right direction.
The NewWell Fund (formerly the Assistive Technology Loan Fund Authority, ATLFA)
www.atlfa.org
Rolling Hills Drive, Suite 107
Richmond, VA 23229
(804) 662-9000 (V/Relay)
(866) 835-5976 (V)
(804) 662-9533 (Fax)
atlfa@atlfa.org
The NewWell Fund (formerly the Assistive Technology Loan Fund Authority, ATLFA). is a state authority created in 1995 by the General Assembly of Virginia at the recommendation of Virginia's Disability Commission and its mission is to facilitate favorable credit financing of assistive technology for Virginians with disabilities.
The Virginia Assistive Technology System
www.vats.org
8004 Franklin Farms Drive
Richmond, Virginia 23229
(804) 662-9990 (V/Relay)
(800) 435-8490 (V/Relay)
(804) 662-9478 (Fax)
robert.krollman@drs.virginia.gov
The Virginia Assistive Technology System (VATS) is a statewide program authorized and funded by the Assistive Technology Act of 2004, as amended and administered by the Virginia Department of Rehabilitative Services. VATS was established in 1990 with commitment to increasing awareness, accessibility and acquisition of assistive technology.
[ top ]