Expanding AT Access
Through School Reuse
Programs
Carolyn Phillips & Liz Persaud, Pass It On Center
Develop a general understanding of assistive technology
reutilization as an interim solution or a means of providing timely assignment of a permanent device needed by a student.
Identify and understand the governmental and/or organizational
obstacles to sharing unused equipment and the business case for overcoming those structural barriers.
Explore existing models of AT reuse in schools that can be
replicated and expanded to increase access to needed technology.
Learning Objectives
AT Reuse is a concept that was born out of need.
It increases access to and
acquisition of AT and Durable Medical Equipment in
underserved regions and promotes increased
independence and more participation in education
environments, the workplace and the community.
AT REUSE
Federally-funded AT Act Programs
In every state and territory
Reutilization is a mandated activity
Nonprofit organizations
Many that offer services to people with disabilities also reutilize AT
Sometimes partner with AT Act Programs
Informal community groups
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AT REUSE CLOSES THE GAP BY:
Allowing trials on possible solutions
Providing interim equipment while waiting for the permanent solution
Providing permanent solutions where no funding is available for new devices
Providing duplicate devices in warranted situations Replacing equipment lost in disasters
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TYPES OF AT REUSE ACTIVITIES
Loan Exchange Refurbishing Reassignment Recycling Remanufacturing 6Device exchange:
Matching donors to
users without
intervention (e.g.,
“classifieds” and
on-line auctions)
Device loan:
Providing a device
on loan for some
period of time or
indefinitely, usually to
help user make
informed choice or to
provide interim
solution
Reassignment:
Making donated
devices available to
new users
Refurbishment:
Repairing/restoring
donated devices to
working order
www.passitoncenter.orgRemanufacturing
making changes to
donated items that
alter original
manufacturer’s
specifications or
function
NOT RECOMMENDED!Recycling
breaking down
unusable devices
into spare parts or
disposing of in an
environmentally
appropriate manner
What kinds of reuse programs exist?
Some accept and refurbish durable medical
equipment.
Some accept and refurbish computers and
other digital devices.
Some are dedicated to sharing AT in school
settings.
Some receive donated medical supplies for
redistribution.
LEARN ABOUT REUSE.
Pass It On Center offers resources to promote new
programs and to help existing ones improve.
PIOC web site
Indicators of Quality with
Online Program Assessment Tool
Online Knowledge Base Free webinars with
on-demand archive
Reuse Locations database Find AT
NEED AT*
PASS IT ON CENTER
• FREE resource for finding and exchanging assistive technology (AT) devices online
• Place an ad requesting items for sale, donation, or needed
• gTRADE and Tools for Life encourages members to offer AT devices and information for sale or by donation to others who may benefit from using technology and equipment no longer in need by others
• This online equipment exchange program was developed to make to make AT devices and services available and accessible to Georgians with
disAbilities
• www.gtradeonline.org
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GOAL OF AT ACT PROGRAMS:
To increase access to and acquisition of AT for all ages and all disabilities for
Living
Learning
Earning
WHAT IS YOUR EXPERIENCE?
School
AT Act Program
AT Reuse Program
Schools (K-12, Higher Ed.)
Are you currently doing AT Reuse in Schools?
How?
What kind?
Who’s involved?
What are your barriers?
AT for learning – strained resources:
Schools are obligated to provide an AT device when it is identified in a student’s IEP.
Education budgets are suffering additional strain from the economy, especially unemployment and declining home ownership (with property taxes as a primary support of schools in some states).
Circumstances sometimes warrant duplicated
devices at home and school and that is not funded.
Schools are great
candidates for AT
reuse programs.
Unpredictable
needs, temporary
and permanent
Time-consuming
acquisition
procedures
Caches of unused
devices aging into
obsolescence
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Barriers to School
Reuse
District boundaries and
concern about use of
local taxes
Restrictions imposed by
funding sources
Lack of readily available
information about
needs and equipment
availability
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New England Takes the Lead
STARTING A
SCHOOL SWAP
BUILDING ON SUCCESS
New England’s AT Act Programs created a
regional online AT Exchange,
www.getATstuff.com
, in 2007. Using this
successful model, they approached school
exchange.
Connecticut took the lead in creating a model
for a school AT exchange.
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Step 1: Identifying the Need
Conferences and presentations with
stakeholders:
State Dept. of Education
State Special Education Directors
State Special Education Advisory Council OTs, PTs, SLPs
University Special Ed and General Ed Faculty
29
Step 1: Identifying the Need, cont.’
Survey of potential users:
Maine: State Special Education Directors Conference, 90% would use an AT Swap site
Vermont: 86% of schools said they would be willing to share AT
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Step 2: Creating a
Model Program
Connecticut used
Get AT Stuff.com to create an exchange site for schools only that it called
AT School Swap
AT School Swap
model could be used:
--
To track AT inventoryat the school
-- To make unused AT
available to other
schools through loan or surplus
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Step 3: Introducing Users to AT School Swap
In Spring 2008, Connecticut introduced AT School Swap at a Professional Development
Workshop to teams of education professionals. Teams were given an AT toolkit,
a demonstration of AT School Swap, and an opportunity to create an account.
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Vermont’s AT School Swap
Launched in Spring 2008
Schools post available equipment or search for needed equipment – Use a Toll Free # for assist 16 districts participating one year later; 39 of 60
SUs/districts participating currently
Permits account access to online site; also provides alternative inventory listings in Excel spreadsheets via e-mail or atp.vt.gov web-site
33
Vermont provides additional services
Web site alone was not widely used at outset; needed enhancements (inventory to facilitate exchanges, way to track device assignment)
Schools may post a need and receive facilitated services to locate equipment.
Search of GetATstuff.com, AT Act Programs, Refurbished
Equipment Marketplace in NH, NEAT Marketplace in Hartford, CT
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Identified concerns:
Concern of school administrators over sharing on donating devices purchased with local tax dollars Regulations affecting device reuse based on
source of funding for original acquisition Liability concerns
Staffing to maintain current inventory tracking Adequate device specification and/or description
to determine if it meets the student’s needs
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Massachusetts
implemented
School Swap in
November 2008
Participation limited by
need for staff to catalog and inventory devices
Shapiro Grant received in
July 2010 for Boston pilot:
For PT students to catalog and post devices to site To train school staff
To develop online school AT kit for educators
To develop a sustainability plan
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Lessons Learned
School systems need a champion for participation. Schools need to identify resources to manage the
initial and ongoing demands of inventory updating. The swap site is more successful if ancillary
services (training, education, toolkits, incentives) are offered.
The program gains momentum as more schools
participate and resources increase.
37
How much
does it cost to
operate a
School Swap?
ROI:
$1.39 for every
$1 spent
FY 2010-2011 Vermont example:
Web site conversion using CT model: $1,000
Web hosting: $285/yr. Phone tolls: $124/yr. Marketing: $400/yr. Staffing:
Start-up: .25 FTE for 2 months On-going: .10 to .25 FTE /WK
increase w/participation
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For more information about AT School Swaps:
Connecticut – Arlene Lugo
Massachusetts – Kobena Bonney
Kobena.Bonney@[email protected]
Vermont – Sharon Alderman
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COMPUTER REUSE FOR STUDENTS
Should all students have access to computers?
Research1 suggests increased access to technology can reduce dropout rates.
If one-tenth of potential dropouts from 7th grade class of 2007 go on to graduate college, that
would result in 96,200 more college grads and $19 billion in tax revenues over the next 40 years for the investment of $1.5 billion in laptops.
1 Pierce, Dennis, Are computers for every student a wise investment? eSchool News, July 26, 2010
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Optimizing AT Resources in Schools
The percentage of people who use computers increases by education levels
Where can you find computers for schools and
students who cannot afford them?
National Cristina Foundation – computers for k-12 public or nonprofit schools
Computers for Learning – General Services
Administration program through which federal agencies transfer excess computers to schools
A local computer refurbishing program (check with your AT Act Program)
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Examples of
computer
refurbishing
programs
National Cristina
Foundation, since 1984
ReBoot at Touch the
Future, Inc. in Atlanta
Alameda County (CA)
Computer Resource
Center
What’s available in your
community?
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Contact Us:
Carolyn Phillips Director
Liz Persaud
Training & Development Coordinator
Trish Redmon
Consultant to the Pass It On Center
Sharon Alderman, VT AT Reuse Coordinator
[email protected] or vtfn.org
www.passitoncenter.org
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DISCLAIMER
This work is supported under a five-year
cooperative agreement # H235V060016 awarded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, and is administered by the Pass It On Center, Tools for Life Program of the Alternative Media Access Center at Georgia Institute of
Technology. However, the contents of this publication do not necessarily represent the policy or opinions of the Department of Education or Georgia Tech, and you should not assume endorsements of this document by the Federal government.
