Invitation Letter
[Date]
[first name] [last name]
[Address 1]
[City], [State] [Zip]
Dear [individual name],:
I am writing to cordially invite you to participate in a research projectstudy initiated jointly by GA Tools for Life and GA Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD).
You are getting this letter because you are enrolled in Assistive Technology Evaluation service provided by DBHDD and Tools for Life.You were selected to be part of this project because you have been referred by the GA Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) for an Assistive Technology (AT) Evaluation. As a result of the Assistive Technology Eevaluation you may be recommended and gain access to assistive technology AT which may help assist you in some way. The research pstudy roject aims to investigate impacts and effectiveness of the recommended assistive technology.
If you decide to be in this research study, we will have a phone interview with you to ask about your demographic and background information. The phone interview will take 15 minutes of your time. Also, you will be asked to fill out an online “National Core IndicatorsFoundational Measures Survey” and “Outcomes Questionnaire” involves taking a survey prior to receiving the recommended assistive technologyAT and then after using it for at least three months. taking a second one a few months later. The goal of this project is to see how AT makes a difference. It is the same surveys you will be filling out twice. The surveys will require approximately 6040 minuets of your time. Finally, during the Assistive Technology Evaluation service, we will be making observations and filling out the Observation Form.
Your participation of the research is entirely voluntary and you may terminate your participation in the research at any time. Please be aware that participation in this research study is not mandatory for receiving the assistive technology evaluation service you were referred.
To complete the surveys online, you will be given a participant number and using this number throughout the research study.please go to this URL : http://www.Gizmo.com/ATandDD click on “Current Surveys” and then “TK Survey”). eEnter the respondent key that appears at the bottom of this letter, and then follow the online survey instructions. You will need the respondent key to take the survey. If you do not have access to the internet, or prefer to answer the questionnaire on paper, you may request a paper survey by sending an e-mail to or calling 800-xxx-xxx .
The first survey takes around 30 minutes and is very informal. We are trying to get some information about your life, your independence and your connection to your community. The second survey will look at how AT may have affected those aspects of your life. Your responses to the questions will be kept confidential and your . Each interview will be assigned a number code to help ensure that personal information willis not be shared with a third party. revealed as we analyze the data we collect and share the results. Moreover, the results of the survey will be reported in a summary format, so again no one will link you to your responses.
Survey results will be used to There is no compensation for participating in this research itself. However, your referral by DBHDD for an AT evaluation may lead to your gaining access to some AT. In addition to our research and findings could lead to greater public understanding of how assistive technology helps AT assists individuals with Developmental Disabilities and to develop evidence-based approach for assistive technology recommendation process. . You do not have to take part in this Research project. If you do not participate in the project you can still receive the AT evaluation for which you were referred. You may drop out of the project at any point with no penalty.
Thank you in advance for your participation in this important projectstudy. If you have any questions about the administration of the survey, please contact Ben Satterfield , Research at or at 770-923-3202. GA Tools for Life at AMAC AMAC Accessibility Solutions & Research Center, at 770-923-3202 or .
Sincerely,
[For physical copy] Please see the Consent Form attached to this letter and sign it if you decide to participate to the research study.
[For digital copy] Please Respondent Key:
Click Here to Start the Surveysee the Consent Form and sign it if you decide to participate to the research study.
Ben Satterfield
Researcher
GA Tools for Life
AMAC Accessibility Solutions & Research Center
University System of Georgia | Georgia Institute of Technology | College of Design