Community Research for Assistive Technology

Improving Access Through Collaboration (Logo)

[Slide #1]

What Would An Extra 20% Do to Your Bottom Line?

$

Assistive Technology’s Place in the World of Business

[Slide #2]

What Are the Facts?

•About 1 in 5 persons in California have a disability, about 54 million people (U.S. Census, 2000; AT Network, 2005)

•At least 13.3 millionU.S. adults use assistive technology (NationalCenter for Chronic Disease Prevention & Health Promotion, 2005)

•In 2002, people with disabilities had a discretionary spending power of over $220 billion (National Organization on Disability, 2006)

[Slide #3]

Ask Yourself:

Do You Want to Provide Services to Some or Services To All? (photo of a variety of community members with and without disabilities)

[Slide #4]

What Is Assistive Technology (AT)?(AT Network Logo)

The tools and resources used by people with disabilities to improve their quality of life (Doe, 2004).

[Slide #5]

What Is Universal Design?(AT Network Logo)

Developing products and environments which meet all people’s needs (AT Network, 2005).

[Slide #6]

Why Should Businesses Want To Provide AT?(AT Network Logo)

To be community leaders and to profit from the millions of untapped customers

[Slide #7]

What Do People With Disabilities Use AT For?

•Running errands

•Shopping

•Accessing help

•Employment

•Socializing

•Education

•Family life

•Volunteer activities

(Community Research for Assistive Technology (CR4AT), 2004)

(graphic of man using a talking sign receiver to locate desired destination)

[Slide #8]

What Changes Do People With Disabilities Want?

•Making AT affordable

•To be included in decision making and funding

•Improved insurance coverage

•Making AT easier to get

•Tryout facilities

•Better collaboration among agencies

•Universal design

•National standards for AT services

(CR4AT, 2004)

(graphic of a manual wheelchair)

[Slide #9]

What AT Is Out There?(AT Network Logo)

Here are some examples of the possibilities

[Slide #10]

Talking Bar Code Readers (photo of a talking barcode reader)

Automatic or Easy Button Door Openers (photo of a woman using a manual wheelchair exiting the automatic doors of a supermarket, while a man in front of her is pushing his shopping cart)

[Slide #11]

Braille and Picture Menus or Maps (photo of an emergency exit picture map; photo of communication board pages of food items)

Teletypewriters for Phone Service (photo of hands typing on a TTY)

[Slide #12]

“Talking Signs” Transmitters and Receivers(graphic and photo of a “Talking Signs” transmitter being used by a man)

Lowered Tables and Countertops (photo of a man standing at a high countertop writingwith a woman on his right using a wheelchair, writing on a lowered countertop)

[Slide #13]

Adjustable medical equipment like exam tables, chairs and scales (photo of an accessible and inaccessible exam table; photo of a woman using a wheelchair being weighed on an accessible scale; photo of a woman transferring from her wheelchair to an accessible exam table)

[Slide #14]

Sensor activated lights, toilets, faucets, and hand dryers (photo of a handle on a toilet that is extended out for easy access)

Alternative Doorknobs and Function Levers (photo of a lever door handle being activated with a fist)

[Slide #15]

Shopping Scooters and Alternative Carts (photo of motorized shopping carts lined up at a store entrance;photo of a man using a shopping scooter with a basket)

Reachers (photo of a man using a reacher to access an item off the top shelf at a pharmacy)

[Slide #16]

What Can Your Business Do?

•Suggestion Boxes

•Hold your own focus groups

•Make your business accessible

•Train your employees

•Provide assistive technology for a variety of disabilities

•Contact the AT Network or your local Independent Living Center

[Slide #17]

No one should be denied access to a building or use of a product or service due to incompatibility (AT Network, 2005).

(photo of a person using the accessible turnstile at a transit station; photo of people using the ramp at a hotel)

[Slide #18]

Into the Future(photo of an astronaut on the moon with earth in the background)

•Growing numbers of people with disabilities

•Growing need for universally designed environments and assistive technology

•Higher profits for those businesses that can tap this underrepresented customer base

•Reaching higher levels of community involvement

[Slide #19]

Where Can I Get More Info?

•CFILC: (916) 325-1690, (TDD) 916-325-1695,

•AT Network: (800) 390-2699,(TDD) 800-900-0706,

•ABLEDATA: (800) 227-0216, (TDD) 301-608-8912,

•Braille Institute: (323) 663-1111,

•DynaVox: (866) 396-2869,

•Talking Signs: (800) 339-0117,

•Envision America: (800) 890-1180,

[Slide #20]

Acknowledgements

•CR4AT is funded by a grant from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDDR).

•NationalCenter for the Dissemination of Disability Research (NCDDR)

•Jim Marston, Ph. D., Univ. of California

[Slide #21]

Acknolwedgements (cont.)

•Talking Signs

•En-Vision America, Inc.

•DynaVox Technologies

•Braille Institute

•Will Grabel (actor in pictures)

•Max Care

[Slide #22]

Contributors to Action Team “Education”

•Karen (Cary) McGill- Communications Director/ AT advocate/ ILRC San Luis Obispo, Ca.

•Patty Neumeyer- Strategy Director/ AT Coordinator/ ILRC Santa Barbara, Ca.

•Dan Grover- Program Specialist/ AT advocate/ ILSNC Chico, Ca.

•Scott Sabella- Team Consultant/ University of Northern Colorado

[Slide #23]

References

•AT Network. Assistive Technology and Universal Design. Retrieved June 5th, 2005 from .

•California Foundation for Independent Living Centers, Community Research for Assistive Technology. (2004). California AT & Consumers Survey. Retrieved June 1st, 2005 from .

•Doe, T.M., e.d. (2004). How it Works: AT Narratives from California. Retrieved June 2nd, .

[Slide #24]

References (cont.)

•NationalCenter for Chronic Disease Prevention & Health Promotion. (2005). Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System: Prevalence Data. Retrieved July 15th, 2005 from

•National Organization on Disability. (2002, May). What Marketers Should Know about People with Disabilities. Retrieved June 8th, 2005 from

•U.S. Census Bureau. (2000). Disability Status: 2000. Retrieved July 5th, 2005 from