optimizing at resources in schools: school swap and more carolyn phillips liz persaud sharon...
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Optimizing AT Resources in Schools: School Swap and More
Carolyn PhillipsLiz Persaud
Sharon AldermanPass It On Center
AT Reuse Strand
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
Optimizing AT Resources in Schools 2
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?Optimizing AT Resources in Schools 3
AT REUSEFederally-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 groups4Optimizing AT Resources in Schools
TYPES OF AT REUSE ACTIVITIES Loan Exchange Refurbishing Reassignment Recycling Remanufacturing
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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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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*
Optimizing AT Resources in Schools 7
GOAL OF AT ACT PROGRAMS:To increase access to and acquisition of AT for all ages and all disabilities for
LivingLearning Earning
Optimizing AT Resources in Schools
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.
Optimizing AT Resources in Schools
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
BUILDING ON SUCCESSNew 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
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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 inventory at 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
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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.
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How much does it cost to operate a School Swap?
ROI: $1.39 for every $1 spentFY 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
Arlene.Lugo@ct.gov Massachusetts – Kobena Bonney
Kobena.Bonney@school_swap@massmatch.org Vermont – Sharon Alderman
Sharon.Alderman@ahs.state.vt.us
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Helping Students Cross the Digital Divide
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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The percentageof 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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Take advantage of our free resources to support AT Reuse
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Speaker Contact:
Carolyn Phillips, DirectorCarolyn@passitoncenter.org
Liz Persaud, Training & Development CoordinatorLiz@passitoncenter.org
Sharon Alderman, VT AT Reuse Coord.sharon.alderman@state.vt.us or vtfn.org
www.passitoncenter.org
DISCLAIMERThis work is supported under 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 of the Georgia Department of Labor – Tools for Life. However, the contents of this publication do not necessarily represent the policy or opinions of the Department of Education, or the Georgia Department of Labor, and the reader should not assume endorsements of this document by the Federal government or the Georgia Department of Labor. Optimizing AT Resources in Schools 38
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