exploring georgia’s state financing activities national conference – washington, dc august 31,...
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Exploring Georgia’s State Financing Activities
National Conference – Washington, DCAugust 31, 2015
Carolyn Phillips, Director of Tools for Life
Tools for Life's Website: www.gatfl.gatech.eduFor Handouts: http://www.gatfl.gatech.edu/tflwiki
AMAC Accessibility Services
• AMAC Accessibility provides practical solutions and research for real challenges faced daily by individuals with disabilities.
• AMAC offers postsecondary education, corporate, governmental and nonprofit membership services, including:
• Assistive Technology Cooperative (State Financing)
• Assistive Technology Solutions Lab (Demo & Device Lending)
• Assistive Technology training and technical assistance
• Accessible digital content conversion – E-Text
• Braille
• Captioning and transcription services
• 508 Compliance consultation
Examples of how Your Input Matters:A Look Back at the 3-year State Plans for AT in Georgia
• Georgia’s State Plans for AT – 2006-2015
• Practice: Nothing About Us – without Us
• Just Some of the Programs/Collaborations Developed thru Your Guidance and Town Hall/Listening Tour
– Over 2,100 Georgians participated from every county
– Developed AT Depot – AT Co-Op
– Developed Last Resort - Scholarships
– Developed new check out system for Device Demos
– Developed new procedures for AT Reuse
– Developed TFL Network
• 8 CILs
• 12 ADRCs/AAAs
• 10 Public Libraries
– Re-vision Training
– Introduced Webinars Early on!
– Worked on Public Awareness
– What Does “Success” Look Like in Georgia? Exceeded Goals!!
Where we were…Your TFL Network is Growing!
TFL NetworkWhere we are!
Tools for Life’s – Quick Look
• TFL developed Georgia’s Plan for AT
• We serve individuals of all ages & all disabilities in Georgia
• Over 35,000+ thru various activities throughout the year
• TFL Network
• Assistive Technology Resource & Outreach Centers
• AT Lending Libraries
• AT Training
• AT Demonstrations
• AT Assessment/Evaluation
• Public Awareness/Resources – 4,029,868
• Online Resources
• www.gatfl.gatech.edu - 5,000 unique visitors a month
• In Sync with Direct Service Activities
• Continuum of State Financing Services–Dollars & Sense – Online Funding Guide
–Credit-Able AFP Cash Loan
– Last Resort Scholarships
–AT Depot AT Cooperative
–AMAC AT Cooperative – Post-Secondary
Tools for Life’s - State Financing
Online Funding Guide
• Web-based Funding Guide – 9,947 unique participants
– July 31, 2014 – July 31, 2015
• A resource for locating funding sources for AT devices and services. This guide was developed to make the funding process easier and to assist consumers in getting the assistive technology they need.
• New resources added frequently!
Georgia’s AT Alternative Financing ProgramData Trends 2012-2014
People Served:
• FY13 - 19• FY14 - 22
Georgia’s TFL Network AT Las Resort – Data Trends
People Served:
• FY13 - 109• FY14 - 95
AMAC’s AT Co-Op – Data Trends
People Served:
• FY13 - 2,362• FY14 - 2,355
Dollars and Sense Home Page
Dollars and Sense – Getting Started
Georgia’s AT Solution Site: www.gatfl.org
Dollars and Sense Search
Dollars and Sense Search Example
Dollars and Sense - Resources
Georgia’s AT Alternative Financing Program
• AT Depot endeavors to break down the barriers which prevent individuals with disabilities, their families, and service providers from acquiring and effectively using Assistive Technologies to gain greater independence.
• To insure that AT products are available to Georgians with disabilities at lower prices
• Eliminate Funding Barriers
Goal of the Georgia AT Depot
Georgia AT Depot
• GA AT Depot’s mission relates to filling orders & providing product at discounts.
• AT services are referred to and provided by the TFL Network and participating ATRCs. They will assist with:
• Purchase consulting
• Training
• Product implementation
AT Depot Co-Op
AMAC Accessibility History
AMAC Accessibility Solutions and Research Center (AMAC) was created in 2005, as an initiative of the Board of Regents University System of Georgia, to help post-secondary disability services offices provide complete, timely, and efficient accommodations to the students with print disabilities that they serve.
• AT Cooperative was born out of this initiative. In 2014, Georgia’s AT Coop served 2,569 students at a cost savings of $310,667
AMAC – Deluxe MembershipThe Deluxe Membership is designed for institutions that have ongoing requests for alternative media and
assistive technology.
An annual fee of $1,500 provides access to a variety of assistive technology solutions, training, and technical support (among others benefits).
Deluxe Member Discounts
– 30% off e-text within AMAC’s textbook library
– 25% off SAM annual license fee ($450 value)
– 10% off braille services
– 10% off captioned media
– Free braille tests
Assistive Technology Software
• 20+ software applications available including: Text-To-Speech, Magnification w/ Speech, Screen Modification / Colorization, and Writing & Spelling software.See list of all available software.
• Distributed directly to student computers through AMAC’s secure Student Download Center
• Available for download and use on institutional computers overseen by the disability service office
Web-Based Management Software
• Student access to our Student Download Center, where students can download books and software
Some of the AT in AT Cooperative
Top Downloaders of AT1. Georgia Southern University
2. Kennesaw State University
3. University of Alabama at Birmingham – Not in AT Act Federal Data
4. Georgia Northwestern Technical College
5. University of West Georgia
6. Chattahoochee Technical College
7. Georgia State University
8. Dalton State College
9. Georgia Institute of Technology
10. Emory
11. Valdosta State University
12. Mercer University
13. Savannah State University
14. Grand Rapids Community College – Not in AT Act Federal Data
Supporting Smoother Transitions
• AT Cooperative Software in IEPs
• Focused Transition Goals
• Better Planning – More Success
• Access to Accessible Books + AT = Success…
• Research
AMAC’s First in the World Proposal
Project: Center for Accessible Materials Innovation (CAMI)
Purpose: To expand access to digital content for all students with disabilities, especially those at minority-serving institutions (MSIs), thereby improving retention and graduation rates
Duration: Oct. 1, 2014 – Sept. 30, 2018
Amount: $3.8 million
Our Tech Partner: Institute Diversity
Co-Principal Investigators:
Dr. Christopher Lee, Director/Dept. Head, AMAC
Dr. Julie Ancis, Associate VP/ Institute Diversity
Project Director: Bob Martinengo
For Your Time & Interest!
We Want to Hear from You!
Thank You!
Questions?
The TFL Team
Carolyn Phillips
Director, Tools for Life
Daphne Brookins
AT Funding & Resource Specialist
Ben Jacobs
Accommodations Specialist
DisclaimerThis presentation is produced by Tools for Life which is a result of the Assistive Technology Act of 1998, as amended in 2004. It is a program of the Georgia Institute of Technology, College of Architecture [COA], AMAC and is funded by grant #H224C030009 of the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), Department of Education. The contents of this presentation were developed under a grant from the Department of Education. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, Georgia Tech, COA or AMAC and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal government.
Liz PersaudTraining and Outreach [email protected]
Martha RustAT Specialist [email protected]
Rachel Wilson Tech Match Specialist [email protected]