Oklahoma ABLE Tech Volume 8, Issue 3 Summer 2008 Small Changes…Big Differences Oklahoma’s Assistive 2008 Legislative Session Impact on Assistive Technology Technology Act Program 1-800-257-1705 V/TDD Linda Jaco, Associate Director Seretean Wellness Center Oklahoma ABLE Tech is a federal grant program located at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater.

Inside This Issue: Legislative Decisions 1 While many bills were filed during the 2008 legislative session, few were approved. SoonerStart 1 Fortunately, several of the approved bills provided a positive impact for assistive technology and Oklahoma ABLE Tech. Web 2 HB 2703 (Steele, Kris (H) and Johnson, Constance (S)). This bill requires that Medicaid recipients who need a or power mobility device must obtain a Oklahoma AT Center 2 specialty evaluation done by a trained expert in order for Medicaid to pay for the Locations equipment. The evaluation will identify the wheelchair features that will work best for the individual, resulting in more cost-effective use of Medicaid dollars. Signed Fire Safety Program 2 by the Governor 6/6/08. HB 3132 (Enns, John (H) and Barrington, Don (S)). This bill extends the duration of Spotlight on Demo the Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility (EITA) Advisory Council and Loan Programs 3 until July 1, 2010. Signed by the Governor 6/2/08. The EITA legislation (HB 2197 that created the EITA Advisory Council) was signed into law in 2004 requiring state AgrAbility Contest 4 agencies, post-secondary institutions and the State Department of Career Technology and Education to procure electronic and information technology that allows employees, program participants and members of the general public access Resolution Center 4 to use of information and data that is comparable to the access by individuals without . Oklahoma ABLE Tech is responsible to maintain membership on the Telework Loan Stories 4 advisory council, as well as to provide staff support for the council. ABLE Tech is legislatively charged with providing ongoing training and technical assistance to all Equipment Exchange 5 entities, which must be in compliance with the law. SB 1283. Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services (ODRS) funding: Resources and Events 6 Oklahoma ABLE Tech annually receives $100,000 in state appropriations as a contractual flow through from the ODRS. The appropriation is earmarked for assistive technology. Signed by the Governor 5/19/08. SoonerStart Early Intervention Program Oklahoma ABLE Tech and SoonerStart continue their partnership to ensure assistive technology (AT) consideration in early intervention programs in Oklahoma. To that end, ABLE Tech has developed a new brochure for distribution to parents, families and professionals titled “Assistive Technology for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities”. This informational brochure provides an overview of assistive technology and how AT can help young children with . The brochure outlines the many ABLE Tech programs and services that can assist infants and toddlers. This is an effort to provide a statewide resource for helping families make informed decisions about potential AT devices that can benefit their children served by SoonerStart. Brochures are available in local SoonerStart offices or by contacting ABLE Tech. Search the inventory: Over 1400 Page 2 http://oec.okstate.edu/loan Oklahoma AT Center Locations devices! Career Tech Hearing Loss Mary K. Chapman Total Source for Stillwater Association of OKC Center for Hearing-loss and 405-743-5162 405-951-8383 Communicative Access (TSHA) Tulsa Total Health, Stillwater Medical Center Disorders 918-823-8742 Stillwater Tulsa Sorenson: 918-832-8742 405-624-6592 918-631-2913 AT Center for Blindness ABLE Tech and Low Vision Oklahoma League for the Stillwater Oklahoma City Blind 405-744-9748 or 405-522-3442 or Oklahoma City Toll Free: 1-800-257-1705 Toll Free: 1-800-845-8476 405-232-4644 Information Technology Accessibility Conference and Assistive Technology EXPO with Knowbility One-hundred thirty Oklahomans recently attended ABLE Tech’s Information Technology Accessibility Conference on June 2-3 at the Francis Tuttle Technology Center, Rockwell Campus in Oklahoma City. The conference provided an opportunity to help meet the training needs of Oklahoma state agency and post- secondary institution personnel who develop and procure accessible electronic and information technology. When EIT is accessible, it reduces barriers for people with disabilities. EIT includes: websites, software, hardware, multimedia, and telecommunication equipment. Many classes were held in a computer lab for hands-on instruction for designing accessible websites; other classes were designed for certified procurement officers. ABLE Tech contracted with Knowbility.org to provide national accessibility experts to teach a variety of classes: PDF accessibility, accessible Cascading Style Sheets, captioning and multimedia, accessible JavaScript, and designing accessible websites with Dreamweaver. Vincent Cianfrone with NanoPac in Tulsa provided an assistive technology software demonstration, and Oklahoma ABLE Tech offered an open assistive technology expo and taught a class on Oklahoma’s law and procurement procedures. Fire Safety Solutions for People with Disabilities

ABLE Tech and Oklahoma State University Fire Protection Publications have partnered since 2005 to increase the safety of individuals with disabilities by installing free specialized smoke alarms in the homes of individuals with disabilities and by creating effective fire safety messages written for specific groups. The Oklahoma ABLE Tech Fire Safety website provides fire safety publications for people with disabilities in English and Spanish and includes fire safety messages for various disability groups such as: hard of hearing, deaf, visual disability, and mobility disability. A 24 minute video presentation, “Fire Safety for You at Home”, is available online and presented in spoken English, American Sign Language, and captions. To receive a free smoke alarm installation, you can apply online or download the application and mail or fax it to Oklahoma ABLE Tech: 1514 W. Hall of Fame: Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078 1-888-885-5588 (V/TDD) or (405) 744-9748 (405) 744-2487 (Fax) website: http://okabletech.okstate.edu Once the application has been received, an appointment will be made for professional installation. Page 3

Assistive Technology “Hands-On” Opportunities Benefit Oklahomans with Disabilities

Oklahoma ABLE Tech and partners operate assistive technology (AT) device demonstration and short-term loan programs to increase accessibility to AT. The Assistive Technology inventory is available and searchable online at http://oec.okstate.edu/loan. Individuals can borrow devices for six weeks at no cost. Oklahoma ABLE Tech, Stillwater The Strong Arm is a versatile fishing rod holder. This is an excellent product for anyone with limited or no grip. With this rod holder even lower level quadriplegics can cast by themselves. It can be worn over or under most clothing. Access to Recreation, $35.95. Career Tech The clip on Vegetable Peeler is great for peeling fresh vegetables from the garden this summer. A combination of a peeler and a clip-on handle makes peeling vegetables much easier for those with a weak grasp. Maxi-Aids, Inc., $12. Visual Services of the Department of Rehabilitation Services, Oklahoma City Large-print scrabble is great for spending summer evenings with family and friends. The standard size tiles are imprinted with large, bold letters & easy to see numbers. ILA, $49.95.

Hearing Loss Association of Oklahoma City, Integris Third Age Life Center The sounds of summer include steak sizzling on the grill, kids splashing in the water and birds singing in the morning. The portable listener won’t let you miss any of these sounds this summer because it picks up sound in the environment and amplifies it. AT&T, $50.

Oklahoma League for the Blind, Oklahoma City The checkers playing board is 8-1/4 in. x 10-3/4 in. with easy to identify 5/8 inch diameter pieces. One set of checkers is set in yellow circles, and the other set in green squares. Raised black squares on the checkerboard help identify the grid. LS&S, $21.95

Mary K. Chapman Center for Communicative Disorders, University of Tulsa With the soft humming of the motor, this cool puppy fan provides a gentle breeze along with soothing auditory stimulation. Very useful for children who require extra somatosensory stimuli. Requires a capability switch (not included). Enabling Devices, $19.95

Total Source for Hearing Loss and Access, Tulsa You definitely won’t sleep through summer with the Shake Awake alarm clock! It is a compact clock with a powerful vibration motor. Great alarm clock for traveling. HearMore, $24.95

ASK - AMBUCS Share 4 Life Computers The ASK program donates computers to people with disabilities. Almost 4,500 computers have been provided to disabled people since 1994. Individuals may apply by writing to: Sooner AMBUCS, P O Box 118, Norman, OK 73070, calling 405-360-1521, or printing the application from http://www.soonerambucs.org/.

Total Health Total Health and ABLE Tech partner to provide Am Trykes, which are therapeutic tricycles suitable for children approximately 3 to 9 years of age. Three trykes are available with either a bucket or a saddle seat and come with an appropriate helmet. Page 4

A program funded by the Oklahoma Assistive Technology Foundation and facilitated by Oklahoma AgrAbility took place May 16. Three Oklahoma high school FFA Chapters – Dibble, Alex and Lindsay- participated in the FFA Chapter contest designed to make a difference for someone with a disability. The contest began in January. The students had four months to engage in a low-cost, well-developed improvement for either a farmer with a disability or an individual with a disability living in the community. Contest criteria for the completed project included pictures, problems they may have encountered, and the amount of money and time donated or spent on the project. The Lindsay FFA Chapter and Don Trammell’s refurbished cattle guard was the winner of the innovative contest, receiving a first place cash award of $500. “We are proud to have done our part in making one man’s dream come true – the dream to feel less dependent on others and have more determination in himself,” was documented in the chapter notebook. Dibble FFA Chapter won second place, receiving $300. The third place winner was Alex FFA Chapter, who received $200. All prizes were sponsored by the Oklahoma Assistive Technology Foundation. Oklahoma AgrAbility Assistant, Gwen Doshier, says the FFA contest was set up to enlighten future farmers about disabilities, which can occur through farming and ranching, like Trammell, and to move students to think of ways to assist these individuals. Gwen hopes to receive funding to host more contests in the future.

The Special Education Resolution Center (SERC)has provided an innovative pilot program for parents and school districts to help resolve disputes over special education at the earliest stage possible. Through a specially funded program by the Oklahoma State Department of Education, SERC has been providing a neutral third party facilitator to attend Resolution Sessions held between parents and school districts. To date, the program has been highly successful. Because of the success of the program, the State Department of Education will continue to fund the program during the next fiscal year. The aim of the program is to provide the parties with the opportunity to discuss their concerns in a structured setting and reach a mutually agreeable solution to the issues. SERC and the State Department of Education continue to provide opportunities at the earliest stage possible to resolve disputes and offer the parties opportunities to build positive relationships for working together in the future. EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR OKLAHOMANS: ACCESS TO TELEWORK PROGRAM The purpose of the Access to Telework Fund (ATF) program is to help clients with disabilities encompass work that can be performed effectively from home and/or remote sites away from the office, such as work on the road or at a telework center. The ATF provides the opportunity for a person with a disability to borrow money from BancFirst of Stillwater at a low interest rate. The Access to Telework Fund Program is made possible by partner groups: Oklahoma Assistive Technology Foundation, Oklahoma ABLE Tech, and BancFirst of Stillwater. Since May 2008, three individuals were approved for ATF loans: An individual from Kay County was approved for an ATF loan in the amount of $22,990 for a laser engraving machine. The individual also received employment counseling and funding assistance through the Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS). With combined efforts he is working on a successful closure with DRS. He is very excited about his new business. A woman from Comanche County with sickle cell anemia recently borrowed $15,000 to purchase software for her new medical billing service. Prior to unemployment and Social Security Disability Insurance, she was once employed in the medical billing field. Through combined efforts of the Department of Rehabilitation Services and Oklahoma ABLE Tech’s Access to Telework program, she was able to seek employment again as a teleworker and purchased a computer, printer, and received training. An Oklahoma county client borrowed $800 for a laptop computer. Her telework business plan is to provide a consulting business to train community mental health centers and other individuals about animal therapy and service animals. She will work from home and on the road. To determine eligibility you must first contact: Oklahoma ABLE Tech toll free at 1-888-885-5588 V/TDD or 405-744-9748 or FAX 405-744-2487. You can also find out more on our website: http://okabletech.okstate.edu. Page 5

The Oklahoma Equipment Exchange is a free program to help Oklahomans with disabilities acquire affordable, used equipment. Log on to the Equipment Exchange website, oec.okstate. edu, or call ABLE Tech to list your devices or inquire about a product at 1-888-885-5588. Below is a list of items currently for sale or FREE. Daily Living Mobility, Seating & Positioning Bath Chair, Like new condition. Bath Stool Bath Chair Chair-Small Adult Carrie Seat Rover, Tumbleform Bath Seat - Portable (Child’s), Columbia Folding Power Chair, Merits Feather Bone Stimulator, Excellent; Brand New, Never Used Geri Chair, Chair reclines, FREE CPAP machine. Hospital Bed - Elec. Qeen Size (complete) Commode - Bedside Jazzy Wheelchair, The Scooter Store Feeder Tray - Sammons Preston Power Chair, Freestyle F11, Never Used Full Body Large Mesh Sling #1, Invacare, Never Used Power Chair, Jazzy Select Home-Care Lift (Electric) (Price Reduced) Power Wheelchair, Invacare Storm TDX5 Hospital ‘Blue Pads’- NEW, Invacare, Never Used Power Wheelchair - Jazzy 600 Hospital Bed - Electric Power chair, Jet1, maroon power wheelchair Hospital Bed - Invacare , Invacare Powerchair-Permobil C-300 Electric Hospital Bed-Invacare Electric Bed, Invacare Scooter - 4 wheel (elec), Scooter Store, Never Used Hoyer , INVACARE , Never Used Scooter- new!, Scooter Store Hydraulic Lift - In-home lifting system, Invacare Mattress, SenTech Stage IV 3000 Shower, Commode Transfer Chair Mattress-Demafloat Low Air Loss Bed Cushion Vertical Wheelchair Lift (Elevator) Offset Trapeze Bar-Octagon Tube, Invacare Walker - 4 Wheeled Oximeter-NPB290 24-hour, NELLCOR-BENNETT Walker - standard (NEW), Never Used Patient Lift - Electric (NEW), Never Used. Walker-Child , Kaye Products, Never Used Roll In Shower Chair -, Rifton, FREE Wheelchair & Van Lift- Elec WC & Bruno Lift Shower chair, Tilt in Space Plus Wheelchair - Elec Jazzy 1143 Swivel Clamp & Bracket, Invacare Wheelchair - Electric Jazzy, Pride Talking Blood Glucose Meter, ACCU-CHEK VoiceMate Wheelchair - Electric Merits P3201 Trapeze Bar - (for hospital bed), Invacare Wheelchair - Manual Recreation, Sports, and Leisure Wheelchair -Pediatric Electric Handicapped bicycle, HAVERICH Wheelchair Recliner-Tracer , Invacare Wheelchair-Manual Tilt/Recline, Invacare Vision Wheelchair-Quantum 600 Elec Rehab CCTV SmartView 3000 Wheelchair-Tilt Recline, Invacare Traveller Portable Magnifier - CCTV Van Lift (only) - Silver Star Items Needed: Bath Seat, Child/pediatric, Need a fiber mesh bath seat Vehicle Modification and Transportation EZ-Bathe system Car-Top Wheelchair Carrier, FREE Lift Chair, ASAP Van - 1996 GMC Savana Van w/lift AlphaSmart Van - 1998 GMC Handicap Van w/lift Color cards of nouns and/or verbs for therapy use Van - 1999 Windstar SE MiniVan w/lift Adult or child Stroller Van - 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan Mini Van w/lift Hoyer Lift sling , Van - 2007 Braun RampvanToyota Sienna(OBO) Electric lift recliner Van - w/lift 1999 Ford 150 (OBO), Ford Lift Chair - Recliner Wheelchair Ramp, Tilt-O-Rack Scooter - Elec Wheelchair lift for van., Bruno, VSL - 4000 Stair Chair Lift Environmental Adaptations Wheelchair - Electric (Heavy Duty), Automatic Door Opener #3 Van for family with special needs childneeds child Portable Ramps, Handi-Ramp Van - mini van with lift Van w/lift for 2 wheelchair users AA-5-23888 Oklahoma ABLE Tech

Seretean Wellness Center Oklahoma State University 1514 W. Hall of Fame Stillwater, OK 74078 Phone: 800-257-1705 V/TDD 405-744-9748 V/TDD Fax: 405-744-2487 INFO-Line: 888-885-5588

Robin Purdie, Director OSU Seretean Wellness Center

Oklahoma ABLE Tech Linda Jaco, Program Director and Assistant Director of Sponsored Programs, OSU Seretean Wellness Center

Milissa Gofourth, Program Manager

Diana Sargent, Senior Administration Support Specialist

Shelby Sanders, AFP Loan Coordinator Resources and Events

Brenda Dawes, AT Program Specialist and Oklahoma ABLE Tech AT Demo and Loan Program, http://okabletech.okstate.edu Web Coordinator AT Equipment Exchange Program, http://oec.okstate.edu AgrAbility, http://agrability.okstate.edu/ Sandra Stevenson, Training/Outreach Fire Safety, http://www.ok.gov/abletech/Fire_Safety Specialist August: Oklahoma Secondary Transition Summer Meeting, TBA Melinda Tebow, Graduate Assistant Oklahoma State Dept. of Education, Special Education Services, is offering six summer transition meetings in various locations for teachers, service Gwen Doshier, AgrAbility Program Assistant providers, parents, administrators and students. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about secondary transition requirements included in IDEA Jo Anne Pool, SERC Program Manager 2004 and how to meet these requirements and document plans on the Shannon Esmeyer, SERC Administrative Oklahoma IEP. More information is available by contacting Belinda Shobert at Assistant 405-521-3378 or at [email protected] September 4-7: U.S. Autism International Conference, Austin, Texas We’re On The Web! “Treating Autism as a Medical Disorder: Bringing Biomedical Treatments and http://okabletech.okstate.edu Behavioral & Developmental Therapies Together,” is the theme of this year’s U.S. Autism & Asperger Association 2008 International Conference. The conference This publication is available in alternative formats; will be held at the Hilton Austin Airport in Austin, TX. For more information please call 1-800-257-1705 V/TTY for more information. about this conference, visit http://www.usautism.org/usaaa_conferences.htm.

The Oklahoma State University Seretean Wellness October 10-12: Landmark Autism Event, Cleveland, Ohio Center is the lead agency for Oklahoma ABLE Tech. Hear world class leaders address the latest issues on Autism and Asperger’s The program is funded by the Rehabilitation Service Syndrome and interact with our extraordinary speakers and workshop leaders... Administration (RSA) of the U.S. Department of Edu- cation. Grant #H224A050036. Get your questions answered! Make new friends, network and share experiences with others like you. Find unique new national and local Autism and This publication does not necessarily reflect the Asperger’s resources! For more information, visit http://www.autismcleveland. position of the policy of RSA/ED, and no official endorsement of the material should be inferred. com/.