Procedures, Considerations, and Recommendations for the Development of an Assistive Technology Demonstration and Lending Sites

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to provide a description of procedures, considerations, and recommendations for developing an assistive technology demonstration and lending site to serve individuals with disabilities. This is accomplished through an examination of patterns of consumer use of the site within the first 3 years. We discuss demographics, utilization of resources, and professional development attendance in an effort to guide future efforts in offering assistive technology services. When looking at the data collected, we found slow and consistent growth over a 3-year period. These trends also suggest that individuals diagnosed with moderate to severe disabilities and their service providers utilize services at a higher rate than those with mild disabilities, as evidenced by high levels of communication, leisure, and daily living aids.

Assistive Technology Instruction in Teacher Professional Development

“…Persistence is the key to finding the right AT device for a student (Brownell & Leko, 2014). Organizations which provide lending sites provide an excellent opportunity to try out new equipment and evaluate its effectiveness prior to purchase (Moody, 2015).…”

“…§ 3005(b)(4)(B)(vi), 2006). Organizations that maintain AT lending sites provide an excellent opportunity for districts or schools to try out new equipment and evaluate its effectiveness prior to purchase (Moody, 2015). One of the best methods to train AT is to demonstrate how to use it in a practical exercise and then provide hands-on experience with the tool (Connor & Beard, 2015).…”