WATA Bulletin -- Spring 1998
Contents:
Western Assistive Technology Public Meeting
Photo caption:
Peter Leech, former Director of the MonTech Program, (at the microphone) and Brian
Dudgeon, PhC, OTR, UW Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, were members of the New
Technology, Universal Design and Technology Transfer panel. Leech's testimony addressed
technology transfer issues. Dudgeon testified on universal design.
Dagmar Amtmann
Program Manager
Public meetings offer unique opportunities to meet representatives of the federal government, share our experiences with them, propose solutions, and let our voice be heard in Washington DC. The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR- the WATA funding agency- conducted five public meetings nationwide to hear testimony from individuals and private and public entities about their experiences obtaining and using various assistive technology devices and services. Representatives of NIDRR were especially interested in learning about AT issues that need to be addressed in the 21st century in order to make access to technology easier for people with disabilities.
We were delighted that WATA had an opportunity to organize the only public meeting west of Kansas City. The meeting was held March 4, 1998 on Microsoft's Redmond campus. We sincerely appreciate the support of Microsoft who offered use of their conference room, and provided technology and support for videoconferencing and teleconferencing. In addition to talking about technology at this meeting, we used a lot of technology to bridge geographical distances and overcome communication barriers. It was a challenge to coordinate all of the technologies, and it is quite remarkable that most of them worked together flawlessly.
Approximately 120 people attended. Twenty-nine invited speakers from 11 states and two US territories offered testimony on location or via live videoconferencing. The speakers were organized into five panels and addressed a wide range of assistive technology related issues. There were four to six speakers on each of the five panels- Employment; Assistive Technology Service Delivery; Health Care; New Technology, Universal Design, and Technology Transfer; and Education and Lifelong Learning. During the open comments period, nine speakers from the audience offered additional testimonies. The time for individual testimonies was extremely limited (five minutes per speaker), but the testimonies were powerful and often moving.
Representatives from federal and state governments listened to the testimony and talked with the speakers about the points they had raised. Katherine D. Seelman, Ph.D., Director of NIDRR, chaired the meeting. Fredric K. Schroeder, Ph.D., Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration, and Diana J. Koreski, Regional Rehabilitation Representative of the Rehabilitation Services Administration, were the members of the listening panel. For the Education and Lifelong Learning panel, Thomas F. Hehir, Director of the Office of Special Education Programs, joined the listening panel via teleconference.
It was very interesting to hear people with a variety of disabilities, experiences and skills, and of all ages, highlighting the same issues. It was clear that most of us believe strongly that technology holds a great deal of promise for people with disabilities to work, live and play in the community. It was also clear that many of the systems AT users have to deal with are cumbersome and there is little coordination among them. For a number of reasons including cost and lack of supporting services, such as training and technical assistance, many people cannot get much of the technology that would increase their quality of life and provide better access to education, work, and recreation.
Many suggestions were offered for steps the government should take to make it easier for people with disabilities to obtain and use technology. Suggestions included: establishing and enforcing purchasing guidelines for all federal agencies, contractors and grantees; improving the coverage of AT by public and private health insurance policies; funding training programs to address the lack of qualified AT providers; addressing the issues of adequate support for AT (including maintenance and repair), and many others. The participants sent a clear and consistent message which crossed lines of age, race and specific limitations.
We hope to see most of the suggestions included in legislation and other strategies related to assistive technology issues that NIDRR is developing. Based on the testimony offered at the meetings nationwide and written testimony submitted to NIDRR, a comprehensive document will be developed to drive future national policy in the area of AT. We encourage you to read the testimonies heard at the Seattle meeting as well as those at other meetings nationwide. The information is available at the WATA Web site at: http://wata.org.
Legislative & Policy Update
Frances E. Pennell
Policy, Funding & Systems Change Specialist
The 1998 state legislative session ended with mixed results. One of the biggest disappointments was the legislature's failure to approve a state plan under the new federal State Children's Health Initiative Program (known as "SCHIP_"or Title XXI). Adoption of such a plan would have allowed Washington to reserve approximately $46.7 million in SCHIP dollars for this fiscal year alone, providing a source of health care coverage for up to 10,000 Washington children living in families with incomes between 200 and 250 percent of the federal poverty level. Fortunately, the deadline for submitting state plans has just been extended. This means that Washington has one more session to work out a program. The legislature also rejected legislation which would have expanded enrollment in, and/or added medical rehabilitation services to, the Basic Health Plan and several bills that would have provided enhanced protections for consumers vis-a-vis managed care providers and health insurers.
The legislature passed legislation (HB2688) requiring that, effective December 31, 2002, licensed hearing instrument fitters must complete a minimum of a two-year degree program in hearing instrument fitter/dispenser instruction. Currently, individuals can become licensed after completing a six-month apprenticeship.
Other bills of interest addressed disabled parking, special needs transportation and housing for seniors and people with disabilities. For more information about these bills, call the ATRC or visit our Web site at http://wata.org and follow the link called "policy."
As this newsletter goes to press, we also are awaiting copies of the revised IDEA regulations, the introduction of a new Tech Act Bill and final votes on two other pieces of federal legislation which could significantly impact the future of federal and state return to work and vocational rehabilitation programs. HR3433 (the Bunning/Kennelly Bill- also known as the Ticket to Work & Self-Sufficiency Act of 1998) would authorize the Commissioner of Social Security to provide SSI and SSDI beneficiaries with "tickets" for purchasing vocational rehabilitation and related support services and would extend Medicare coverage for two additional years beyond current law for SSDI recipients who return to work. HR1385, the Workforce Investment Partnership Act, would combine about 70 different federal vocational programs, allow for "one stop shopping" for job programs, and authorize the Access Board to develop new regulations regarding access to electronic and information technology. Look for final action on these bills by September or October, if not sooner.
Calendar of Events
Assistive Technology (AT) Summer Institute, June 22 - 26, 1998, Seattle, WA
The Assistive Technology Resource Center at the University of Washington will offer a week-long Summer Institute to provide intensive instruction in assistive technology with hands-on experiences, case studies, and mini-consultations. Topics include: Matching Individuals with Assistive Technology, Funding Sources, Seating and Mobility, Augmentative and Alternative Communication, Access to the Internet and Information Technology, AT for the Visually Impaired and the Blind, AT for the Hearing Impaired and the Deaf, and many more. For more information, contact the ATRC at (206) 685-4181.
Closing the Gap, June 24 - 26, 1998, Ellensburg, WA
The Twenty-first Annual Employment Conference will be held in Ellensburg, WA. For more information, call Central Washington University Conference Program at (509) 963-1143 or (800) 752-4379.
The State of the Arts & Science, June 26 - July 1, 1998, Minneapolis, MN
Annual RESNA Conference on Assistive Technology & Rehabilitation Engineering.
For more information, call RESNA at (703) 524-6686 V or (703) 524-6639 TTY.
Closing the Gap: Computer Technology in Special Education & Rehabilitation, October 22-24, 1998, Minneapolis, MN
The 1998 Closing The Gap Conference offers over 150 sessions that describe and/or demonstrate successful applications of computer technology for persons with disabilities. This national conference provides a range of presentations that meets needs across the computer experience continuum and facilitates a balanced interchange between special educators and rehabilitation professionals. For more information, call Closing The Gap at (507) 248-3294, send e-mail to info@closingthegap.com or visit their Web site at http://www.closingthegap.com.