Optimizing AT Resources in Schools: School Swap and More Carolyn Phillips Liz Persaud Sharon...

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

5Optimizing AT Resources in Schools

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


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*


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


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


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.


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


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


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


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.


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


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


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


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


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.


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


For more information about AT School Swaps: Connecticut – Arlene Lugo

[email protected] Massachusetts – Kobena Bonney

Kobena.Bonney@[email protected] Vermont – Sharon Alderman

[email protected]


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



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)


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?


Take advantage of our free resources to support AT Reuse

Speaker Contact:

Carolyn Phillips, [email protected]

Liz Persaud, Training & Development [email protected]

Sharon Alderman, VT AT Reuse [email protected] 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

Optimizing AT Resources in Schools: School Swap and More Carolyn Phillips Liz Persaud Sharon...

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