SoonerStart Collaboration

Collaboration Overview

The Oklahoma State Department of Education and the Oklahoma Department of Health partner to provide the SoonerStart Early Intervention Program. Oklahoma ABLE Tech partners with SoonerStart to provide assistive technology (AT) to infants and toddlers, birth to three, with disabilities. ABLE Tech provides AT to SoonerStart teams in the form of assessment kits. SoonerStart uses these kits when working with families. The goal is to increase access to and acquisition of AT that may benefit children with disabilities in the SoonerStart program.

Assistive Technology (AT) for Early Intervention

Definition of AT

AT is any piece of equipment or device used to improve the capabilities of children with disabilities. AT is also a service that directly assists in the selection, acquisition, and use of an AT device.

Examples

• Computer Access - adaptive keyboard/mouse
• Daily Living - modified eating utensils, calming sleep aids, universal cuffs to help with gripping items
• Environmental Adaptations - sensory regulation items, visual schedules, and switches to turn on toys/appliances
• Hearing - amplification devices, alert devices, and safety devices to secure hearing aids
• Speech Communication - picture boards, talking switches, and speech-generating devices
• Learning, Cognition, Development - adapted books, early literacy apps, and task timers
• Recreation - switch-adapted toys, adapted games/puzzles, and musical instruments
• Vision - lightboxes, braille blocks, and apps, and built-in features on an iPad
• Mobility, Seating, Positioning - adapted highchairs/strollers, seats, and other devices with straps or material providing positioning support
• Vehicle Modifications - customized car seats, vehicles with wheelchair access, and devices that assist with unbuckling

AT Overview Resources

As Oklahoma’s AT Act Program, ABLE Tech contracts with the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) to provide AT devices and services for Oklahoma children ages birth to three. The AT for Infants and Toddlers Overview below is a resource to help children, families, caregivers, and service providers to increase access to and acquisition of devices that benefit children in the statewide SoonerStart program.

• AT Overview (Video)
• AT for Infants and Toddlers Overview (PDF)

AT Demonstration Kits

ABLE Tech provides all 26 SoonerStart teams across the state with an AT assessment kit. These kits include AT to increase independence in accessing the environment, playing, seeing, hearing, speaking/communicating, pre-reading, seating/positioning/mobility, and daily living activities. The AT is demonstrated to families to help them make an informed decision about whether or not AT will assist the child in participating in activities that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to do.

• Daily Living AT Kit Instructional Videos
• Environmental Adaptations AT Kit Instructional Videos
• Hearing AT Kit Instructional Videos 
• Learning, Cognition, and Development AT Kit Instructional Videos
• Mobility, Seating, and Positioning AT Kit Instructional Videos
• Recreation AT Kit Instructional Videos
• Speech Communication AT Kit Instructional Videos
• Tools and Accessories AT Kit Instructional Videos
• Vision AT Kit Instructional Videos