April 2021
Autism Awareness Month
The 14th Annual World Autism Awareness Day is April 2, 2021.
Joined by the international community, hundreds of thousands of landmarks, buildings, homes and communities around the world come together on April 2, Autism Awareness Day.
Follow the Autism-friendly events and educational activities on the Autism Speaks website that takes place all month, aiming to increase understanding and acceptance of people with autism, foster worldwide support, and inspire a kinder, more inclusive world.
April Featured Assistive Technology: Seating, Mobility, and Positioning
Borrow from the ABLE Tech inventory today!
How A.T. has been successful for Bayleigh
Bayleigh is a student in Woodward Public Schools. Over the years Bayleigh has struggled to see print, hindering her ability to read regular books like many of her peers. ABLE Tech partners with several organizations across the state, including NewView Oklahoma, to expand services to help Oklahomans make informed decisions about needed assistive technology (A.T.).
During this last school year, NewView Oklahoma’s teacher for the visually impaired, Andrea Hamen, worked with Bayleigh’s educational team to collaborate and find ways to make reading easier for her. She was able to try a dome magnifier for a few weeks at the school thanks to the ABLE Tech Short-Term Loan Program. After the trial, the school was able to show a need for this device and purchased a dome magnifier for her to have at school. Now with the assistance of a slant board in combination with a dome magnifier, she is starting to successfully read more. Bayleigh is on her way to increased academic inclusion and success!
Save the Date: A.T. Funding Workshop - May 21st
This workshop is back by popular demand. This half-day virtual workshop is designed for Oklahoma public school administrators, special educators, and related service providers who help students with disabilities. Participants will learn about resources and grant-writing tips for securing funding for needed A.T. for students.
Participants will practice matching students to funding options as well as practice grant writing in the workshop. Guidance for planning and budgeting for A.T. will be shared as well as sample A.T. plans so that schools can plan ahead to support the provision of needed A.T. for students with disabilities.
This presentation will be led by Gretchen Cole-Lade, who has over 20 years of experience in grant writing and A.T. funding.
Quote from a previous workshop participant:
“Presenter’s personal experience of getting grants and how to respond when you don’t receive a grant. Great information!!”
Pre-requisite: None
Cost: Free
A.T. Funding Workshop Registration Link
ABLE Tech Devices Offered
Did you know ABLE Tech’s Device Reutilization Program offers free, gently-used durable medical equipment (D.M.E.) to individuals?
Qualifications include:
- a need it to participate in activities at home, school, work, or the community
- physically match with the equipment
- provide requested paperwork (Ex. prescriptions, mobility evaluations, etc.) as required
Items currently available include:
- 2-wheel walkers
- manual wheelchairs
- walking boots
- pediatric mobile standers
- and more
If you, or those you serve, are in need of gently-used D.M.E., especially those items mentioned above, visit ABLE Tech’s Device Reutilization Program website to request the items as a long-term loan (for as long as the item is needed/viable).
TechAccess Oklahoma Conference
Oklahoma ABLE Tech proudly presents TechAccess Oklahoma, 2021! This is Oklahoma’s premier technology accessibility conference. The free event is virtual on Zoom beginning April 20 through April 22, 2021.
Find details and registration at the TechAccess Oklahoma website.
Professional Development Training Update:
Spring Assistive Technology (A.T.) Workshops – It’s a Wrap!
ABLE Tech has wrapped up Spring 2021 A.T. Support Team Workshops with great success. The 3-part series offered for educators, related service providers, and administrators focused on all aspects of considering, gathering information, trialing A.T. devices, and implementing A.T. into the I.E.P.
Despite the weather and remote participation, there was great attendance in each session over January, February, and March. The overwhelming number of positive survey responses from all three workshops indicates participants valued: the resources/links provided, learning about the different assessments, sample A.T. documentation forms, and the many visual examples provided.
Quotes from workshop participants:
“I love this webinar. I love how it involves everyone in assistive technology and takes a lot of bias off the Speech Pathologist. I find it very true that people believe it is solely the Speech Pathologist's realm when it is everyone who cares for the individual's responsibility.”
“This session provided how to use the different forms during evaluation. The SETT is great to engage with information gathered from paraprofessionals as well as parents. This session gave a clearer picture of the evaluation process and how it's implemented.”
Be sure to sign up for the upcoming Fall 2021 Workshops. More information to come.
Oklahoma AT Center Locations and Partners
ABLE Tech and its partners operate device demonstration and loan programs to increase access to AT.
- Alzheimer’s Association, Oklahoma Chapter
Oklahoma City, 405.319.0780 - The Children’s Center Rehabilitation Hospital
Bethany, 405.789.6711 - Handicapped Vehicle Services Unlimited
Tulsa, 918.622.8400 - Hearing Loss Association of America,
Central Oklahoma Chapter
Oklahoma City, 405.717.9820 - Indian Nations Council of Governments,
Area Agency on Aging
Tulsa, 918.579.9477 - Kiamichi Economic Development District
Wilburton, 918.465.2367 - Moore Autism Center
Moore, 405.735.8478 - Newby-Vance Mobility
Guthrie, 405.518.0167
- NewView Oklahoma
Oklahoma City, 405.521.4880
Tulsa, 855.811.9699 - OSU – Dept of Communication
Sciences & Disorders
Stillwater, 405.744.6021 - SoonerStart
Oklahoma City, 405.271.8333 - Stillwater Eye Care
Stillwater, 405.743.4212 - The Scholl Center
Tulsa, 918.508.7601 - United Access (Mobility)
Oklahoma City, 888.939.1010
Oklahoma State University
1514 W. Hall of Fame
Stillwater, OK 74078
Phone: 800.257.1705
Email: abletech@okstate.edu
