ABLE Tech Connect – Vol. 3, Issue 3

• Classroom Light Filters – Overhead fluorescent lights can be too bright for some students. These filters help reduce eye strain. For those classrooms with no windows, there are cloud-themed light covers that help remind students that the sky is the limit!
• Alternate Desk Options –Some students may have a hard time sitting still. The Standing Desk Conversion Kit turns a standard desk into a standing desk, allowing students to stretch their legs without having to focus all their energy on staying in their seats. If your student doesn’t want to stand but does need to wiggle, chair foot fidgets attach to the seat they’re already sitting in, so they can kick or bounce their legs on it. Surf Portable Lap Pads and Adjustable Laptop Bed Table give students a hard surface to write on while sitting on the floor.
• Adaptive Seating – For in-chair seating options, the RockerMama and My Magical Cushion provide extra support and discreetly help meet a child’s sensory needs. There are also adaptive seating options for circle floor time. Examples of good floor time seating options include the HowdaHug chair, Scoop Rocker, Vidget Flexible Seating System, and the Analog Floor Rocker.
• Classroom Management Tools –The classroom can be an overstimulating place. With tools like the Resetea Time Management and I Choose Self Control Board, students can still learn and share their ideas in a controlled, safe environment. The Yacker Tracker looks like a traffic signal. When there is too much noise in the classroom, lights appear as a visual cue when the classroom is too loud. Time Trackers and visual timers can help students visualize how much time they have left to complete a task.

Keep an eye on Oklahoma ABLE Tech’s Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn pages this month for more back-to-school AT suggestions for students throughout August.

Oklahoma ABLE Tech’s Short-Term Device Loan inventory offers more than 5,000 devices in many AT categories, including hearing, speech communication, vision, learning cognition/development, seating/positioning/mobility, daily living, recreation, environmental adaptations, computer access, and vehicle modifications. Visit the Device Loan Program webpage to learn more about how to borrow AT for up to six weeks.

Device Loan Requests Open for Fall 2025

The Device Loan Program is ready for your device loan requests for the 2025-2026 school year. Please submit your device loan requests and indicate in the notes section if you would like us to wait until a specific date after the school year has started to send out the device(s). While the Oklahoma ABLE Tech staff cannot guarantee the device will be available on the date requested due to waitlists, the Device Loan Program specialists will do their best to have the device sent to the requester by the requested date. Here are a few reminders regarding short-term loan requests:

• If you are requesting a device for a minor, please DO NOT put their name on the account or application. An adult’s name is required on the account and application.
• The person applying is responsible and liable for the device. Ensure all borrowed items are returned by their due date. 
• Please keep the shipping materials and paperwork sent with the device loan to return the device(s) to Oklahoma ABLE Tech by the work due date. The Device Loan Program specialists will include a return shipping label in the box for you to use.
• If the device you want to request shows zero available in NATADS, all those devices are currently out on loan. Please continue to submit a loan request, and you will be added to the waitlist.
• If you are requesting an iPad, please list the names of the apps you want in the notes section of the application.
• If you are requesting an iPad or a communication device with a keyguard, please specify the keyguard details in the notes section (i.e. app(s)/language system(s) and grid size).
• Typically, only one high-tech communication device is sent at a time due to device cost and longer waitlists. You can submit a request for up to three items at a time. We will put on the waitlist for any other high-tech communication devices requested.
• You may be contacted for more information regarding your loan request, so please answer calls and emails promptly. Not doing so may result in your request being cancelled.

If you have any questions regarding the Device Loan Program, please check out the Device Loan Program’s webpage or contact the Device Loan Program at abt.deviceloan@okstate.edu or at 405-744-8342.

Attendees also had the opportunity to explore different assistive technology (AT) devices and learned about AAC funding options. Oklahoma ABLE Tech is grateful for our partnership with SoonerStart and Child Guidance programs!

What You Should Know About Service Animals

July 26, 2025, was the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Service animals are significant under the ADA as they provide essential assistance to individuals with disabilities, enabling them to participate more fully in everyday life. However, there is often confusion surrounding service animals. This guide aims to help clear things up by addressing a few of the common questions people have about service animals.

ADA definition of a “service animal”

Note: This guide only provides information on the rules and regulations regarding service animals as defined in the ADA. Some state and local laws also define “service animal” more broadly than the ADA does. Information about these laws can be obtained from your state’s attorney general’s office. 

Under the ADA, a “service animal” is defined as a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability, and the tasks performed by the dog must be directly related to the person’s disability.  Let’s break it down a bit further.

Service Animals are:

• Dogs only (see section about Miniature Horse below)
• Any breed and any size of dog
• Trained to perform a task directly related to a person’s disability

Service Animals are not:

• Any type of animal other than dogs (see section about Miniature Horses below) 
• Required to be certified or go through a professional training program 
• Required to wear a vest or other ID that indicates that they’re a service animal, Emotional support, or comfort animal

What are the differences between other support animals and service animals?

The main distinction between service animals and other types of support animals is whether the animal is trained to perform a specific task directly related to a person’s disability. If the animal only provides comfort to the person, it is not considered a service animal under the ADA.  For example:

State and local laws

State and local governments can:

• Require service animals to be licensed and vaccinated, but only if every animal is required 
• Ask people to voluntarily register their service dog

State and local governments can’t:

• Require mandatory service animal certification or registration
• Ban certain dog breeds from being service animals

Read our entire blog post “What You Should Know About Service Animals” to learn more about the ADA and service animals.

Additional Resources

• Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADA
• ADA Requirements: Service Animals
• ADA Topic: Service Animals

Oklahoma Works, the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services, and Oklahoma ABLE Tech have collaborated to provide this information and advice to those seeking accommodations in the workplace.

2025-26 Assistive Technology Training Opportunities

Oklahoma ABLE Tech Staff have set training dates for 2025-26. We have restructured our professional development training offerings to include:

Empowering Educators through Assistive Technology (AT) – Regional Workshops (in person)

• Register for Enid (NOC Campus) on September 19, 2025
• Register for Weatherford (SWOSU Campus) on October 23, 2025
• Register for Ada (ECU Campus) on January 20, 2026
• Register for Talequah (NSU Campus) on February 20, 2026

Assistive Technology (AT) Funding Workshop (via Zoom)

Register for the Funding Workshop webinar on December 4, 2025

Assistive Technology (AT) Guidance for Administrators (via Zoom)

• Register for the AT Guidance webinar on March 12, 2026
• Register for the AT Guidance webinar on June 4, 2026

Visit the AT Professional Development for Educators webpage to learn more about each opportunity.

Wearables For Wellness Videos Are Now Available!

Over the past two years, Oklahoma ABLE Tech staff have collaborated with researchers from the University of Kansas (KU), the Center for Developmental Disabilities at Oklahoma State University (OSU), and the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS) on the Wearables for Wellness (W4W) project. For this project, Oklahoma ABLE Tech staff helped individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities select and learn how to use wearable devices like smartwatches and fitness trackers. The study helped participants, using their selected wearable technology, achieve individual wellness goals. Many of the wearable devices selected include features such as step counting, heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and much more.

As part of the project, Oklahoma ABLE Tech staff developed several instructional videos featuring advocates from the Developmental Disabilities Council of Oklahoma (DDCO). These videos demonstrate how to use the selected devices and specific device features. Check out the Wearables For Wellness playlist on the Oklahoma ABLE Tech YouTube channel.

Paying More than the Minimum on Your Credit Card: A Smart Financial Habit

Making more than the minimum payment on your credit card each month is one of the smartest financial habits you can build. Here are a few reasons why:

You Save Money on Interest

Credit cards often have high interest rates, typically ranging from an Annual Percentage Rate (APR) of 15% to 30%. When you only make the minimum payment.

Interest is charged on the remaining balance. Then, the interest compounds, meaning you pay much more over time.

You Improve Your Credit Score

One of the determining factors of your credit score is your credit utilization ratio, which measures how much of your available credit you are using. Paying more than the minimum on your credit card:

Supporting Oklahoma Caregivers Through Innovation: Oklahoma ABLE Tech and Oklahoma Human Services Community Living, Aging, and Protective Services (CAP) Join Forces

Thanks to Oklahoma Human Services Community Living, Aging, and Protective Services (CAP), Oklahoma ABLE Tech has been given the opportunity to ease the burden on family caregivers through two impactful programs: the Lifespan Respite Grant and the Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Repair and Reutilization Project.

SERC Update – Child Find

As the new school year approaches, this is the time for school districts to update their Child Find procedures, in compliance with state and federal requirements, and strengthen their Child Find efforts. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), all children are entitled to a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). The Child Find mandate ensures that students who may require early intervention or special education services are identified and supported as early as possible.

Public schools have an affirmative obligation to identify, locate, and evaluate all children within their boundaries who may need special education and related services. School districts should publish state and federal requirements publicly for their parents and staff.

SERC’s mission is to help school districts and parents resolve disputes at the earliest stage possible. Learn more on the SERC website. 

ORC Update – DRS Career Fair

The Oklahoma Rehabilitation Council (ORC) would like to invite you to the 2025 DRS Ready, Set, Hired Career Expo. The event is set for September 9, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Tulsa Tech Lemley Campus, Client Services Center located at 3420 S Memorial Dr.Tulsa, OK 74145.

If you are an employer and would like to participate, please register online at the Ready, Set, Hired Career Expo webpage. The job fair will host employers from different fields, and the participants will receive resume writing assistance.

If you need more information, please contact ORC at ORC@okstate.edu.

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ORC’s mission is to facilitate consumer education and empowerment, to assure services are of high quality and lead to the employment of individuals with disabilities within Oklahoma. To learn more about ORC, visit their website. 

Oklahoma AT Center Locations and Partners

Oklahoma ABLE Tech and its partners operate device demonstration and loan programs to increase access to AT.

OSU Department of Wellness – Accessibility Programs Staff

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Please call 800-257-1705 for more information. The Oklahoma State University Department of Wellness is the lead agency for Oklahoma ABLE Tech. ABLE Tech is funded through the Administration for Community Living of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and maintains coordination and collaboration efforts with partners throughout the state of Oklahoma.