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ATOMS Project - Annotated List of Assistive Technology Outcomes Information Web Sites 2007

Introduction

This report describes 10 Web sites that pertain to AT outcomes.  Information detailed for each site includes Contents, Target Audience, Size and Scope, Last Update and AT Outcomes.

Some sites are more focused on AT outcomes, while others are more focused on current AT-related projects of the sponsoring organization, but with an AT outcomes component.  Some sites provide external resource links to AT-related matters such as outcomes research, devices, services, and/or training in the use and attainment of AT.

While this is not a comprehensive list of AT outcomes Web sites, it provides a foundation and serves as a resource for related information.

Table of Contents

Annotated List

AAC Institute

http://www.aacinstitute.org/
Retrieved July 12, 2006; Revisited January 11, 2007

Contents:

This site explains the goals of the nonprofit AAC Institute, and provides links to resources, products, and services, CEUs and certificates, education and training, and information for parents.

Products and services this site offers:

Target Audience:

AAC notes in the introduction to its Web site that it is designed as, “A worldwide resource for people with severe communication disorders or who cannot speak, their families and friends; professionals and educators; researchers, developers and manufacturers; and funding and other parties.”

Size and Scope:

This Web site is approximately 50 pages.  Visitors to the site will find links to the AAC products and services, which provide information in easy-to-read formats on one or two pages of text.  A comprehensive resources list gives access to multiple internal links that appear easy to follow.  Sponsorship and contribution information appears throughout the site, but is not overwhelming and allows the user to browse the entire site without obligation.

Last Update:

September 19, 2006

AT Outcomes:

Outcomes are best described in this Web site under the heading “The Goal of AAC,” and the subheading “AAC Rules of Commitment.”  Rule No. 4 states, “Be committed to achieving the maximum outcomes for the individual.”

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Adaptive Technology Resource Centre, University of Toronto(Archived Copy)

http://www.utoronto.ca/atrc/reference/atoutcomes/index.html
Retrieved July 11, 2006, revisited January 11, 2007

Contents:

The Adaptive Technology Resource Centre (ATRC) Web site also serves as the home of the AT Outcomes listserv.  The site provides an overview of several outcomes measurement tools.  In addition, it provides links to archived listserv messages, as well as bibliographic and Web resources.

Target Audience:

AT service providers, AT service and device users, and caregivers of people using AT services and devices.

Size and Scope:

The site includes about 10 pages with about 25 external links to other AT resources.  In addition, each page contains one or two internal links.  Browsers will find AT outcomes categories linking them to what’s new, outcomes measurement tools, upcoming events, research funding and other pertinent links.  Also featured here is AT Outcomes listserv, hosted by ATRC at the University of Toronto to “support the development and use of reliable, valid and sensitive outcomes measures in AT.” 

Last Update:

No date was listed; however, events held in winter of 2006 were detailed under Upcoming Events.

AT Outcomes:

Through listserv, the University of Toronto intends to enable AT practitioners to:

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Assistive Technology Outcomes and Benefits (online journal) (Archived Copy)

https://web.archive.org/web/20070718041050/http://www.atia.org/atob/ATOBWeb/index.htm
Retrieved July 11, 2006, revisited January 11, 2007

Contents:

The Assistive Technology Outcomes and Benefits Web site offers electronic access to the contents of the Assistive Technology and Benefits periodical, which is a joint publication of the Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) and the Special Education Assistive Technology Center (SEAT).  Two issues available for download include Volume I, Number 1, Fall 2004, and Volume II, Number 1, Fall 2005.

Titles included in the latest issue are:

Target Audience:

Individuals who are a part of the professional and research community.

Size and Scope:

The Fall 2004 journal includes eight articles averaging 15 pages each; the Fall 2005 journal also includes eight articles, which average 22 pages apiece.

In addition to the journals, a Special Education Assistive Technology (SEAT) Center at Illinois State University page offers multiple links for Admissions, Academics, Campus Events, Activities, and Contact Information.  An Assistive Technologies Industry Association (ATIA) series of five pages offers links to join ATIA, view a member directory, view a list of directors, register for an upcoming ATIA conference and read about other events.

Last Update:

December 15, 2006

AT Outcomes:

This Web site provides specific journal articles that address AT outcomes. These discuss challenges in the assistive technology field regarding outcomes and benefits, assistive technology outcomes in a Teacher Education Curriculum, strategies for obtaining outcomes data in the schools, and outcomes in the employment setting. Each article provides research regarding the topics just mentioned.

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ATOMS Project (Assistive Technology Outcomes Measurement System)

http://www.atoms.uwm.edu/
Retrieved July 11, 2006; Revisited January 11, 2007

Contents:

The ATOMS Project Web site provides a complete description of the scope of the project. It contains information products, such as technical reports generated from its needs assessment research and an interactive database of more than 50 assistive technology assessment instruments.  The site also contains bibliographical resources.  These include a listing of Project conference and presentation activities, such as those that occurred at the 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006 RESNA Conferences, and at the Closing the Gap Conference. The IMPACT2 Model, which shows the relationships among key intervention approaches for people with disabilities, also is described in detail in the context of the Project.

Target Audience:

This site targets an audience of researchers, scholars, and professionals in the field of assistive technology.

Size and Scope:

This Web site is about 35 pages long (without Technical Reports) after following a number of internal links on the main Web page. Some lengthy pages require substantial scrolling.  The easy-to-navigate ATOMS home page is rich in resources; offering a ready-to-use PowerPoint presentation with speaker notes of its IMPACT2 Model, and access to a database of AT assessments.  Other features fall under links for News, Activities, Products and Links and more information gleaned from the five-year project.

Last Update:

December 18, 2006

AT Outcomes:

This site is focused on AT outcomes.

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Community Research for Assistive Technology(Archived Copy)

http://www.cr4at.org
Retrieved July 14, 2006; Revisited January 11, 2007

Contents:

California’s Community Research for Assistive Technology’s tag line is “Improving Access Through Collaboration.”  The program nickname is CR4AT.  Its Web site offers detailed information through internal links about the program in both text and PDF formats.  In addition, the site provides links to the results of focus groups and the publications produced through the project. 

The Web site describes the group’s purpose, research cycle, and methodology in great detail; also presenting information regarding current findings, and other projects being implemented.

Target Audience:

This community-based research project targets individuals with disabilities, as well as researchers in the field of assistive technology.

Size and Scope:

This site consists of about 40 pages, each with external links totaling about 15. In addition, there are several internal links.  An “About CR4AT” link fully describes the five-year project’s research and methodologies; followed by one link that takes the reader to publications, issue briefs, focus group results and presentations.

Last Update:

August 2006

AT Outcomes:

AT outcomes are discussed on the Web site under the project “Findings.” The findings are not discussed directly as outcomes; however, they are discussed in terms of focus groups and the effect that each topic discussed by the research team had on the focus groups. For example, the research team discussed AT and health of people with disabilities with the focus groups.  Members were asked to report on the types of AT they used, the successes and failures they had using the AT, why people might stop using AT, and what changes they would suggest at individual, system and policy levels. This gave the research team a feel for the types of outcomes each member is experiencing with his/her AT device/service.

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CATEA: Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access

http://www.catea.gatech.edu/quickrefguides/QuickRef.php
Retrieved July 11, 2006; Revisited January 11, 2007

Contents:

The Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access Web site provides an overview of the organization, plus links to its publications and projects.  The site details information about the purpose of AT outcomes, lists frequently asked questions regarding AT outcomes  The Web site also provides links (HTML and PDF documents) to guides to assistive technology for computer access, activities of daily living, other assistive technology, and assistive technology catalog lists. Furthermore, information on how to get training on the use of assistive technology is provided.

Target Audience:

This site targets individuals using AT, individuals who want to use AT, caretakers of people using assistive technology, and researchers in the field of assistive technology.

Size and Scope:

This site consists of about 10 pages; however, it has approximately 65 external links. Some pages are lengthy, but are equipped with internal links to navigate through the page without scrolling.  An extensive home page gives access to AT Outcomes Measurement and related information; while a separate link box offers guides available in three formats: HTML, ready-to-print PDF and large print for Computer Access, Activities of Daily Living, Accessible Calculators, AT Outcomes Measurement and several others.  There also is a list of AT catalogs available.  A training link offers information regarding related seminars throughout the United States for the first quarter of 2007.

Last Update:

The site was last updated in July 2002; however, many of the guides were updated as recently as March 2004.

AT Outcomes:

AT outcomes are specifically discussed on this Web site, which describes AT outcomes as “what happens as a result of using an AT device or service,” (p.1, paragraph 2).  It further discusses the purpose of measuring outcomes in AT and the effect that reimbursement has on AT outcomes. 

The Web site addresses frequently asked questions in AT outcomes including:

  1. What are examples of AT outcomes measures?
  2. Why aren’t outcomes typically measured?
  3. Who are the stakeholders and how would they benefit from improved AT outcomes measurement?

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CATOR: Consortium on Assistive Technology Outcomes Research

http://www.atoutcomes.com/
Retrieved July 11, 2006; Revisited January 11, 2007

Contents:

The Consortium on Assistive Technology Outcomes Research (CATOR) Web site provides information regarding the projects and partners of the organization, plus links to Web sites related to outcomes measurement.

Examples of current projects include:

Target Audience:

CATOR completes activities that are designed to benefit consumers of assistive technology, AT service providers, decision-makers in the AT process (device users, service providers, service managers, funds providers, and government agencies), and researchers.

Size and Scope:

The site includes approximately 10 pages, with AT outcomes external links that include government, organizations, key pieces of legislation and Web accessibility sites.  While much of the site is still under construction, a Projects link offers detailed information about work that CATOR has undertaken.

Last Update:

It is not noted when this Web site was last updated.  Many of the projects were submitted in 2004.

AT Outcomes:

The focus of the site is AT outcomes, therefore related information is intrinsic to the site.  There also is a “What’s New in Assistive Technology” internal link; however, there is currently nothing written there but a promise that it’s coming.

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National Center for Technology Innovation

http://www.nationaltechcenter.org/
Retrieved July 11, 2006; Revisited January 11, 2007

Contents:

The National Center for Technology Innovation Web site details information regarding the center’s upcoming and past conferences.  It also highlights an AT outcomes summit that was sponsored in partnership with the Special Education Assistive Technology Center at Illinois State University and the University of Kansas. 

The rest of the Web site focuses on assistive technology in the realm of education and discusses related upcoming events.  In addition, the site provides detailed information regarding the NCTI, and links to banners and text that the center uses. The site also offers a variety of resources, including search tools to help in the attainment of products and services, a look at the designers of assistive technology, and searchable databases for reading and math support.

Target Audience:

This site targets educators as well as students and parents of students with AT needs.

Size and Scope:

The site includes approximately 10 pages. Each page provides internal and external links.  NCTI states on the home page that it “advances learning opportunities for individuals with disabilities by fostering technology innovation.”  One of the primary internal links offers information about grant opportunities.  The site also offers sign-up opportunities to receive the NCTI QuickClicks Newsletter. 

Last Update:

December 7, 2006.

AT Outcomes:

This Web site discusses an AT summit that focused on outcomes in an educational setting.  It states that the collection of data is essential in order to promote the use of AT as well as measure its usefulness in the classroom. The rest of the Web site points out the innovative technology and services that have come out of this AT outcomes research.

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Oklahoma Assistive Technology Center

http://www.theoatc.org/
Retrieved July 12, 2006; Revisited January 11, 2007

Contents:

The Oklahoma Assistive Technology Center Web site highlights the purpose of the center, and the conferences and workshops it offers.  In addition, the site gives information about the center’s:

The OATC also makes forms available on its Web site for people to request AT consultations and assessments, borrow equipment, and receive information about the center.  Links also are included about AT and the law, AT and assessment, positioning and mobility, general and computer access, literacy, math, and activities of daily living.

Target Audience:

This site targets an audience of educators, AT users, and families with children with special needs.

Size and Scope:

The site has about 10 pages with numerous internal and external links.  Artistic icons guide users to Programs and Services, Training information and forms that can be downloaded for people to request consultation, assessment and equipment.  A “Useful Resources” link offers handouts, forms and tutorials for multiple areas of consideration.  

Last Update:

Not provided.

AT Outcomes:

This site does not specifically discuss AT outcomes; however, it discusses its philosophy of “people first” and “contemporary practices” in habilitation and rehabilitation, stating that AT services are supposed to help individuals participate in their own communities in a “cost-effective and timely” manner.  Thus, this organization uses outcomes research to educate families, schools, and professionals involved with individuals with disabilities.

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RESNA: Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology Society of North America Publications(Archived Copy)

http://www.resna.org/ProfResources/Publications/Publications.php
Retrieved July 12, 2006; Revisited January 11, 2007

Contents:

The Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology Society of North America Publications Web site focuses on the various publications available from the organization, including conference proceedings and RESNA News.  In addition, this site provides links to information about RESNA and its mission, the history of RESNA, the code of ethics, and leadership within RESNA.

Target Audience:

The RESNA Web site targets an audience of assistive technology researchers as well as students in the field of assistive technology.

Size and Scope:

This site is rather large with the links to RESNA publications. Overall, the site consists of about 20 pages of information in its publications. There are many internal links that navigate browsers through the site.  The home page highlights current news and events, and discusses what’s happening at RESNA.  Publications are available to Web site visitors free of charge in abstract or introduction form; full-text versions must be purchased unless the visitor is a RESNA member.

Last Update:

Not provided.

AT Outcomes:

This Web site provides publications that specifically address AT outcomes research.  Examples are:

There are 10 volumes of the Assistive Technology Journal listed, with up to three issues each.  The articles address AT outcomes both directly and indirectly.

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