Skip to Page Title | Michigan Disability Rights Coalition | Communities of Power | Contact Us | Search This Site |

Communities of Power Logo

Michigan's Assistive Technology Program

Public Awareness and Training

Skip to Main Text.

Please use the following to help scroll down this page: Archived Webinars | About Public Awareness and Training | Veterans and Assistive Technology in the Upper Peninsula | Assistive Technology and Long Term Care/AT for Community Living | Wayne, Oakland and Macomb County Training on AT for Communication in Emergency Situations | Hearing Loss Association (HLA) of Michigan

About Public Awareness and Training

Michigan's Assistive Technology provides the state leadership activities of public awareness and training. Primarily, public awareness is provided through this web site, our Assistive Technology Connections newsletter and our work with Michigan's Centers for Independent Living to help increase their capacity for provision of information and assistance about assistive technology.

Training activities are instructional events designed to increase participants’ knowledge, skills and competencies regarding assistive technology devices and services and/or policy issues. The project has produced and delivered a variety of training sessions on assistive technology.

Some training and awareness activities have been through subcontracts with other organizations throughout the state. Current and recent projects are described below.

Go back to the top menu.

Assistive Technology Issues Web Conferences

On the AT Program's Conference Room Welcome Page you'll find announcements of upcoming webinars and registration links. We are using a conferencing system from IDEAL group "Online Conferencing Systems" which is designed to be accessible for people who use assistive technology. Announcements about upcoming conferences are made in our email newsletter Assistive Technology Connections.

Webinar: Increasing Access and Participation in Outdoor Recreation-

Montana Access to Outdoor Recreation with image of man in a wheelchair fly fishing in a riverThis webinar was presented by Kathleen Laurin, Ph.D. from the University of Montana Rural Institute on February 17, 2011.

Transcript of "Increasing Access and Participation in Outdoor Recreation"

Individuals who experience disability continue to be restricted in their opportunities to participate in outdoor recreation on public lands. This session described multiple efforts to increase access to outdoor recreational environments through information, education, agency partnerships, accessibility assessments, and access to assistive technology devices. It discussed a project specific to increasing participation in wildlife viewing, fishing, hunting, and related activities and identify numerous off- the-shelf and assistive technology devices to support participation.

Handouts:

Webinar: Tools for Independence: Providing Alternatives to Print

a stack of books with headphonesBraille page with handThis webinar was presented by MDRC staff members on January 27, 2011

Transcript for Providing Alternatives to Print

Alternative formats open up a world of possibilities for people who can't access standard text. Learn about who can benefit from alternatives to printed materials. Not only is it the right thing to do, providing alternative formats for people with disabilities is a civil rights issue. You'll learn about large print, high contrast, Braille, audio formats and digital content alternatives to standard printed material.

Handouts:

Webinar: Low-Cost Tools for Independence: Leisure and Recreation December 2, 2010 1:30 - 3:00 PM EST

older woman sitting in a chair holding a book and using a around the neck magnifierThe presenters are Sarah Peura, M.A., CTRS, AT & Adaptive Recreation Specialist from The Superior Alliance for Independent Living and Aimee Sterk, MSW, from Michigan Disability Rights Coalition.

Transcript for Leisure and Recreation Webinar

Handouts:

Archived Webinar "Tools for Independence: Holiday Cooking"

drawing of a holiday turkeyThis webinar was held on November 18th, 1:30 - 3 PM EST with Renee Thompson, BS, COTA, CAPS and Joanne Feutz, OTR, CAPS as the presenters.

Transcript of the Webinar to download.

The kitchen is the heart of the home for many people.  Social gatherings, family traditions & celebrations all seem to start in the kitchen.  Is your kitchen universally designed to accommodate the diverse ages and abilities of friends & family?  Do you feel too tired to enjoy your meal and company after preparing it?  Did you know there are many gadgets and methods that can make your time in the kitchen easier and more enjoyable? This webinar covers kitchen design, adaptive techniques and assistive technology and gadgets related to cooking.

Handouts:

Archived Webinar: "Looking though the Low Vision Lens"

This webinar was held on October 21, 2010 1:30 - 3:00 PM EST. Kathy Gargagliano from AbleZone was the presenter.

Transcript of the low vision webinar to download.

photo of a portable magnifierWe will explore items used by people experiencing vision loss  and how to make the best use of lighting, and magnification.  There is a   range of low cost items to explore for daily use and independence.  For many, more advanced technology is needed for work or school.  Presenter Kathy Gargagliano from AbleZone, who has been in this field for over 25 years, will guide us through  the product maze and MDRC staff members will provide information about additional resources.

Handouts (Note the Rich Text and Plain Text Versions of the PowerPoint also include the alternative text for images):

Archived Webinar: Tools for Independence: Memory

Transcript of the Memory Webinar (Rich Text Format to Download)

This webinar was held on September 16, 2010 with Norman DeLisle, MDRC Executive Director as the presenter.

cartoon drawing of person with cell phone in one hand and thought bubble with pillRemembering daily events, activities, and routines is difficult for all of us at times. Some conditions affecting our brains can result in memory loss ranging from forgetting to take medication at a designated time, to not be able to remember your address or getting lost in your neighborhood. There are many ways to assist persons who have memory loss, including techniques to aid memory and helpful devices and services. This free webinar will give an overview of techniques and lower to higher tech devices which can help people who have memory loss to be independent.

Archived Webinar: "Getting to Know the ATXchange"

This webinar was held on August 26, 2010 with Aimee Sterk, MDRC Program Manager as the presenter.

Transcript of the ATXchange Webinar (Rich Text Format to Download)

photo of dodge van with lift out on a snowy sidewalkATXchange.org is a nonprofit, Michigan-based web site where people can buy, sell, or give away assistive technology. This free, easy-to-use web site is designed to help people exchange both low- and high-tech assistive technology.

This webinar is perfect for people with disabilities who want to access equipment for themselves, family members, social workers, nurses, rehab counselors, OTs, PTs, hospice workers, people who run loan closets and vendors/providers who want to learn how to post their used equipment or locate used equipment.

Handouts:

Archived Webinar: "Vendor Bender - How to NOT Get the Wrong Device"

cartoon of car with 2 people and driving school signThis conference was presented on April 22, 2010. The presenters were Cindi Pichler, MS, CRC, ATP from Independence First, a CIL in Milwaukee, WI and Laura Plummer, MA, CRC, ATP from Stout Vocational Rehabilitation Institute.

Transcript of the Vendor Bendor Webinar (Rich Text Format to Download)

People with disabilities can often benefit from using adaptive equipment to increase independence, but how do funding sources know if the equipment they are purchasing will meet the person's needs? Many equipment vendors are unregulated. What standards should they have to meet to be considered a good vendor? What about assessments? When relying on an outside source for an opinion, how can you tell if they did a good job? A consortium of Wisconsin agencies have developed Best Practices standards to help identify good resources for obtaining the right adaptive equipment.

Handouts:

Archived Webinar on Hearing Assistive Technology

2 women with phones and other devices Presenting Hearing Technology The conference on Hearing Assistive Technology was presented on November 13, 2009 by members of the Hearing Loss Association of Michigan. Elizabeth Kobylak and Ann Liming are both members of the association who have hearing loss. They are trained Hearing Technology Resources Specialists who provide training and demonstrations through a contract with Michigan's Assistive Technology Program. (Please note, the person who is talking at the beginning is Ann Liming, we accidentally cut off the introductions!)

 

Archived Webinar on Assistive Technology Funding: Medicaid!

boxes connected by arrows "private insurance" to "medicare" to "medicaid"This conference on AT Funding: Medicaid was presented on April 8, 2009 by Amy Maes, Executive Director of the Superior Alliance for Independent Living (SAIL). SAIL works to provide demonstrations, training and public awareness of AT in Michigan's Upper Peninsula through a contract with Michigan's Assistive Technology Program.

Additional information and links provided by the presenter after the conference:

Medicaid provider lists - haven’t found any approved provider lists that include only DME, PT/OT/, etc. however, the various plans in Michigan provide directories that include the information on these approved providers.  I’ve placed the links for the ones that I could find.  Some are actual PDF file directories and some are searchable online directories.

MI MA health plans

Once you know which plan (most operate in specific geographic areas), their individual sites will provide a list of providers in the area that they cover most of these directories also include access to info on DME, home health, PT/OT, etc.

Go back to the top menu.

Veterans and Assistive Technology in the Upper Peninsula

The Superior Alliance for Independent Living Center (SAIL) has received a subcontract to provide public awareness in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to Veterans with Disabilities, their families and service providers. Please also see the page they created about AT and Veterans. SAIL provided training for the Centers for Independent Living on this topic in the winter of 2008.

Contact information:
Superior Alliance for Independent Living
129 W, Baraga, Suite H
Marquette, MI 49855
(906) 228-5744
(800) 379-7245

Go back to the top menu.

AT and Long Term Care

The program expanded and updated the "small changes, Big Differences" assistive technology training and kits. Five kits have been developed to be placed at organizations throughout the state These sites will provide both training and device demonstrations using the kit. Sites are:

Go back to the top menu.

Wayne, Oakland and Macomb County Training on AT for Communication in picture of an AAC deviceEmergency Situations

The AT Program provided funding for a focus group in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb Counties last year. The group identified resources and unmet needs for AT. They recommended more information be available through training and device demonstrations to help people with a variety of disability characteristics to communicate in emergency situations. Several training sessions have been offered in the area over the past two years.

For further information call: Cathy McAdam,
MDRC's AT Program Coordinator (313) 563-1412.

Go back to the top menu.

Hearing Loss Association of Michigan (HLA-MI)

Michigan's AT Program was able to revive a program we had funded over 10 years ago: the Hearing Technology Resource Specialist(HTR Specialists) program. HLA-MI has trained over 30 volunteers across the state to educate their local communities about hearing assistive technology. Training is available on the use of devices to help people who are hard of hearing. Please contact htrs@hearingloss-mi.org for more information and to schedule a training session for your group!

Go back to the top menu.

 

"The contents of this web page were developed under a grant from the Department of Education. However those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal government."

Search This Site and Communities of Power:

Copyright © MDRC 2001 - 2010, All Rights Reserved.