Washington Assistive
Technology Alliance Newsletter

Inside this Issue

• From the Director

Information and Referral Services from the Assistive Technology Resource Center

Consumer Advisory Board Announcement

Reader's Forum

What's Up: Car Rentals

Loans for Assistive Technology

Assistive Technology Lemons

Electronic Networking

Washington Protection and Advocacy System on Board

University of Washington CDMRC Video Library

Editorial Board

To Be on our Mailing List

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From the Director

Dave Hooks

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It is very difficult to comprehend how two months have flown by so quickly! It seems more like a few days. I have attended two conferences: "Closing the Gap" in Minneapolis, and the RESNA Technical Assistance Project's special training workshop, "The Tech Act Amendments: Preparing States to meet the New Mandates," in Washington D.C. We have had our first advisory board meeting (see Announcement, page 2), both Eastern and Western regional center contracts are under way, and our protection and advocacy liaison, Washington Protection and Advocacy System (WPAS), is on board. Things are happening.

Before I go too far, I want to thank the DVR and UW Assistive Technology Resource Center staff for all their help in making me feel welcome and giving me massive amounts of assistance. Special kudos to Edie McBride here in the Olympia office. The last word in our name is Alliance and I am finding that it was a good choice.

Our first board meeting was held on October 15 and we had excellent representation. We had the opportunity to begin the learning of each other so important in developing a cohesive working group. We were a couple of members short due to illness and logistical problems, but we will meet again in December to continue the development and building of an effective and vigorous consumer majority advisory board. Thanks to our board for taking time from already busy schedules to serve.

The successful recipient of the Eastern Washington Regional Center grant was the Easter Seal Society. A representative attended our board meeting to share the goals and objectives of the center concept. A director for the center will soon be hired and an advisory board will be selected. I have asked that a member of the state board serve on each of the regional center boards to promote cohesiveness and enhance communication across the entire program. In addition, we are pleased to announce the selection of the Washington Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities (WCCD) as the recipient of the Western Washington grant.

We are now at 100% staffing across the state and anticipate an increased level of efficiency in addressing the mandates of the grant. Please call, write, drop in and chat or whatever! We have a lot of work to do and I welcome your comments and advice.

 

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Information and Referral Services from the Assistive Technology Resource Center

Karen Ozmun

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At the Assistive Technology Resource Center we have established a convenient, single point of contact for anyone in Washington State who has questions about assistive technology, whether those questions are about the devices themselves, or about the services that provide support, education, and advocacy.

For some people, accessibility only means access to buildings. But full access also includes access to programs, services, and information, so that each of us can make informed decisions and advocate for ourselves independently.

Who can call us?

Everyone is welcome to call the Assistive Technology Resource Center. We look forward to hearing and responding to your questions about assistive technology and related issues. People who call us include individuals with disabilities, friends or family members, employers, teachers, and service providers.

What happens when you call?

We answer a variety of questions on a regular basis. When you first call us, we will ask you for information about your particular situation. We may ask questions regarding functional limitations and what you would like technology to accomplish for you. The questions we ask are designed to give us an accurate picture of your needs.

Our goal is to respond to all of your inquiries quickly. At times we will need to gather more information and get back to you. We have established a network of consultants with a broad range of expertise in areas such as communication, mobility, access, vocational and independent living. In addition, via the Internet, we are connected to national computer databases that give us access to the most current information and technologies available. We will pursue the information you request and relay our findings back to you as soon as possible.

How will we communicate the information you need?

We will communicate with you in the way that you choose: by telephone or TTY, mail, fax, or Internet. We will also provide information in a variety of formats: regular or large print, Braille, audio tape, computer disk, or other form, as needed.

So give us a call! We are available Monday through Friday, from 9:00am to 5:00pm, and can be reached at the following numbers: In Seattle: (206) 685-4181 V; (206) 616-1396 TTY; Outside Seattle: (800) 841-8345 V/TTY; FAX: (206) 543-4779; email:uwat@u.washington.edu (internet).

Karen Ozmun recently joined WATA as Information Specialist for the Assistive Technology Resource Center. She will be working to promote access to information about assistive technology, and to facilitate information exchange among all interested persons.

"It's been an interesting journey that has brought me here, and I'm excited to be a part of the WATA team. My experience has been gained in diverse organizational settings including a community-based provider for vocational rehabilitation services, the state legislature, the federal Office for Civil Rights, and private enterprise. As a vocational consultant, I worked with hard of hearing, late deafened, Deaf and Deaf-Blind individuals. I have learned that access relates not only to physical access, but also to culturally-appropriate access to information, education, programs, and services."

 

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Consumer Advisory Board Announcement

The WATA Consumer Advisory Board has been appointed and we welcome the following individuals as members: Dolores O'Leary, Rod Bagley, Berl Colley, John Hoffman, Sandra Carr, James Eccles, Rebecca Petersen, and Susan Oswald. These eight individuals will be meeting bi-monthly, and will play a key role in determining the course of the Washington Assistive Technology Alliance in such areas as project development, implementation, and evaluation. Members hail from all parts of Washington State, and represent a diverse range of backgrounds, interests, experiences and expertise.

WATA would like to extend its thanks to all of the candidates who applied to serve on the Consumer Advisory Board, as well as to the Governor's Committee on Disability Issues and Employment for doing an excellent job of recruitment.

The next meeting of the WATA Consumer Advisory Board is scheduled for Saturday, December 10, at TACID in Tacoma.

 

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Reader's Forum

Editor's Note: Steven Nourse is currently a System Specialist in Transition at the University of Washington, a liaison for transition issues to the Puget Sound Education Service District (Special Ed/Vocational Educational Cooperative), and is completing his doctorate in Special Education at the UW.

To Comply with the Intent of the Americans with Disabilities Act(ADA) You Need an"Attitude"

By Steve Nourse

One of the greatest difficulties facing persons with disabilities is created when their capacity to work and function in the world is evaluated solely through their disability.

A friend of mine who is blind and uses a "guide dog" to assist her with mobility recently moved to Seattle to attend the University of Washington. One of her first days in town she needed to locate a particular bank to open a checking account. As she was walking down the street she asked someone for directions to the bank. She thought this person was uncomfortable talking to a blind person because he seemed to be talking away from her. She then realized the individual was giving directions to her dog, not her.

In my own experience, when I first got out of the hospital in 1971, many people told me, "you should get into wheelchair basketball." I never wanted to play basketball in high school and certainly never had the height or physical dexterity to do so. I wasn't a basketball player before I used a wheelchair for mobility: why did people think I should become one now?

Examples like these are what I mean when I talk about making assumptions about ability based solely upon the physical characteristics of a person's disability. The assumption is that a disability limits an individual in every aspect of his or her functioning and, as a result, he or she cannot participate independently or responsibly in the day-to-day activities of life.

But disabilities can be attitudinal as well as physical or environmental. To truly meet the intent of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), people in the business community--particularly employers--must overcome their attitudinal disabilities and develop an "attitude" that is disability-positive. Workers with disabilities are productive, desirable employees and need to be recognized as such.

When we analyze disabilities in the workplace, we are quickly dominated by what I call the "K-Mart" or "one-size-fits-all" Syndrome. Whether we are talking about a person who has a mobility impairment, a hearing impairment, a visual impairment, or a disability that is hidden, we like to have simple solutions that "fit all." In truth, persons of disability have the same variety of needs and preferences as anyone else. I could cut the energy costs of every business in downtown Seattle in half--to do so, I would simply lower all of the interior ceilings to a maximum height of 52 inches. This solution would work very well for me, but a few of you might grumble when you had to maneuver on your knees as you moved around the office. Yet these kinds of inadequate, uniform "solutions" are often imposed on the employee with a disability, creating a working environment that is counterproductive.

Last year I received a call from a personnel director of a Washington college. The director was concerned because a person with a mobility impairment who uses a wheelchair had applied for the job of " supervisor of facilities and maintenance" and he appeared to be highly qualified. I was told that job duties included setting work schedules, ordering supplies and checking on work crews. After a moment, the director of personnel stammered and asked, "what happens when a light bulb goes out in one of our night classes and this handicapped person is the only one available to change the bulb?"

Let's analyze this situation. We have a class full of college students and a highly educated professor. Are we to believe that not one person in the whole group could figure out what to do when a light bulb goes out?! The fact of the matter is that the person of disability could perform the major functions of the job more than adequately. In this instance, a good worker was potentially denied employment because the perception of his disability overwhelmed his qualifications and because an employer could not see past an insignificant obstacle to envision a mutually-beneficial solution.

The challenge to the business community is clear. The effort to employ people with disabilities will not be born out of altruism, but out of strenuous competition for employees and the need to maintain a high level of productivity in our individual businesses. Disabled persons are an untapped resource for obtaining quality employees. According to the 1994 National Organization on Disability/Harris survey, of the approximately 36 million disabled persons of working age, two-thirds are not working. Of those 36 million disabled persons, 79% want to obtain work.

We need to attract and accommodate workers with disabilities by creating flexible job accommodations that fit their needs and enable their productivity. Accepting this kind of change is like gargling under water: the first thirty seconds are the hardest.

*The opinions expressed in the Reader's Forum do not necessarily reflect the views of the Washington Assistive Technology Alliance.

What Do You Think?

Our Reader's Forum column is your opportunity to share your ideas and opinions about assistive technology, as a consumer, parent, employer, or service provider.

Can technology solve all of our problems or does it create new ones? On what areas should future research focus? What kind of technology is needed right now? What will assistive technology look like in the 21st century?

We are looking for articles to publish in our newsletter. If you are a user of assistive technology, or if you work or live with a current or prospective user of assistive technology, please share your views and experiences with us. Writing and artwork by or about children is welcome.

 

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What's up in the field of Assistive Technology: Resources for People with Disabilities

What's up in the field of Assistive Technology is a regular feature of the WATA Newsletter. Each Summer and Winter edition will feature a review of published literature in the field. Fall and Spring issues will present information about available resources or significant developments in areas affecting assistive technology . If there are any particular areas of assistive technology in which you would like more information, please let us know. We will try to accommodate your suggestions.

Department of Justice Takes on Car Rental Companies & People With Disabilities Are in the Driver's Seat;

By Sherrie Brown, J.D., Ed.D., Policy and Advocacy Specialist

Are you a person who uses adaptive equipment to drive your car? Have you been frustrated when trying to get the equipment you need installed on a rental car? You are not alone.

Under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), private businesses that provide services or accommodations to the public are prohibited from discriminating against people with disabilities. Agencies that rent cars are covered by Title III and under the law must remove barriers to access when it is "readily achievable" or can be accomplished without too much difficulty or expense. Although most major rental car agencies have made hand controls available at no cost to drivers with mobility limitations, consumers often have difficulty getting accurate answers from agencies about the availability of their equipment, or they find that hand controls are not available at all locations.+

Sufficient numbers of frustrated consumers complained to the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), the agency responsible for enforcing the ADA. Since 1992, these complaints have resulted in an investigation of almost a dozen rental car agencies concerning their treatment of people with disabilities. The two largest rental car agencies, Hertz and Avis, have been part of this investigation. The Department of Justice determined that Hertz--the largest agency--was in compliance with their obligations under the ADA. Over the Labor Day weekend, Attorney General Janet Reno announced that Avis, the second largest car rental agency, had reached an agreement with the DOJ that they would make cars with hand controls available nationwide for people with disabilities. Although the DOJ did not take Avis to court for their discriminatory treatment of people with disabilities under the ADA, when an agreement of this sort is reached, it generally means that the business--in this case Avis--acknowledges it needs to do better. As a result of the agreement, hand controls should now be available at no cost when requested by consumers. There have been no reports of any additional agreements or rulings by the DOJ.

Under the agreement with the Department of Justice, Avis will do the following:

1. Equip more makes and models of cars with hand controls. This includes two- and four-door compacts, two- and four-door full-size cars, and luxury cars. If someone requests hand controls in a certain size of car that is not available, the renter will be upgraded to the next available size car at no greater expense.

2. Make cars with hand controls available on shorter notice. Cars equipped with hand controls will usually be available with less than 24 hours notice at agencies open until 11pm seven days a week and installed in less than 8 hours at twenty major locations. Previously, 24 hour notice was required.

3. Allow individuals with disabilities who do not drive--such as those with visual impairments--to sign the rental agreement as the responsible financial party. In the past, the actual driver was required to take the financial responsibility.

4. Allow those who are unemployed due to a disability and do not have charge cards, to rent on a cash basis. In the past, proof of employment was required; now individuals with disabilities can provide alternative information on disability-related income.

Although after the DOJ investigation and the agreement reached with Avis all rental car agencies should be more responsive to the needs of people with disabilities, the individual consumer may still have to be persistent. Whichever rental car agency you choose to use, it is a good idea to contact the agency as soon as you know your plans. When you call, be specific about your needs. It doesn't hurt to check on how the company will deal with an emergency situation related to your equipment--i.e., where do you find a mechanic who knows how to fix your adaptive equipment? Play it safe and double check on your reservation before you arrive. And don't let an uninformed or unhelpful agency representative frustrate you!

Car Rental Chart

Alamo (800) 327-9633;*(800) 522-9696 Hand Controls Available: Yes Notification: 3-7 days Limitations: Often sold out of two-door cars and not available on convertibles. GM cars only.

Avis

(800) 331-1212 Hand Controls: Yes Notification: As soon as possible. Limitations: Hand controls are not available on sub-compacts and convertibles. GM cars only.

Budget (800) 527-0700 Hand Controls Available: Yes Notification: Min. of 48 hours Limitations: Some locations require a $50 refundable deposit for hand controls when the car is picked up. Ford cars only.

Dollar-Rent-A-Car (800) 800-4000 Hand Controls Available: Yes Notification: 48-72 hours Limitations: Not available at all locations. Chrysler vehicles only.

Enterprise (800) 325-8007 Hand Controls Available: Yes Notification: Two weeks Limitations: Not available at all locations.

Hertz (800) 654-3131 Hand Controls Available: Yes Notification: 48-72 hours Limitations: Not available on convertibles. Ford vehicles only.

National (800) 328-4567 Hand Controls Available: Yes Notification: 48-72 hours Limitations: Two- and four-door full-size only. Not available at all locations. GM vehicles only.

Payless Car Rental (800) 237-2804 Hand Controls Available:** Notification: n/a Limitations: n/a

Thrifty (800) 367-2277 Hand Controls Available: Yes Notification: Advance notice required: different at each location Limitations: Not available at all locations. A reservation cannot be made through the 800 number. Instead, you must call the pickup destination for a reservation.

U-Save (800) 272-8728 Hand Controls Available: Yes Notification: 72 hours Limitations: Not available at all locations

* Call this number for hand control information ** Did not provide hand controls at time of contact Note: This information was compiled in August, 1994

Reprinted with permission from One Step Ahead, vol. 1, #17, September 21, 1994, (c)EKA Publications, Incorporated, a subsidiary of Evan Kemp Associates, Inc. One Step Ahead is a newsletter by people with disabilities for people with disabilities, their families and friends.

+ Car rental agency information reported in One Step Ahead, vol.1, #17, September 21, 1994.

 

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LOANS FOR ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
THROUGH SEAFIRST

We would like to make our readers aware of a loan program offered through Seafirst Bank called "Seafirst Access Loans(TM)." For those customers who qualify, Seafirst is offering a variety of options for financing assistive devices, with special lending guidelines and financing terms to accommodate the requirements of customers with disabilities and those people who provide care for them.

Loans are available for home modification, personal adaptive needs, and to purchase vehicles with retrofit equipment.

Some of the benefits that are extended to qualified applicants include:

*Lower monthly payments *Longer repayment terms *Combined auto/retrofit loans *Greater borrowing flexibility on Home Equity Loans

For more information about Seafirst Access Loans(TM), please call Seafirst's Loan By Phone at 1-800-284-LOAN (VOICE) or 1-800-944-5897 (TTY). Hours: Mon-Sat 9am-8pm, Sun 11am-3pm.

 

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Assistive Technology "Lemons"

Have you had personal experience with assistive technology--other than motorized wheelchairs--that needed repair for a problem that should have been covered under the manufacturer's warranty? Do you feel like you got stuck with a real lemon? If so, we'd like to hear your story for a future article on lemon laws and assistive technology devices. Please send all correspondence to the Assistive Technology Resource Center, WJ-10, Seattle, WA 98195. Or you can contact us via the Internet at uwat@u.washington.edu.

 

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Electronic Networking

Dagmar Amtmann
AT Resource Center

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Networking -- discussing, arguing, exchanging information and opinions, connecting -- is the buzzword of today. We now have technology that allows us to network with people all over the world without ever leaving our office or home. We can type a note, send it to an electronic network for hundreds, maybe thousands of people to see, and almost instantly begin getting responses from people all over the world.

While long-distance communication can be very exciting, there is much to be said about the usefulness of local networks. Would someone in New Zealand know who can repair your wheelchair in Spokane? Will folks in London tell you where to find a support group for parents with children with disabilities in Walla Walla? Can a person in Vienna help you find a source of funding for an assistive technology device?

A local assistive technology forum would be practical, informative and in many ways just as exciting as the global network. Chances are someone close to home has had the same question or problem that you have now. Chances are someone has found a solution--one that is inexpensive, creative, and just right for you. Imagine having a bulletin board in your own office or home; you read what you choose to read, you respond to what sounds good to you. Ignore the rest. The only difference is that now the bulletin board is no longer made of cork and the messages are not attached with push pins: it is your computer screen that displays the typed notes.

But how do you start networking when you don't have a computer, a modem, or access to the electronic network?

To make a local network happen that would be accessible to everyone, Washington Assistive Technology Alliance contacted the Seattle Community Network (SCN), which is currently involved in developing a free electronic network for communities in Washington.

With the support of the Seattle Public Library and the Washington Library Network, the Seattle Community Network agreed to allow us to establish an Assistive Technology Forum on their network. We are now on-line!

The Seattle Community Network is already accessible through the computer terminals in the Seattle public libraries, or by computer modem. Our Assistive Technology Forum is not fully up and running yet, but other information is available to you when you log-on to SCN. People in King County can walk into any branch of the Public Library and use their computer terminal to access the Seattle Community Network. Your librarian is there to answer any questions you may have about getting on-line.

We are still working on providing free access for everyone in the state of Washington. For now, anyone in Washington can call the Assistive Technology Resource Center and have their questions, comments, or suggestion posted on the network by the project staff. Office staff will then collect all responses to your posting and send them back to you via mail, fax, telephone, or computer disk: whichever you prefer.

Everyone will have an opportunity to learn how to log-on to the Assistive Technology Forum. Look for our Winter '95 newsletter where Pat Dowden, SCN network liaison and coordinator of the Children's Assistive Technology Service at Children's Hospital and Medical Center, will present a step-by-step lesson for logging onto SCN and the Assistive Technology Forum. Dr. Dowden will also give us a progress report on the Assistive Technology Forum, and let us know when the Forum will be fully running.

In the meantime, please let us know your ideas and suggestions -- they may be easier to implement while we are designing and setting the system up. With your participation, the network will be more valuable, meet more needs, and create a greater sense of community.

For more information or suggestions, please contact the AT Resource Center @ (206) 685-4181 V; (206) 616-1396 TTY; 1-800-841-8345 V/TTY; email: uwat@u.washington.edu (internet).

 

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Washington Protection & Advocacy System On Board

Under the amended Tech Act, all statewide Assistive Technology projects are now required to contract with the Protection and Advocacy System (P&A) in their state. WATA has contracted with the Washington Protection and Advocacy System (WPAS), based in Seattle, to provide us with systemic and individual legal advocacy.

People with disabilities who could benefit from assistive technology can now receive related protection and advocacy services from Washington Protection and Advocacy System (WPAS). WPAS will tackle one major systemic issue and will also provide legal advice on an individual basis to people who call their office. One emphasis will be to help people secure funding for technology-related assistance through the existing channels of vocational rehabilitation, special education, and Medicaid or Medicare.

A leading contender for a major systemic project is the problem some people eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare are having securing adequate funding for durable medical equipment. WPAS will choose the major systemic project to be addressed this year from 20 legal advocacy issues. If you use, or would like to use, assistive technology, WPAS would like to know what you think is the most pressing systemic issue.

For more information, please contact Washington Protection and Advocacy System, 1401 E. Jefferson, Suite 506, Seattle, WA 98122. Phone: 1-(800)-325-1801 V/TTY or (206)-325-1766 V/TTY.

Reprinted with permission from Envoy, October 1994. Envoy is a newsletter published bi-monthly by the Washington Protection and Advocacy System.

 

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University of Washington CDMRC Video Library

The University of Washington CDMR Center is offering two videotapes that are available for purchase or preview. The two videos have been developed by the Assistive Technology Training Initiative awarded to the University Affiliated Program. The videotapes illustrate both the value and the difficulties of using assistive technology in the community.

Assistive Technology: Interface with Life

Video tape and discussion guide

28 minutes $85

Sharon and Alan, a couple in their fifties who both have cerebral palsy, share their daily experiences at home and in the community. Assistive technology devices such as power chairs and augmentative communication devices are an integral part of their lives. Go with them to the pharmacy, bank, and grocery store, and see the kinds of accommodations that are arranged or improvised to meet their unique needs. In addition, when they travel to Olympia, Washington to attend a session of the State Legislature, you will see them advocating for themselves and for people with disabilities.

The video includes a discussion guide designed as a tool for leading discussion on selected issues presented.

Assistive Technology: Early Access, Inclusion and Advocacy

16 minutes $85

Meet Elizabeth, a 7 year old girl with cerebral palsy who lives at home and attends a regular educational classroom. She uses a power chair for mobility and several augmentative communication devices. Observe how she works and interacts within her regular education classroom, at home, and in the community. Elizabeth's mother also shares with the audience her perspective on her daughter's needs, life experiences, and the value of assistive technology.

To order videos contact:

University of Washington

CDMRC Media Services, WJ-10

Seattle, WA 98195

(206) 543-5017

ORDER FORM

Number of copies of Assistive Technology: Early Access, Inclusion and Advocacy @ $85.00 each

Number of copies of Assistive Technology: Interface with Life @ $85.00 each

Shipping and Handling @ $5 per videotape

Video Total - Please enter this amount on video total line in upper right of this form

Shipping Information:

Ship to:

Phone:

Bill to:

P.O.#

Video Total

Sales Tax (8.2% WA State Residents Only)

Amount Due:

Orders will be invoiced upon postal verification of purchase items.

Do not send payment with Order Form.

CDMRC MEDIA , Box 357920

Child Development and Mental Retardation Center

University of Washington

Seattle, Washington 98195

(206) 543-5017

(206) 543-8480 Fax

Prices include 14.7% University of Washington overhead

 

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WATA Newsletter is supported by a grant from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research H224A3006, U.S. Department of Education, to the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Olympia, Washington. Project director: David Hooks. The newsletter is published quarterly to provide students, professionals and consumers with information about current issues in assistive technology.

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Editorial Board of Advisors:

    Jeanne Munro, Director, Washington DVR
    David Hooks, PhD, Director, WATA
    Edie McBride, MSW, Associate Director, WATA

UW Statewide Resource Center:

    Kurt Johnson, PhD, Project Director
    Sherrie Brown, JD, EdD, Policy and Advocacy Specialist
    Dagmar Amtmann, MA, Project Manager
    Karen Ozmun, Information Specialist
    Brian Dudgeon, MS/OTR, Training Faculty
    Kathryn Yorkston, PhD, Training Faculty

Consumer Consultants:

    John Denooyer, MS
    Steve Nourse, MSW

Editor:

     April Denonno