From: Kelly Pierce 
Subject: how to choose assistive technology
Since I started organizing around information access issues for
people with disabilities several years ago, I have met hundreds
of blind computer users, listened to their concerns and
identified key problems.  Many of the difficulties experienced by
these people, I discovered could have been prevented or highly
minimized through a process that considers needs, involves the
consumer in making decisions and solving problems, and an
understanding of the product, technology and people in the
support system with the product.  It brings me no joy to tell
those who stop in at the Loop offices of the Chicago Blind
Computer User Network, or who e-mail or call (sometimes from
overseas) that they bought the wrong product, should have
considered training costs with the product purchase or have
thought through the issues of installation and configuration of
the adapted technology to fit the end user.  To fix such
problems, it is often necessary for the consumer to return to the
beginning and do the steps necessary to make an adapted
technology decision that were skipped the first time around.
To avoid these frustrating headaches, I have written three
articles on how to choose adapted technology.  The first article
describes how to structure an assistive technology buying
decision and familiarizes consumers with winning approaches.  The
second article provides a series of tough, challenging questions
to ask and consider when purchasing assistive technology.  It is
the end user's roadmap in making an assistive technology
decision.  The final article describes how to choose an adaptive
technology specialist, vendor or dealer.  It provides as well
many questions to consider and ask your prospective adapted
technology partner who will help you turn your dreams into
reality.  
It is being shared in this space because of the critical need for
such basic information and the failure of government agencies,
disability service organizations, and assistive technology
vendors and dealers in helping people with disabilities in
adequately understanding and assessing the technology needs of
blind persons and those with disabilities and matching them with
appropriate tools and services.  It is hoped that the information
in the articles can begin to cross the distance of this knowledge
gap.
Credit must be given to the folks at the Illinois Assistive
Technology Project, which provided me with the initial material
(on a floppy disk and in an ASCII text file) that formed the
basis of the work below.  Their leadership helped me see more
clearly how AT issues and problems were general in nature and
shared by many different kinds of people with disabilities.  Like
choosing assistive technology, this series of articles is not and
cannot be a solo project.  
To learn more about adapted technology issues for people with
disabilities, check out the web site of Project EASI: Equal
Access to Software and Information at http://www.rit.edu/~easi or
that of the Visually Impaired Pittsburgh Area Computer
Enthusiasts at http://www.city-net.com/vipace
Kelly 
The Right Stuff
How to Choose Appropriate Adapted Technology
by Kelly Pierce
People with disabilities can use adapted technology (AT) to gain
new skills, keep old ones and live more independently. An
appropriate technology solution will hopefully dramatically
decrease a person's need  for help or eliminate it all together.
However, choosing the right technology is often a difficult task. 
This and the following articles offer strategies and tips to use
when considering a technology solution.
Be actively involved in making the decision
When the end user is central to making the decisions about
technology, the more likely it will effectively promote
independence. Funding sources want to ensure any device purchased
is needed, appropriate and will be used.  Ultimately, the
responsibility for success falls on the end user. The wrong
decision can mean your job or at least be costly. It's better to
actively participate in the process and ask lots of basic
questions than try to fix a mess later.  Just think about your
closets.  Is there something there that you do not use?  Why
aren't you using it? The wrong size? Not your style? 
 Uncomfortable to use?  Ugly?  It's too fancy and you're a jeans
and sweatshirt kind of person?  More than likely the reason will
be "It's just not who I am!"  Consider who bought it and if you
did, consider why you did.  Like most things we use, adapted
technology must  fit  who we are:  physically, emotionally,
culturally and personally.  The decision is more than just buying
a product.
Get others involved
If you are considering getting some adapted technology, seek out
feedback from others. Even when you are choosing a very simple,
low-tech piece of equipment, talking it over with other users, or
a person who knows you well, will offer another perspective. 
They may see pitfalls that weren't obvious to you.
This can be especially true when considering technology for
children.  Parents and others can provide the reinforcement,
maintenance, training and other aspects of supporting the
technology that will be used.  But if a child needs a computer
and the only mouse the parents know is Mickey, everyone needs to
be aware of that fact and deal with it.  If parents or 
other people in the support network are not comfortable with the
technology solution, then the end user with a disability is not
likely to see any benefit.
The team approach
Traditionally, the user, a family member or significant other,
teacher, immediate supervisor, technology consultant, and
rehabilitation specialists are often members of the team. If the
technology is being purchased by an agency, a school, or an
employer, the end user will likely go through an assessment team
or accommodations committee.  Try adding nontraditional team
members if you think it will improve the group's problem solving
skills.  Another end user, computer instructor, local computer
guy, or someone good at crafts, or even a classmate will 
look at the issues differently and often have valuable insights.
Be outspoken, and don't be afraid to be a courageous problem
solver.  It will make for a much more elegant solution.  Remember
the group is there to solve a problem and decide if technology is
the best approach.  It's not a computer buying club.  That is why
it is best to avoid a team where the end user and technology
dealer are the two main parties of a team.  It can become a 
feeding frenzy between the two.  Remember the adapted technology
dealer has a mortgage to pay and groceries to buy, and you, the
end user, are a means to that economic end.
Focus on function
Often, disabilities distract people, making them unable to see
any potential or ability. By focusing attention on functional
skills, we move away from looking at someone in a clinical way
and more toward a functional assessment.  A good question to ask
when you want to focus on function is, "What does 
this person want or need to do that he or she currently cannot
do?"  From there the team can begin to look for ways to alter the
environment to enable the person to function more independently.
Thinking in general terms
Generalize about the use of the device.  Where will you use it? 
Could it be helpful in other settings?  Are there other people at
the office or in the family who could use the device?  By
thinking in general terms about the device, you can get more use
or increase the effectiveness of the device.  Sometimes parents
consider purchasing a computer for their child so she can do
homework.  When they consider the purchase, they need to look at
the computer needs of the entire family.  Could an older sister
use it to write reports?  If it came with a modem, can mom fax or
E-mail work from home?  A computer with a CD 
ROM drive or modem provides  paperless  access to a wealth of
information.  Generalizing about the who, when, where, why and
how aspects of the product can help the user find a product that
meets many, rather than just a specific need.  However, remember
that if several family members use a device,  it will limit
access to third party funds.
Strive for simplicity
The best technology solution is a no-technology solution. 
However, adapted technology users only need what will help in
accomplishing the task, in the simplest, most efficient way.  For
example, a reacher is very simple technology.  It allows a person
to grab an object they could not otherwise reach.  It's
uncomplicated, and not very costly.  A good solution?  Not
necessarily.  It may be a better solution to move the out-of-
reach items within reach so the user doesn't need any technology
at all.  Keeping solutions simple also reduces maintenance and
repair costs.  Simple solutions are often easier to use and
therefore will be used.  Generally they are cheaper solutions, so
a funding source (whether it is the user or 
a third party source) is more likely to fund it.
The next step
Choosing the right adapted technology specialist, vendor, dealer,
and training are as if not more important than selecting the best
product.  Using adapted technology requires a package of both
product and service.  In the next article, I will list and
discuss a series of tough, challenging questions to ask yourself
and any adapted technology specialist or dealer. 
 Stay tuned.
                     **********************
Questions to ask in Choosing adaptive technology 
by:  Kelly Pierce 
Technology users need to be informed consumers.  That's why in
the last article I emphasized that they need to be smart
shoppers, not satisfied with just having someone tell them what
they need.  I suggested that end users consider the strengths of
their support system and use a team to help in making a
technology decision.  I suggested further that it is best to find
the simplest solution and to approach the technology issue in a
general way.  Blind persons and those with disabilities should
constantly ask questions about how the technology will work for
them.  No matter who pays the bill, adaptive technology (AT)
users are obligated to ensure that the device is used.  To ensure
that, they need to make sure it  fits  them.  
But, how is that done? By simply asking yourself, the team
(described in the previous article), other users and the
equipment vendors questions and continue to ask until there is a
satisfactory answer.  Here are some questions a consumer should
ask to make sure a device will help accomplish the desired goals.
Personal Considerations.
Does it help me do what I want/need to do?  
If it doesn't, don't get it!  This may sound like a third grade
question, but many people receive AT and from day one it does not
work for them.  When this happens, you can be sure the user was
not an integral part of the assessment team.  More than likely
the team told the user what would work for him.  As a consumer of
technology and services, you should never allow that to happen.
Speak up for yourself and your needs.  Remember that the point of
getting technology is to solve a problem or enhance a situation.
Are there any limitations or risks?  
Users often see the benefit of AT, but don't bother looking at
the other side.  While the AT may help you do what you want to
do, it may also limit other aspects of your life.
For example, a user is considering purchasing an adapted laptop
computer to write letters and reports, access the Internet, and
translate material into formatted braille.  He should also know
that laptop computers are delicate, break down regularly, have a
shorter life span, and cost much more than desktops.  While it
may improve productivity by permitting work to be done in transit
or in many locations, the repair problems could cause added
expense and lack of access.  Does that mean a laptop is not a
good product? Not at all, it just means that the user will need
to measure the pluses and the minuses.  Maybe he will want to
have a good desktop computer before buying a laptop.  Perhaps he
might buy a Braille & Speak, which is lightweight, solid and
reliable.  However, using a Braille & Speak requires being quite
familiar with Braille.  This does not make it a bad product, just
that nearly every piece of AT has benefits and limitations.  
Is it comfortable to use?  
Have you ever worn a shirt a half-size too small?  If you have,
when it was time to wear it again, you probably thought twice
about it.  If there was another clean shirt in your closet, the
small one would just sit there.  The same applies to any AT you
use.  If it is not comfortable, you will eventually discard it. 
Better to speak up during the assessment process than wait until
it's over and the device is in the closet with you no closer to
your goal than before you started.  
May I have a trial period 
to see if it works for me?  
Let the buyer beware.  Don't get caught in the trap of thinking
you have to purchase the device outright before you agree to use
it.  Insist on a trial period.  Most reputable vendors will allow
you to rent the device for a month or two and then apply the
rental payments toward the purchase.  Others  have a 30-60 day
return policy on the device if it does not work for you.  
Before deciding on any device and taking it home, spend some time
with it hands on.  This means using the product yourself, not
just observing someone else use it, for an extended period, such
as 90 minutes.  Try doing the things you would likely do with the
product, not just some highly refined test.  For example, try
writing and editing a business letter with a Screen reader. 
Also, try using several other similar products in this way as a
comparison.
  
It's common for users to successfully use a device in an
insulated clinical setting, like a computer lab or demonstration
center, when evaluating or learning about the device.  But still
they are unable to use it in a  real world  setting.  Someone may
be able to use a communication device in formal speech therapy
sessions, but be unable to use it to order lunch at McDonald's.  
Likewise, speech and braille equipment for a blind computer user
may work flawlessly in a demonstration.  However, it can't be
used on your job or with the other equipment that you purchased. 
Compatibility problems are common.  It's not until you try it in
the real world that you can be sure the device will work for you!
Training considerations.
Is it ready to use?  
Imagine this.  A user receives his adaptive technology.  The box
is placed in the center of the room and the delivery person
leaves.  The user did not ask about set up procedures or support. 
He can't open the box. Even if the box were open, he would not
know how to set the device up.  By asking this question ahead of
time, a user can eliminate these problems once the device
arrives.
This scene is played out most often when consumers buy AT
primarily on the basis of price.  While saving money is
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