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Marla C. Roll, MS, OTR
Director, Assistive Technology Resource Ctr
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523
Email: mcroll@cahs.colostate.edu
Howard Kramer, ATP
Assistive Technology Lab Coordinator
University of Colorado-Boulder,
Boulder, Co 80309
Email: hkramer@colorado.edu
a. Central Lab vs. Distributed Across Campus
At some point, when either starting up Assistive Technology
Services or evaluating current services, the decision will have
to made as to the best model for providing services, either
through a central location or through adaptive technology
distributed around campus. Many campuses use a combination of the
above two models, using a centrally located AT Lab for training
(of Assistive Technology) and then distributing adaptive
workstations around various locations to ensure that students
have access to technology where needed.
A survey of 4 universities/colleges along with the models of our
own two institutions provided results that support this
contention. University of Colorado at Boulder, Colorado State
University, Ball State University, Oregon State University,
UC-Berkeley and San Jose State all have labs at both a
centralized location and distributed at various labs and
classrooms/departments around campus.
b. Legal Issues that relate to the above model
This combined model described above not only makes programmatic
sense but is also encouraged by OCR rulings related to the Title
II or the Americans with Disabilities Act. In a letter to UC-Long
Beach, OCR stated that:
"....sole reliance upon a single centralized location (when not
limited to adaptive technology training, but instead used for
instructing disabled students in course subject matter) may run
counter to the strong philosophy embodied in Title II and Section
504 regarding the importance of fully integrating students with
disabilities into the mainstream educational program, unless such
services cannot be otherwise effectively provided"
Therefore, having Assistive Technology integrated throughout the
campus is not only a question of effective access, it is also
necessary to do to ensure compliance with the ADA.
c. Other Models for distributing adaptive workstations around
campus
Another model discussed and at the beginning stages of
implementation at the University of Colorado is a laptop loan
model. With this model, instead of placing workstations at
various labs and locations around campus, laptops with adaptive
equipment are sometimes loaned to students. The advantage to this
model is that the user is provided with the particular technology
(on the laptop) according to their specific needs. The technology
can then be ported to any location on campus where it is
needed.
There are a number of issues that will arise and have surfaced
with CU's implementation of this project. Since access to the Web
and Internet are key to academic activities, this model will only
work if there are available network/data ports for students to
plug into (physically or through infra-red ports) around campus.
Furthermore, there is still the question of access to scanners
for students with vision or reading disabilities who need to
convert hard copy to an electronic format. Therefore, students
will either have to conduct scanning at existing satellite
stations or "scanning stations" need to be established that can
be hooked into by students as needed.
Another questions that arises with this model is: how to
determine who receives this loan of equipment and who does not.
Do we discourage students from acquiring their own technology if
it is provided through the university?
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