DEPARTMENT 

of HEALTH 

and HUMAN 

SERVICES 

FY 2016 Annual Report to Congress 

on the Assistive Technology Act of 

1998, as Amended 

Prepared by 

ADMINISTRATION FOR 

COMMUNITY LIVING 
THIS PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK.
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................... 4
 

Introduction.......................................................................................................................................5
 

Assistive Technology Act History...................................................................................................5
 

The Assistive Technology Act of 1998, As Amended................................................................. 6
 

State-Level Activities ................................................................................................................................... 6
 

State Leadership Activities ........................................................................................................................ 6
 

State-Level Activities .......................................................................................................................7
 

Device Demonstration Programs..............................................................................................................7
 

Device Loan Programs................................................................................................................................. 8
 

Device Reutilization Programs.................................................................................................................. 9
 

State Financing..............................................................................................................................................10
 

State Financing – Cash Loan Programs .......................................................................................10
 

Other State Financing Programs that Provide AT ...................................................................10
 

Other State Financing Programs that Reduce the Cost of AT............................................10
 

State Activities Performance Measures........................................................................................11
 

Acquisition Performance ............................................................................................................................11
 

Access Performance.....................................................................................................................................11
 

State Leadership Activities ........................................................................................................... 12
 

Training .............................................................................................................................................................12
 

Public Awareness..........................................................................................................................................12
 

Information and Assistance ......................................................................................................................12
 

Technical Assistance....................................................................................................................................12
 

Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................... 12
 

Resource Information.....................................................................................................................14
 

LIST OF TABLES 

Table 1. Number of Device Demonstrations by Device Type......................................................................7
 

Table 2. Number of Individuals Who Participated in Device Demonstrations.....................................7
 

Table 3. Number of Devices Borrowed by Type of Borrower ................................................................... 8
 

Table 4. Devices Loaned by Type ........................................................................................................................ 8
 

Table 5. Device Reutilization Summary by Device Type............................................................................. 9
 

Table 6. Number of Recipients, Devices, and Savings by Type of Reutilization Activity............... 9
 

Table 7. Types and Dollar Amounts of AT Acquired with Financial Loans..........................................10
 

Table 8. Percentage of Agencies that Received Technical Assistance.................................................12
 

LIST OF FIGURES 

Figure 1. Total Savings to Recipients, Device Reuse Trends: 2014-2016............................................... 9
 

Figure 2. Consumer Rating of Services .............................................................................................................11
 

Figure 3. Why Consumers Obtained a Device from the State AT Program........................................11
 

Figure 4. Kinds of Consumer Decisions the State AT Program Enabled..............................................11
 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

Section 4 of the Assistive Technology Act of 1998, as amended (AT Act) authorizes grants 

to support programs that increase knowledge about, access to and acquisition of assistive 

technology (AT) devices and services for individuals with disabilities and older Americans. 

These programs include fifty-six statewide AT programs that provide device demonstrations, 

device loans, device reutilization, training, technical assistance, public awareness, and 

assistance with obtaining funding for AT. Statewide AT programs are required by law to 

collect data on their activities and provide annual progress reports to ACL. This report is a 

compilation of data from these programs for FY 2016 and contains information about the 

activities of the statewide AT programs. It is preceded by an introduction to the purpose of 

the document and a history of the AT Act and is followed by resource information containing 

contacts and data on each state AT program. 

The report describes state-level and state leadership activities for FY 2016: 

How individuals were served by the following activities:
 

» Device Demonstration Programs
 

Nearly 73,000 individuals participated in device demonstrations; 

» Device Loan Programs 

Over 54,000 AT devices loaned on a short-term basis to individuals with disabilities, 

service providers and agencies; 

» Device Reutilization Programs 

Consumers saved $32 million on nearly 80,000 gently used devices; and 

» State Financing 

88 percent of recipients indicated an AT device could not be obtained without the 

assistance of the state financing activity. 

Performance goals for Statewide AT Programs:
 

» Consumer Satisfaction Ratings of State-Level Activities; and
 

» State Activities Performance Measures.
 

How individuals and organizations benefited from:
 

» Training
 

Over 117,000 participants in AT training; 

» Information and Assistance 

Family members, guardians or authorized representatives represented the largest group 

of over 445,000 recipients of information and referral; and 

» Technical Assistance 

Education and community living agencies received a majority of Technical Assistance 

provided by State Grant for AT programs. 

4 FY 2016 ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS ON THE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY ACT OF 1998, AS AMENDED 
 

 

 

ADMINISTRATION FOR COMMUNITY LIVING
 

FY 2016 Annual Report to Congress on the 


Assistive Technology Act of 1998, as Amended
 

INTRODUCTION 

The Assistive Technology Act of 1998, as Amended by Public Law 108-364 (AT Act of 1998, as Amended, will be 

referenced in this report as the AT Act or Act) requires that the Secretary of Health and Human Services submit to 

Congress a report on the activities funded under the AT Act. Specifically, the Secretary of Health and Human Services 

is required to provide annually to Congress: 1) A compilation and summary of the information provided by the state 

Section 4 grantees in annual progress reports to the Department of Health and Human Services; and 2) a summary 

of the state Section 4 State Plan applications and an analysis of the progress of the states in meeting the measurable 

goals established in state applications under Sec. 4(d)(3) of the AT Act. This document serves as the Report to 

Congress for Fiscal Year (FY) 2016. 

This report summarizes data from the fifty-six Section 4 formula funded state AT program grantees, including all 50 

states of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and the 

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The term, AT Program, is used to describe all fifty-six Section 4 grantees. 

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY ACT HISTORY 

In 1988, Congress passed the Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act (P.L. 100-407) 

(Tech Act) to assist states with identifying and responding to the assistive technology (AT) needs of individuals with 

disabilities. Competitive grants awarded under the Tech Act were used by states to create systemic changes that 

improved the availability of assistive technology devices and services. States were provided with flexibility in the 

design of their programs, and this flexibility continued when the Tech Act was reauthorized in 1994 (P.L. 103 218). 

The Tech Act was reauthorized again in 1998 as the Assistive Technology Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-394; AT Act of 1998). 

The AT Act of 1998 required states to conduct capacity-building activities that increased the availability of funding for, 

access to, and provision of AT devices and services and allowed states to conduct other discretionary activities as well. 

Title III of the AT Act of 1998 authorized the Alternative Financing Program (AFP) to help individuals with disabilities 

and their families fund the purchase of AT devices or services. 

The AT Act of 1998 was amended in 2004 by P. L. 108-364 (AT Act). The amendments significantly changed the 

preceding legislation. Rather than focusing the efforts of states on systems-change activities, the AT Act requires 

states to conduct activities that directly provide individuals with disabilities 

and others with support to access and acquire AT. The program was changed 

from a competitive discretionary grant program to a formula state grant What is Assistive 

program with Section 4 providing formula grants to state AT programs and 


Section 5 providing formula grants to protection and advocacy AT programs. Technology (AT) ?
 

As mandated by the 2004 amendments, the U.S. Department of Education, AT is any item, piece of equipment, 


Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), assumed responsibility for or system, whether acquired 


administering programs under the Act as of December 2004. Previously, the commercially, modified, or customized, 


Department of Education’s National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation that is commonly used to increase, 


Research (NIDRR) administered the Act. maintain, or improve functional 


capabilities of individuals with In 2014, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) transferred 

disabilities. administration of the AT Act to the Department of Health and Human Services, 

Administration for Community Living (ACL). This data report provides a (Source: AT Act of 1998 as amended, 29 

national summary of Section 4 grantee statewide AT program activities and USC §3002) 

outcomes for FY 2016. 

FY 2016 ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS ON THE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY ACT OF 1998, AS AMENDED 5 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY ACT OF 1998, AS AMENDED
 

Section 4 of the AT Act authorizes the formula-based State 

Grant for AT Program and requires a common set of activities 

to be provided by all AT programs (with some limited 

exceptions explained below) to create consistency among 

grantees. With these grant funds, states develop and maintain 

statewide AT programs that conduct “state-level” activities 

and “state leadership” activities. Any funds appropriated 

above the FY 2004 level (which constitutes the base year 

amount) are allocated according to a formula that provides a 

portion of the funds equally to all states and a portion of funds 

based on the population of a state. The Center for Assistive 

Technology Act Data Assistance (CATADA) provides a table 

with FY 2016 funding levels for all fifty-six grantees along with 

other activity data1

. 

STATE-LEVEL ACTIVITIES 

State-level activities include the following: 

•	 State financing activities, which can be: 

»	 Systems for the purchase, lease or other acquisition of 

or payment for AT devices and services (though states 

may not directly pay for AT devices and services for 

individuals with disabilities); or 

»	 Alternative financing systems, such as 


low-interest loan funds, interest buy-


down programs, revolving loan funds, loan 


guarantees or insurance programs or other 


mechanisms for the provision of AT devices.2
 

•	 Device reutilization programs that support the 


exchange, repair, recycling or other reutilization of 


AT devices;
 

• Device loan programs that provide short-term 

Section 4(e)(1)(B) of the AT Act allows states to opt out 

of funding a state-level activity if that activity is supported 

comparably with non-federal funds (“comparability” 

provision). Sec. 4(e)(6) of the Act provides states with the 

“flexibility” to carry out only two or three of the state-level 

activities. States that carry out all four state-level activities 

may use a maximum of 40 percent of their federal funds for 

state leadership activities. States that carry out two or three 

state-level activities may use a maximum of 30 percent of their 

funds for state leadership activities. 

The AT Act includes specific data collection requirements for 

state-level and state leadership activities, state improvement 

outcomes, leveraged funding, performance measure 

outcomes and consumer satisfaction. A data collection 

instrument developed to collect the Sec. 4(f) required 

data elements was approved by the Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB) through 10/31/2017 and was used by 

all grantees to report FY 2016 annual progress report data 

summarized in this Report to Congress. 

AT PROGRAM ACHIEVEMENTS RESULTING IN POSITIVE 

OUTCOMES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES 

 

loans of AT so that individuals can try out devices 

or fill a temporary need for a device; and  •	 Device demonstration programs in which

personnel familiar with AT demonstrate a variety 

of devices and services and provide information 

about AT vendors, providers and repair services. 

STATE LEADERSHIP ACTIVITIES 

State leadership activities include: 

•	 Training and technical assistance, which includes 


developing and disseminating training materials, 


conducting training, and providing technical 


assistance to enhance the AT knowledge, skills 


and competencies of individuals3;
 

•	 Public awareness activities designed to provide 


information on the availability, benefits, 


appropriateness and costs of AT devices and 


services, including a statewide information and referral 1 www.catada.info
 

system; and 

•	 Coordination and collaboration of activities among public state financing activities, need not be the same as those formerly funded under Title III of the AT Act 

and private entities responsible for policies, procedures or of 1998, which contains many specific statutory requirements. 

funding for the provision of AT devices and services.	 3 States are required to spend five percent of their state leadership funds specifically to provide ATrelated training and technical assistance to assist students with disabilities who are getting ready to All state level and major state leadership activities are move from school to adult life, including employment, post-secondary education, or independent described in greater detail later in this report. living and adults who need AT assistance to maintain or transition to community living. 

2 While they possess some similarities, “alternative financing systems,” as included under Section 4 

6 FY 2016 ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS ON THE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY ACT OF 1998, AS AMENDED 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STATE-LEVEL ACTIVITIES 

DEVICE DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS 

Device demonstrations compare the features and benefits of a particular AT 

device or category of devices for an individual or small group of individuals 

(U.S. Department of Education [ED], 2011). Device demonstrations allow individuals and groups to make informed choices about an AT device prior to 

acquiring it. Along with providing demonstrations, AT Programs are required 

to provide comprehensive information about state and local assistive technology vendors, providers, and repair services. 

During the FY 2016 reporting period, fifty-five AT Programs conducted device demonstrations as part of their state-level activities. State AT Programs 

classify device demonstration into 10 categories. Daily living was the largest 

demonstration category, comprising 19 percent of all demonstrations. Six 

additional device categories comprised between 10 percent and 17 percent 

of all demonstrations (see Table 1). Since FY 2015, there has been a 9.5 percent increase in the number of devices demonstrated. 

TABLE 1: NUMBER OF DEVICE DEMONSTRATIONS BY DEVICE TYPE 

Type of AT Device Number of Demos Percent 

Daily living 9,044 19% 

Mobility, seating 8,194 17% 

Speech communication 6,438 13% 

Computers and related 5,738 12% 

Vision 5,346 11% 

Learning, cognition 4,588 10% 

Hearing 4,653 10% 

Recreation, sports, and leisure 1,730 4% 

Environmental adaptations 1,622 3% 

Vehicle modification and transportation 570 1% 

TOTAL 47,923 100% 

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, Center for Assistive Technology Act Data Assistance – National Assistive 

Technology Act Data System, State Grants for AT Program annual progress report aggregate data for FY 2016. Last accessed April 2017. 

As illustrated in Table 2, individuals with disabilities (45 percent) comprised 

almost half of those participating in device demonstrations in FY 2016, followed by family members, guardians, and authorized representatives (24 

percent). There was a 9.4 percent increase in the number of individuals who 

participated in device demonstrations since FY 2015. 

TABLE 2: NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO PARTICIPATED IN DEVICE DEMONSTRATIONS 

Type of Individual Number of Participants Percent 

Individuals with disabilities 32,565 45% 

Family members, guardians, and authorized representatives 17,735 24% 

Representatives of education 8,946 12% 

Representatives of health, allied health, and rehabilitation 7,535 10% 

Representatives of community living 3,162 4% 

Representatives of employment 1,611 2% 

Representatives of technology 1,254 2% 

TOTAL 72,808 100% 

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, Center for Assistive Technology Act Data Assistance – 

National Assistive Technology Act Data System, State Grants for AT Program annual progress report aggregate data for FY 2016. Last accessed April 2017. 

For AT Program purposes, education is defined as participating in any 

type of educational program. Community living includes carrying out 

daily activities, participating in community activities, using community 

services, or living independently. Employment means finding or keeping 

a job, getting a better job, or participating in an employment training 

program, vocational rehabilitation program, or other program related 

to employment. Lastly, information technology/telecommunications 

is defined as using computers, software, websites, telephones, office 

equipment, and media. 

Individuals who participated in device demonstrations were surveyed by AT 

Programs about the main purpose of the AT device for which they attended 

the demonstration. In FY 2016, community living was listed as the most 

common purpose (70 percent), followed by education (20 percent) and 

employment (10 percent). 

Device Demonstration Anecdotes 

PROGRESS THROUGH ASSISTIVE DEVICES 

K is a 3-year-old boy with a huge personality! His 

mother reached out to the Oklahoma AT Program for 

support as this youngster with physical and vision 

disabilities prepared to transition to preschool. One 

of the Oklahoma AT Program partners created a 

sensory table and a braille board to demonstrate doit-yourself assistive devices that could be used in the 

home and later at school. K made gains in strength 

and endurance in his ability to stand while playing at 

the sensory table. He also increased his attention span 

and made improvements in pre-literacy skills with the 

braille board. 

A VISION OF BETTER TECHNOLOGY 

Rebecca, who is in her mid-60s, contacted the 

Arizona Assistive Technology (AT) Program because 

of problems with her vision. During a device 

demonstration, she tried several different video 

magnifiers, including handheld and desktop models. 

She practiced using the devices with the activities 

with which she needed assistance, like reading her 

mail, reading her favorite magazine, and being able 

to read food labels at the grocery store. 

Once Rebecca decided on a model to purchase, 

the AT specialist referred her to local vendors, 

and later helped her complete an application for a 

financial loan from the Arizona cash loan program. 

With the AT, Rebecca is able to continue to lead an 

independent life without relying on others for daily 

tasks and community engagement. 

Return on Investment 

72,808 individuals participated in 47,923 

device demonstrations conducted by state 

AT Programs, and were assisted in making informed 

decisions. Of these demonstrations, 89% resulted in 

participants determining a device would meet their 

needs supporting a “good” investment to acquire the 

device, while another 5% determined a device would 

NOT meet their needs preventing a “bad” investment. 

6% responded as undecided or did not respond. 

DEVICE DEMONSTRATION TRENDS: 2014–2016
 

 

FY 2016 ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS ON THE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY ACT OF 1998, AS AMENDED 7 
-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STATE-LEVEL ACTIVITIES 

DEVICE LOAN PROGRAMS 

Device loan programs allow AT consumers and professionals who 

provide services to individuals with disabilities to borrow AT devices for 

use at home, at school, at work, and in the community. The purpose of 

a device loan may be to assist in decision-making, to fill a gap while the 

consumer is waiting for device repair or funding, to provide a short-term 

accommodation, to facilitate or support self-education by a consumer 

or professional or to provide other training (ED, 2011). 

During FY 2016, fifty-five AT Programs reported providing 39,970 

short-term loans of AT devices to individuals or entities. Individuals 

with disabilities were the largest group to whom devices were loaned 

(37 percent), followed by family members, guardians, and authorized 

representatives (21 percent). Please refer to Table 3 for a more detailed 

breakdown. Since FY 2015, there was a 10 percent increase in the number 

of individuals or entities who borrowed an AT device. 

TABLE 3: NUMBER OF DEVICES BORROWED BY TYPE OF BORROWER 

Device Loan Anecdotes 

REPAIR AND TEMPORARY REPLACEMENT 

OF A CRUCIAL DEVICE 

Tim came to the Washington AT Program for an evaluation 

for his telecommunication needs under the National 

Deaf Blind Equipment Distribution Program. During his 

evaluation, he mentioned that his hand-held magnification 

device was malfunctioning, and asked if there was 

someplace he could take the device for repair. 

The AT specialist referred Tim to an organization that sells 

and repairs magnification devices, and pointed him to the 

AT Program’s lending library for hand-held magnifiers he 

could borrow while his device was being repaired. Thanks 

to the full-service orientation of the state program, Tim was 

able to borrow a hand-held magnifier to help him read his 

mail and other print items while his own device was being 

repaired, maintaining his independence. 

Type of Borrower Number of Device 

Borrowers 

Percent 

Individuals with disabilities 14,763 37% 

Family members, guardians, and authorized representatives 8,226 21% 

Representatives of education 7,317 18% 

Representatives of health, allied health, and rehabilitation 5,683 14% 

Representatives of community living 2,206 5% 

Representatives of technology 1,066 3% 

Representatives of employment 709 2% 

TOTAL 39,970 100% 

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, Center for Assistive Technology Act Data Assistance – 


National Assistive Technology Act Data System, State Grants for AT Program annual progress report aggregate data for FY 2016. Last accessed April 2017.
 

Devices for speech communication (16 percent) were the most common 

types of AT devices loaned in FY 2016, followed by computers and related devices (16 percent), and devices for daily living (16 percent). Seven 

additional device categories accounted for the remaining 52 percent of 

the device loans made (Table 4). There was an 11.6 percent increase in 

the number of devices loaned since FY 2015. 

TABLE 4: DEVICES LOANED BY TYPE 

Type of AT Device Number Loaned Percent 

Speech communication 8,838 16% 

Computers and related 8,554 16% 

Daily living 8,442 16% 

Learning, cognition 7,812 14% 

Mobility, seating 7,452 14% 

Vision 4,234 8% 

Environmental adaptations 3,840 7% 

Hearing 2,614 5% 

Recreation, sports, and leisure 2,390 4% 

Vehicle modification and transportation 98 <1% 

TOTAL # OF DEVICES LOANED 54,274 100% 

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, Center for Assistive Technology Act Data Assistance – 

National Assistive Technology Act Data System, State Grants for AT Program annual progress report aggregate data for FY 2016. Last accessed April 2017. 

Sixty-nine percent or 27,521 device loans were made to individuals 

for the primary purpose of decision-making. Other reasons 

borrowers cited for wanting a short-term device loan included 

accommodation (14 percent), a loaner during repair/waiting for 

funding (9 percent), and for training/personnel development 

(8 percent). Over half of surveyed consumers (53 percent) who 

received a device loan cited community living as the primary 

purpose for which they needed an AT device. Education was 

the second most common purpose (36 percent), followed by 

employment (11 percent). 

THROUGH TELEPRESENCE TO ACADEMIC 

IMPROVEMENT 

McKenna, a high school student, had not been able 

to attend classes since 6th grade due to a genetic 

condition. During a public awareness event conducted 

by the Missouri AT Program, special educators from the 

school district learned about the Double 2 telepresence 

robot, and thought instantly of McKenna. 

Before the school made a decision to purchase 

the device, the Missouri AT Program conducted a 

demonstration for them. Then the school borrowed the 

device from the program’s device loan library to “try 

before you buy.” 

During the loan period, it was clear that with the robot, 

McKenna was like any other student sitting in class: the 

teacher sees her, she can ask questions, and the teacher 

responds, just like her peers. More important, though, 

is McKenna’s academic gain. As her math teacher 

remarked: “I’ve seen her blossom mathematically.” 

The school bought the device with the support of 

federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 

funds set aside specifically to support AT purchases (a 

program administered by Missouri Assistive Technology 

on behalf of the Missouri Department of Education.) 

Return on Investment 

39,970 device loans were made to individuals or 

agencies with 54,274 devices borrowed from short 

term device loan programs. Of these device loans, 84 percent 

resulted in borrowers determining a device would meet their 

needs supporting a “good” investment to acquire the device 

while another 11 percent determined a device would NOT 

meet their needs preventing a “bad” investment. 

5% responded as undecided or did not respond. 

DEVICE LOAN TRENDS: 2014–2016 

 

 

FY 2016 ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS ON THE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY ACT OF 1998, AS AMENDED 

8 

-

NUMBER OF DEVICES

47,669 48,626 54,274

35,243 36,432 39,970
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STATE-LEVEL ACTIVITIES 

DEVICE REUTILIZATION PROGRAMS 

Assistive technology reutilization involves transferring a previously 

owned device from someone who no longer needs it to someone 

who does. Device reuse falls into three activity categories. The first 

one, device exchange, usually occurs through an online forum where 

sellers and buyers can connect. Recycling, refurbishment, and repair 

(RRR) is the second category. In this type of program, devices are 

typically obtained from individuals who no longer need them, are refurbished, and then provided to new owners. Lastly, open-ended loan 

programs take previously used devices and loan them to individuals 

who can use them as long as they are needed, with the expectation 

the devices would be returned to the program at some point. 

In FY 2016, 63,249 consumers received a total of 79,223 reutilized 

devices from all fifty-six AT Programs, resulting in an overall savings 

of $31.6 million. As Table 5 shows, the vast majority of AT devices 

provided through reuse programs were for mobility or seating (51 

percent) and daily living (39 percent). 

TABLE 5: DEVICE REUTILIZATION SUMMARY BY DEVICE TYPE 

Type of AT Device # of Percent of Total Percent of 

Devices Devices Savings Savings 

Mobility, seating 40,019 51% $21,201,576 67% 

Daily living 31,155 39% $5,967,221 19% 

Computers and related 2,580 3% $543,144 2% 

Environmental adaptations 1,298 2% $420,224 1% 

Hearing 1,079 1% $273,280 1% 

Vision 915 1% $512,132 2% 

Recreation, sports, and leisure 848 1% $116,547 <1% 

Speech communication 704 1% $1,916,320 6% 

Learning/cognition 476 1% $125,684 <1% 

Vehicle modification & transportation 149 <1% $597,457 2% 

TOTAL 79,223 100% $31,673,585 100% 

Device Reutilization Anecdotes 

BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN DEVICES 

Michael was referred to the Pennsylvania State AT Program 

through the Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services, which had 

approved a new electronic enlargement device for employment. 

While he was waiting for the new enlarger, Michael needed a 

device to bridge the gap so he could start working immediately. 

Quick access to a reused device allowed Michael to start earning 

and paying taxes immediately, as the request for the new CCTV 

went through the system. After he receives the new device, 

he’ll continue to use the old one as a back-up. That way, he and 

his employer know he’ll be able to continue his work without 

concern about a technology breakdown. 

A SIMPLE SOLUTION FOR BATHTUB SAFETY 

Sam recently had modifications completed on his home, but 

was having difficulty transferring into his bathtub/shower safely. 

Even though he has progressive multiple sclerosis and uses a 

wheelchair, his health insurance wouldn’t cover a transfer bench. 

Because he was falling at least once a month in the bathroom, 

Sam contacted the reuse network supported by the Virginia AT 

Program. The bath bench Sam received has helped him avoid 

incurring serious injuries and costly medical bills. 

After his positive experience with the statewide reuse 

program, Sam donated several durable medical equipment 

items that he no longer needed, and organized an equipment 

donation drive with his church to benefit the program. 

FIGURE 1: TOTAL SAVINGS TO RECIPIENTS, DEVICE REUSE TRENDS: 2014-2016
 

 

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, Center for Assistive Technology Act Data Assistance – 

National Assistive Technology Act Data System, State Grants for AT Program annual progress report aggregate data for FY 2016. Last accessed April 2017. 

The most common device reutilization activity was recycling/ 

refurbishment/repair (RRR). Eighty percent of recipients received 

devices through an RRR program, saving over $25 million. Of the 

services provided through reutilization programs, RRR activities 

provided the greatest savings to recipients. From FY 2015 to FY 

2016, there was a 25 percent increase in the number of people 

who received devices and a 23 percent increase in the number of 

devices that were received. Overall, there was a 13 percent increase 

in the overall savings to recipients of device reuse programs from 

FY 2015 totaling well over $31 million. 

TABLE 6: NUMBER OF RECIPIENTS, DEVICES, AND SAVINGS BY TYPE OF 

REUTILIZATION ACTIVITY 

Activity Number (%) 

of Device 

Recipients 

Number (%)

of Devices 

Total 

Savings To 

Recipients 

Percent of 

Savings to 

Recipients 

Recycle/refurbish/ 

repair (RRR) 50,543 (80%) 62,404 (79%) $25,633,760 81% 

Open-ended loans 10,873 (17%) 13,361 (17%) $4,280,828 14% 

Device exchange 1,842 (3%) 3,458 (4%) $1,758,997 6% 

TOTAL 63,249 (100%) 79,223 (100%) $31,673,585 100% 

Return on Investment 

63,249 recipients acquired 79,223 reutilized devices. 

Recipients saved a reported $31,673,585 by obtaining 

reutilized AT instead of new. The vast majority (91 percent) of 

recipients indicated that if the state financing activity they used 

was not available they would not have been able to purchase/ 

obtain the AT due to cost or availability potentially resulting in 

individuals who are unable to successfully work, learn or live in 

the community. 

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, Center for Assistive Technology Act Data 

Assistance – National Assistive Technology Act Data System, State Grants for AT Program annual progress report aggregate data for FY 2016. 

Last accessed April 2017. 

DEVICE REUSE TRENDS: 2014–2016 

 

 

Recipients of AT through the device reutilization program were 

surveyed about the primary purpose for which AT was needed. 

Out of the 62,936 respondents, 93 percent gave community 

living as the primary purpose, followed by education (5 percent) 

and employment (3 percent). 

FY 2016 ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS ON THE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY ACT OF 1998, AS AMENDED 9 

NUMBER OF PEOPLE
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STATE-LEVEL ACTIVITIES 

STATE FINANCING 

State financing activities assist individuals with disabilities to acquire needed AT 

though three types of programs: 1) financial loan programs that provide cash loans 

that borrowers can use to purchase AT, 2) other activities that result in direct AT 

provision, and 3) additional activities that allow consumers to obtain AT for a reduced 

cost. Funds authorized under the AT Act of 1998, as amended, cannot be used to 

purchase AT devices or services directly for consumers (ED, 2011). 

State Financing – Cash Loan Programs 

Thirty-two State AT programs reported data on financial loans made. These programs 

issued 842 loans for AT device(s) totaling $6,425,783. The average annual income 

of loan recipients was $42,252 and the national average interest rate was 3.67 

percent. Out of 842 loans issued, 26 percent were made to applicants with annual 

incomes of less than $15,000 and another 24 percent were made to applicants with 

annual incomes between $15,001 and $20,000. The overwhelming majority of total 

loan dollars issued (67 percent) was for vehicle modification and transportation 

technologies, averaging $18,404 per loan. Hearing AT ranked first in number of 

devices financed averaging $3,821 per loan. For a more detailed breakdown of loans 

by device type, refer to Table 7. 

TABLE 7: TYPES AND DOLLAR AMOUNTS OF AT ACQUIRED WITH FINANCIAL LOANS 

Type of AT # of Devices 

Financed 

Device 

Percent 

Dollar Value 

of Loans 

Dollar 

Percent 

Average Loan 

Amount 

Hearing 359 42% $1,371,789 21% $3,821 

Vehicle modification and transportation 235 27% $4,324,942 67% $18,404 

Computers and related 100 12% $62,725 1% $627 

Mobility, seating and positioning 58 7% $238,871 4% $4,118 

Environmental adaptations 38 4% $248,369 4% $6,536 

Vision 37 4% $44,184 1% $1,194 

Daily living 17 2% $61,144 1% $3,597 

Recreation, sports, and leisure 8 1% $55,865 1% $6,983 

Speech communication 5 1% $1,894 <1% $379 

Learning, cognition 3 <1% $16,000 <1% $5,333 

Total 860 100% $6,425,783 100% $7,472 

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, Center for Assistive Technology Act Data Assistance – National Assistive Technology 

Act Data System, State Grants for AT Program annual progress report aggregate data for FY 2016. Last accessed April 2017. 

Other State Financing Programs that Provide AT 

Fifteen states reported data on other financing activities that resulted in the 

acquisition of AT devices and services. These programs typically purchased AT 

using external funding provided to the AT Program by another agency and directly 

provide that AT to eligible recipients. These programs are frequently limited in focus, 

only providing a particular type of AT (such as telecommunications), or restricted 

to individuals with a specific kind of disability (autism), or require individuals be 

eligible for a specific funding source (such as IDEA) to obtain the AT. 

In FY 2016, these programs served 2,633 individuals and provided 3,426 AT devices. 

Almost half (42 percent) of the total technologies funded were hearing devices. 

Environmental adaptations constituted 33 percent ($1,165,996) of the total value of AT 

provided ($3,577,957), but made up only 9 percent of total devices funded. 

Other State Financing Programs that Reduce the Cost of AT 

Nine states reported data on other state financing activities that allowed consumers to 

obtain assistive technology at a reduced cost. These programs included cooperative buying programs, a vision equipment lease program, and device design and development. 

In FY 2016, these other state financing activities served 2,374 individuals, and 3,628 devices 

were acquired at a total savings of $2,132,198. Out of all the AT categories, hearing AT 

resulted in the highest savings to consumers ($5,889 per device). Devices for learning and 

cognition (1,293 devices), speech communication (630 devices), and vision (356 devices) 

combined made up 63 percent of acquired devices through other financing activities. This 

resulted in moderate savings per device ($33 for each item for learning and cognition, $39 

for each device for speech communication, and $1,266 for each vision device). 

Individuals with disabilities who received services from state financing activities were 

contacted about the primary purpose for which AT was needed. Seventy percent 

of respondents cited community living as the primary purpose, followed closely by 

education (24 percent) and employment (6 percent). 

State Financing Anecdotes 

USING A LOW-INTEREST LOAN TO 

GAIN WHEELS 

Pedro is a 43-year-old man with cerebral 

palsy who lives in rural New Mexico. Since 

his father’s passing, he is totally dependent 

on his 78-year-old mother for his daily care. 

Although Pedro’s father was able to lift and 

transfer him from his wheelchair to the car, 

this task is impossible for his mom. The only 

solution for transporting Pedro to doctor’s 

appointments and to community or family 

events was an accessible van. 

Through New Mexico’s Access Loans Program 

and its low interest rate, Pedro and his mom 

were able to purchase a 2011 Dodge Caravan 

with a rear ramp. Transportation problem solved! 

AN INGENIOUS, LOW-COST 

ADAPTATION 

Georgie uses a head-tracking system to control 

his computer, as well as a computer-based 

environmental control system. Although he had 

full control of much of his environment, he was 

not able to control his automatic bed. He had 

researched bed controllers, but found that most 

models were not compatible with his bed’s 

model and were quite expensive (over $1,300). 

Though the Puerto Rico AT Program’s LowCost Device Design and Development (LD3) 

program, a device was created to control 

Georgie’s bed through the infrared signals 

sent by his computer-based environmental 

control system. The adapted device was 

seamlessly integrated as a plug-n-play system 

into the bed controller, so that the bed itself 

was not altered in any way (thus avoiding 

warranty issues). This LD3 adaptation was 

fully compatible with Georgie’s bed. It could 

control all bed functions and be upgraded 

to control additional devices, and it cost 

only $50 to make. Today, Georgie can 

independently control his bed, thus reducing 

the cost of caretakers, minimizing the chance 

of developing pressure ulcers, and increasing 

his overall quality of life. 

Return on 

Investment 

5,849 recipients obtained 

7,914 devices through state financing 

activities with a value or savings of 

over $12 million. The vast majority (95 

percent) of recipients indicated that if 

the state financing activity they used 

was not available they would not have 

been able to purchase/obtain the AT 

due to cost or availability potentially 

resulting in individuals who are unable 

to successfully work, learn or live in 

the community. 

10 FY 2016 ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS ON THE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY ACT OF 1998, AS AMENDED
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONSUMER SATISFACTION RATINGS OF STATE LEVEL ACTIVITIES 

Consumers of AT Program services were asked to report their satisfaction with the services they received. Figure 

2 shows the responses to consumer satisfaction questions for each of the state activities. As we can see, the vast 

majority (>98 percent) of respondents were highly satisfied or satisfied with the services they received in each state 

activity. Device reuse programs had the highest consumer satisfaction out of all state activities, with 99.4 percent of 

consumers highly satisfied or satisfied, followed by state financing and device loan programs (99 percent). Device 

demonstration programs have customer satisfaction ratings of 98 percent. 

FIGURE 2: CONSUMER RATING OF SERVICES of respondents 

were highly 
 

satisfied or 


  satisfied with 

the services 
 they received 

in each state-


level activity. 

STATE ACTIVITIES PERFORMANCE MEASURES 

ACQUISITION PERFORMANCE 

Consumers were surveyed about the 

primary purpose of device acquisition and 

why they chose to participate in any of the 

following four programs: state financing 

services, device exchange, device reuse, 

and open-ended loans. Sixty-six percent of 

consumers stated that they could only afford 

AT through these programs. Fifteen percent 

said that the AT needed was only available 

to them through these programs, and 10 

percent responded that the AT was available 

to them through other programs, but the 

system was too complex or the wait time too 

long. Community living was by far the most 

common purpose for AT (85 percent). See 

Figure 3 for more details. 

ACCESS PERFORMANCE 

Consumers were surveyed about the kind of 

decisions they were able to make as the result of 

a device demonstration or device loan, as well as 

the primary purpose for which these devices are 

needed. As illustrated by Figure 4, these services 

have overwhelmingly contributed to individuals 

with disabilities or their representatives making 

an informed decision about AT. 

Eighty-six percent of respondents stated that 

an AT device would meet their needs, or those 

of someone they represent. Another 7 percent 

of consumers stated that an AT device would 

not meet their needs (which is still an important 

decision outcome), and 5 percent did not make 

a decision. Community living (64 percent) and 

education (27 percent) were the most commonly 

reported purposes for AT, as shown in Figure 4. 

FIGURE 3: WHY CONSUMERS OBTAINED A DEVICE FROM THE STATE AT PROGRAM 

Overall Acquisition 

Performance Measure 

Education Employment Community 

Living 

Could only afford 

the AT through 

the AT program 

4,274 1,859 46,949 

AT was only 

available through 

the AT program 

1,930 403 9,722 

AT available through 

other programs, but 

system complex/wait 

time too long 

1,181 535 6,067 

None of the these 276 179 2,031 

Nonrespondent 525 360 4,074 

TOTAL 8,186 3,338 68,843 

FIGURE 4: KINDS OF CONSUMER DECISIONS THE STATE AT PROGRAM ENABLED 

 

Overall Access 

Performance Measure 

Education Employment Community 

Living 

Decided AT will 

meet needs 17,245 5,908 41,808 

Decided AT will not 

meet needs 1,772 544 3,028 

Have not made 

a decision 991 344 2,060 

Nonrespondent 548 113 1,083 

TOTAL 20,556 6,909 47,979 

FY 2016 ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS ON THE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY ACT OF 1998, AS AMENDED 11 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STATE LEADERSHIP ACTIVITIES 

TRAINING 

Training activities are instructional events, planned in 

advance for a specific purpose or audience. Examples of 

training include classes, workshops, and presentations that 

have a goal of increasing skills, knowledge, and operational 

competence with the technology, as opposed to training 

intended only to increase general awareness of AT (ED, 2011). 

In FY 2016, AT Programs trained a total of 117,220 participants. 

Education representatives (27 percent) were closely followed 

by individuals with disabilities (24 percent) as the types of 

individuals who were most likely to receive training. 

Forty-three percent of participants attended trainings about 

AT products and services, which focused on increasing 

skills and competencies in using AT, and integrating AT 

into different settings. Thirty-three percent of participants 

attended trainings on a combination of any or all of the 

following topics: AT products/services, AT funding/policy/ 

practice, and information technology/telecommunication 

access. Trainings on transition were attended by 9 percent 

of participants. AT funding/policy/practice and information 

technology/telecommunication access trainings were 

attended by 7 percent of training participants combined. 

PUBLIC AWARENESS 

Public awareness activities include public service 

announcements, Internet outreach and social media, radio 

talk shows and news reports, newspaper stories and columns, 

newsletters, brochures, and public forums. The exact number 

of people who receive information through these public 

awareness activities is large, but is often difficult to quantify 

precisely, and estimates must be reported (ED, 2011). 

In FY 2016, AT Programs reached an estimated 19,093,494 

people through their awareness activities. Out of the 

estimated total reached, 33 percent of individuals were 

contacted through public service announcements on radio 

or television, 18 percent through other print materials, 16 

percent through the Internet, and the remaining outreach 

activities were distributed among listservs (14 percent), 

newsletters (10 percent), other electronic media (6 percent), 

and public forums (2 percent). 

INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE 

Information and assistance (I&A) activities are those in which 

state AT Programs respond to requests for information or put 

individuals in contact with other entities. These other entities 

can provide individuals with information and intensive 

assistance on AT devices/services or AT funding. 

In FY 2016, 445,293 individuals were recipients of I&A. 

Of the two I&A content areas, information about specific 

AT products/devices/services was the most common, 

with 82 percent of recipients requesting this type of 

information. Eighteen percent received information on 

obtaining funding for AT. The largest recipient group 

of I&A was family members/ guardians/authorized 

representatives (25 percent), followed by individuals with 

disabilities (24 percent), representatives of health, allied 

health, and rehabilitation (14 percent), representatives of 

education (13 percent), and representatives of community 

living (12 percent). The remaining recipient types were 

representatives of employment (6 percent), representatives 

of technology (5 percent), and others (<1 percent). 

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 

Technical assistance (TA) is provided by state AT Programs 

to help programs and agencies improve their services 

management, policies, and/or outcomes. As a result of 

technical assistance and other activities, some AT Programs 

report state improvement outcomes with policy, practice, 

or procedure improvements that result in increased access 

to and acquisition of AT in the state. In FY 2016, the fiftysix grantees reported providing a majority of technical 

assistance to educational agencies (31 percent) and 

community living agencies (27 percent). 

TABLE 8: PERCENTAGE OF AGENCIES THAT RECEIVED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 

Program/Agency Type Receiving TA Percent 

Education 31% 

Community living 27% 

Employment 19% 

Technology (IT, Telecom, AT) 12% 

Health, allied health, and rehabilitation 11% 

TOTAL 100% 

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, Center for Assistive Technology Act 

Data Assistance – National Assistive Technology Act Data System, State Grants for AT Program annual progress report aggregate 

data for FY 2016. Last accessed April 2017. 

CONCLUSION 

State and Territory AT programs have improved the 

ability of individuals with disabilities of all ages to fully 

engage in education, employment, and community living, 

propelling their chances to advance socioeconomically 

and achieve optimal self-sufficiency. State level and state 

leadership activities provide a continuum of services that 

reach a wide variety of individuals and provide access to 

a broad range of technologies. 

AT Programs enable individuals with disabilities, their 

representatives, and others working with them to make 

informed decisions about accessing and acquiring 

technologies. The streamlined process allows consumers 

to receive information about a device and become 

familiar with it through loan and demonstration programs 

prior to making a costly purchase. When consumers are 

ready to acquire a device, the reuse and state financing 

programs provide an affordable purchasing avenue. 

Leveraged funding is frequently secured by State AT 

Programs and is used to expand and maximize services. 

In FY 2016, State AT Programs leveraged $17.2 million 

from federal, state, local and private sources. These 

leveraged dollars were used to supplement $26.5 

million in Section 4 AT Act formula grant funding 

for FY 2016 and expand program reach in all AT Act 

authorized activities. This report highlights close to $65 

million in savings and benefits delivered by State AT 

Programs in FY 2016 to over 750,000 service recipients. 

12 FY 2016 ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS ON THE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY ACT OF 1998, AS AMENDED
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INITIATIVES FROM THE FIELD 

COMMUNITY LIVING 

Staff of the Vermont AT Program 

worked with the state’s Department 

of Motor Vehicles to provide technical 

assistance on making their online 

materials, including the state driver’s 

license manual, fully accessible. As a result, DMV 

staff updated their website to provide the manual in 

a format that can be accessed using text-to-speech 

and screen reader tools, in a digital audio file, and in 

an interactive version. 

HEALTH CARE 

The Colorado AT Program worked for 

a number of years with the Colorado 

Medicaid Office to negotiate a new 

Medicaid billing code for complex AT 

evaluations. This change allowed clinicians to be 

more fairly reimbursed when evaluating individuals 

with complex needs, ensuring greater access to 

devices and services. 

EMPLOYMENT 

The Oklahoma AT Program worked 

to develop and ensure adoption of the 

Roadmap of Accessibility Standards4 

to be used by all Oklahoma Workforce 

System Partners. This certification 

tool will ensure the accessibility of the physical 

(built) environment, as well as information and 

communication technology, for all job seekers with 

disabilities under the Workforce Innovation and 

Opportunity Act (WIOA). 

EDUCATION & TRANSITION 

The Connecticut Assistive Technology 

(AT) Program and its lead agency, the 

Bureau of Rehabilitation Services, 

sponsored a one-week overnight camp 

(“AT Camp”) held on a fully accessible 

campground. The purpose of AT Camp was to offer a 

summer camp experience and to promote transitional 

success for students with disabilities (ages 16 to 

21) who were still in school, and were preparing for 

college, employment, or community programs. 

Campers participated in learning opportunities, 

including interview preparedness and interacting 

with adults with disabilities to discuss their 

journey to independent living and employment, and 

work experiences such as job shadowing, all while 

incorporating AT into their routines. Each day, 

campers recorded video blogs of their experiences. 

They created an AT portfolio highlighting what they 

learned, the AT they used, and the AT that was 

most helpful to them. Each camper received a letter 

of recommendation and a copy of their AT portfolio 

to share with their school and their vocational 

rehabilitation counselors. 

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION 

TECHNOLOGY ACCESSIBILITY 

The Georgia AT Program partnered 

with a number of other organizations 

to form a coalition working on the 

GeorgiaGov Accessibility Initiative. With a focus 

on improved color contrast and code functionality, 

the GeorgiaGov Accessibility Initiative was the first 

enterprise-wide initiative to make their web platform 

accessible by federal standards and even beyond. 

The National Association of State Chief Information 

Officers recognized GeorgiaGov’s Accessibility 

Initiative with their State IT Recognition Award for 

Digital Government: Government to Citizen for 2016. 

VOTING ACCESSIBILITY 

District of Columbia AT Program 

staff and a network of disability 

rights consumers, advocates, and 

other volunteers provided technical 

assistance and supported accessibility surveys of 

88 polling precincts throughout DC prior to the 

June 2016 primary election. The goal was to ensure 

full participation of people with disabilities in the 

electoral process, including registering to vote, 

casting a vote, and accessing polling precincts 

and voting equipment. A report was issued to the 

DC Board of Elections outlining the accessibility 

concerns identified at each precinct, along with 

recommendations for improving access. 

ABLE ACCOUNTS 

Kansas AT Program employees were 

invited to speak at the national 

conference for state treasurers and their 

staff. The presentation highlighted examples of the 

use of AT across the life span of individuals with 

disabilities. This led to a discussion of allowable 

expenses for Achieving a Better Life Experience 

(ABLE) account holders, ensuring broad access to 

supports for AT under this new program. 

AGING 

The Virginia AT Program worked 

collaboratively with the Arlington 

Commission on Aging to develop a training 

toolkit of AT options for “Vintage Virginians” (ages 

55+). The commission serves in an advisory capacity to 

the Arlington County Area Agency on Aging. 

AT Program staff participated in a workgroup with 

advocates to develop this training over the course of 

about 2 years. The training provides information on 

AT to support Virginians and their caregivers to safely 

age in place. The purpose of the toolkit/suitcase is 

to demonstrate that low- and mid-cost AT can help 

Virginians safely age in place longer, without having 

to transition to a nursing facility. 

4

 www.ok.gov/abletech/Workforce_for_All/Roadmap_for_Accessible_Standards_Certification.html 

FY 2016 ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS ON THE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY ACT OF 1998, AS AMENDED 13
 
RESOURCE INFORMATION 

Contact and other information on each State AT Program5 can be found on the 

Center for Assistive Technology Act Data Assistance (CATADA) website. 

The CATADA website also provides an overall summary data report6 for Fiscal 

Year 2016 that provides data on the major AT Act activities by state. 

Staff of the Administration for Community Living (ACL) produced this Report 

to Congress, with assistance from the Center for Assistive Technology Act 

Data Assistance (CATADA) under Grant No. 90AN0001-01-00. The mention 

of trade names, commercial products or organizations in this report does not 

imply endorsements by the U.S. government. This publication also contains 

uniform resource locators (URLs) for information created and maintained by 

organizations outside of the federal government. This information is provided 

for the reader’s convenience. The Administration for Community Living does not 

control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this 

outside information. Further, the inclusion of information or URL does not reflect 

the importance of the organization, nor is it intended to endorse any views 

expressed, or products or services offered. 

This publication is available in accessible digital format on ACL’s website7

 and on 

the CATADA website8

. 

This report is in the public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in whole 

or in part is granted. While permission to reprint this publication is not 

necessary, the citation should be U.S. Department of Health and Human 

Services, Administration for Community Living, Annual Report to Congress 

on the Assistive Technology Act of 1998, as Amended, for Fiscal Year 2016. 

Washington, D.C., 2017. 

5 www.catada.info/content/state-program-information 

6 www.catada.info/overall-summary-report2?year=2016 

7 www.acl.gov/about-acl/reports-congress-and-president 

8 www.catada.info/publications. 

14 FY 2016 ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS ON THE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY ACT OF 1998, AS AMENDED