Without the knowledge and skills developed with Federal assistance, people with disabilities would continue to be shackled to outmoded societal attitudes, weak service delivery systems, and forced dependency. Assistive technology services that have built capacity, developed a technology infrastructure, and provided technical assistance to states in their work towards ensuring that people with disabilities have access to the technology they need and that they are included in the digital revolution. Unfortunately, while we have made great progress, we have only begun the work. The current level of services doesn't yet cover minimal services and supports for many people. Therefore, the ability to live full lives and participate in society in economic activities is limited by funding constraints.
School systems are strapped for funding across multiple programs.
The state vocational rehabilitation systems report the capacity to serve only one in twenty individuals who are determined to be eligible for their services. The result is that people who are anxious to work are instead added to the roles of those who are economically dependent. Additional social and economic costs occur when family members are required to leave jobs because of inadequate social supports or when they are forced to place their son or daughter in an institution because they cannot pay for the costs of adequate supports out of their family budget. Assistive Technology State grant programs report large numbers of individuals who cannot access the technology they need. With elimination of these programs people with disabilities will lose access to technology, states will lose a significant technical assistance capacity to ensure that people with disabilities are not left behind in the digital revolution, and the promise of loan programs will be undermined.