Tapping Technology, September, 1993
Inside:
Assistive Technology in Local Schools, Page 2
MD TAP Guide to Assistive Technology in Education Page 3
Funding Assistive Technology in School Page 4
Partnerships for Technology in Education Page 5
Page 1
MD TAP Display Brings Technology to School
Assistive technology (A.T.), while often a key to independence
and a less restrictive school placement, can also be stigmatizing
to a young child. Non disabled peers may not know what to make of
that communication device, or head pointer or alternate keyboard.
This can sometimes lead to isolation. The ARC of Frederick County
recognized the need to orient all children to what its like to
have a disability, and give them "hands-on" experience with some
of the A.T. in schools. 
MD TAP has had the pleasure of participating in several Children
with Disabilities: More Alike Than Different workshops with the
ARC of Frederick County. During these full day workshops,
students learn about, among other things,  adapted computer
access, how to move around in a wheelchair and how to use manual
and voice output communication systems. 
Held in local schools around Frederick County, these workshops
give opportunity for teachers and other staff, as well as
parents, to participate. To date, over 1,500 students have
participated. 
If you would like information about the 93 / 94 school year
schedule, or information about scheduling a workshop in your
school, call MD TAP at 1-800-TECH-TAP.
Page 2
Assistive Technology in the Local School: Examples from Maryland
Educators 
Tapping Technology recently took a trip across the state to see
how teachers and school systems are using A.T. Practical and down
to earth examples of how assistive technology can be incorporated
into the whole curriculum were observed. Here's one example:
Peer Advice 
In Queen Anne's County Barb Lane, the Inclusion Specialist, was
working with Jamie, a third grader with mild CP, developmental
disabilities and some vision problems. Barb, and an inclusion
team,  were looking for ways for Jamie to fully participate in
class. Having exhausted all ideas, they decided to go to another
group of experts, Jamie's classmates. 
A Peer Advice Log  was used with a group of Jamie's friends. The
observations of her friends were that Jamie liked stories and
should be with them for whole group reading.
Jamie's activities in reading at that point were very different
from other third grade students, and she ended up doing a lot of
activities away from the rest of the class.
Barb, the Speech Language Pathologist (SLP),  a regular education
classroom teacher and a special education classroom teacher
brainstormed about how to adapt reading activities so Jamie could
participate. Barb remembered an idea presented at a MACA
(Maryland Augmentative Communication Association) conference on
using picture symbols and story themes with an IntroTalker. 
Going back to the experts, the team worked to adapt a story about
Hermit Crabs and the seashore. Jamie's classmates chose words and
pictures for this activity they thought Jamie would relate to,
and they turned out to be right on target.
Pictures, words and recurring phrases were used on the overlay
and programmed into the IntroTalker. The stories were updated as
often as necessary and  Jamie's staff and peer team selected
symbols, words and themes from the new stories and reprogrammed
the IntroTalker.
As Jamie enters the fourth grade, with a little creativity and
assistive technology, the expectation is that she will be part of
the reading group, just like every other student.

We can't come close to representing the literally hundreds of
exciting and creative ways Maryland educators are using assistive
technology.  But, as far as we've come, there are still a lot of
students who could benefit from a little A.T. in their classroom.
For additional ideas about specific situations you might be in,
call one of the resources listed in the MD TAP guide in this
issue of Tapping Technology. 

MD TAP Advisory Committee meeting Thursday, September 23, 1993    
          Maryland Rehabilitation Center 
The topic for this event will be: 
Assistive Technology Issues in Education
Our featured speaker will be : Cindy Millikin
4:30 p.m. - 5:15 p.m.
This meeting is open to the public and you are cordially invited
to attend.
RSVP  1-800-TECH-TAP

Page 3
MD TAP Guide to Technology in Education
If you have questions about the educational application of
assistive technology, you might contact:

MD Technology Assistance Program

Central Maryland    800-TECH-TAP
Western Maryland 800-99-WMTAP
Eastern Shore        410-546-2181 (273)
Information & Referral
Training & Technical Assistance
Demonstration Centers
Short Term Equipment Loan
ABLEDATA data base of over 17,000 pieces of assistive technology

Center for Technology in Education
181 North Bend Road
Baltimore, MD 
1-410-646-3000
Training & Technical Assistance
Field and Center Based Consultation
Demonstration Center
(see related article)

Learning INdependence through Computers (LINC)
Osted Street
Baltimore, MD 
1-410-659-5462
Membership based computer resource center for children and
adults 
Training & Technical Assistance
Open labs

Prevention & Early Intervention
Infant and Toddler
1-800-535-0182
Library Resources
Information & Referral

Parent's Place of Maryland
7257 Parkway Drive, Suite 210
Hanover, MD  21076
1-410-712-0900
Education & Training Workshops
Information & Referral
Advocacy Assistance

Closing The Gap
P.O. Box 68
Henderson, MN  56044
612-248-3294
Publishes resource directory and bi-monthly newspaper on
microcomputer applications for individuals with disabilities with
a special education emphasis.
Annual conference in October

NICHCY
National Information Center for Children and Youth with Handicaps
P.O. Box 1492
Washington, DC  20013
800-999-5599
Information & Referral
Publishes News Digests and fact sheets on issues related to
assistive technology in education. Single copies are FREE. Call
for a NICHCY Publications List.

PennTECH 
Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Center
6340 Flank Drive,  Suite 600
Harrisburg, PA  17112-2764
710-541-4960
Training & Technical Assistance
Demonstration Centers
Short Term Equipment Loan
(see related article)

Page 4
Funding Assistive Technology in School
Paying for A.T. is often the issue lurking in the back of
people's minds. It's helpful to look at a  wider perspective of
funding options for assistive technology in our local schools.
Some options are:
LEA's
The primary source of federal support for funding assistive
technology for children with disabilities is the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). 
There are six programs, services and administrative provisions
that should be considered as supporting assistive funding:
_free appropriate public education (FAPE)
 special education
 related services
_least restrictive environment (LRE)
_procedural safeguards
_staff development
While there is a legislative mandate for school systems to look
at assistive technology, there are reasons why schools should not
be looked at as the only source of funding . First, when a school
system buys a piece of technology, they retain ownership. If the
student moves or transitions out of school, the technology  will
stay. Second, a school is only required to look at educational
outcomes. Considering additional resources may result in
technologies that have more generalized benefits.
Early Intervention Services
This program, Part H of IDEA, serves the needs of infants and
toddlers aged birth to three and is unique in a couple of ways.
First, it not only targets infants and toddlers, but also
addresses the needs of their families. Second, services including
Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Speech Therapy, and
Assistive Technology  can all be funded on their own merits, as
stand alone services.
Medicaid / EPSDT 
Medicaid is one of the largest untapped sources of funding
technology for children. Many local school systems are becoming
medicaid approved vendors of services and can be paid by Medicaid
for providing certain services under the EPSDT (Early & Periodic
Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment) Program. EPSDT is a special
program that makes available to children below the age of 21 the
full range of  federal Medicaid options regardless of which
options a state chooses to pay for.  Services include, but are
not limited to: physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech
therapy, and audiological examinations. Assistive technology can
be considered as a treatment.
DORS 
(Division of Rehabilitation Services)
When a student is between the ages of 14 and 16, transition plans
should start. DORS must be considered in developing future plans,
and as a potential funding source  forassistive technology that
may be necessary to implement those plans. 
Private Insurance
Use of private insurance is a voluntary choice. A school system
cannot require parents to  
 use insurance to pay for technology or services. Sometimes
parents do choose to use private insurance for a variety of good
reasons.  Considerations to keep in mind:
_is there an annual or lifetime cap on coverage ?
_will this affect future insurability?
 will this affect future insurance costs?
Business / Civic partnerships
Many local schools are building partnerships with businesses,
industries or civic organizations. These partnerships can be a
valuable resource for the purchase of assistive technology,
especially technology that will be shared by more that one
student. 
For additional information about funding assistive technology
devices and services, contact Pat Ourand,  MD TAP Funding
Specialist at: 
1-800-TECH-TAP.

Friends LINC
Learning INdependence through Computers (LINC), Maryland's
Alliance for Technology Access site will be hosting Friends LINC,
a computer club for children aged 8 - 14. The club, for children
with and without disabilities, will begin in late October and run
for 5 weekend sessionsat their center, in Baltimore. During the
club,members will use computers for creative writing, art and
music . 
For details on how to participate, call LINC at 410-659-5462.

Page 5
Partnerships for Technology in Education 
As more and more assistive technology (A.T.) is utilized in the
classroom, the need for local expertise becomes greater and
greater. In and around Maryland there are several organizations
doing an exemplary job in increasing local and regional skills in
A.T. 
In Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Center,
now called PennTECH, provides in-service training on device use
and implementation strategies. Additionally, PennTECH has two
"high tech" A.T. labs where monthly workshops on augmentative
communication and computer access are scheduled, as well as a
short term equipment loan program. The Pennsylvania 'Tech Act'
program, Pennsylvania Initiative for Assistive Technology (PIAT)
will be working with PennTECH to broaden their equipment loan
program. Contact information for PennTech can be found on page
three of this issue.
In Delaware, the Delaware Assistive Technology Initiative is
working with the Special Education Department to be sure their
new Administration Manual use appropriate language that promotes
the use of A.T.
In Maryland, the State Department of Education (MSDE) has joined
forces with the Johns Hopkins University (JHU) for the delivery
of training and technical assistance for assistive and
instructive technology. The Center for Technology in Education
(CTE) is a partnership between MSDE and JHU dedicated to the
advancement of children and young adults with special needs. To
increase expertise in A.T.,  CTE hosts an annual summer seminar
series held on four Wednesdays in July focusing on using
technology in education. In addition to large group training, 
local educators, therapists and parents receive training as they
work side by side with CTE teams both in local schools throughout
the state and at CTEs Baltimore center through modeled
intervention training. CTE is working with statewide Directors of
Special Education to identify barriers and issues related to
current legislation and to develop strategies to meet the A.T.
device and service needs of children with special needs. In
addition to new technology, CTE is conducting a research study
with MSDE to determine the economic and educational viability of
computers recycled from business and government. 
Contact information for CTE can be found on page three of this
issue.

Funding Strategies for Assistive Technology
Audiotape albums from MD TAP's Funding Seminar held June 5, 1993
at Deep Creek Lake are now available.
Call 1-800-TECH-TAP

Page 6
Marylands TAP Team
Technology Assistance Program
Executive Director:  Mary Brady
Assistant Director: Pat Ourand
Administrative Coordinator: Maureen Holder
Office for Individuals with Disabilities
Box 10, One Market Center
300 W. Lexington Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201   

Technology Demonstration Center 
1-800-TECH-TAP
Director: Bud Rizer
Information Specialist: Jim Corey
Sensory Aid Specialist: Sheri Gelvar
Funding Specialist: Pat Ourand
Administrative Specialist: Dave Poehlman
Secretary: Hope Sanders
Technical Support: Teresa McCoy

Regional Technology Specialists
Western Maryland: Rick Metheny
The Brandenburg Center, Cumberland      301-777-2373
(Monday)
The Potomac Center, Hagerstown
301-791-4626 (M - F)
1-800-99-WMTAP

Eastern Shore: Janet Parke
The Holly Center, Salisbury
410-546-2181  ext 273

Our December, 1993 issue will focus on Seniors & Independent
Living. If you have specific areas you'd like to see addressed,
write Tapping Technology,   Box 10 One Market Center 300 W.
Lexington Street, Baltimore, MD 21201 or call 1-800-TECH-TAP

Tapping Technology is available in large print, on disk, in
braille and on audiotape. Call 1-800-TECH-TAP to request an
alternate format. Tapping Technology is a publication of the
Maryland Technology Assistance Program. MD TAP is a federally
funded project of the National Institute for Disability and
Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), Grant No. H224A90019-91. MD TAP
is governed under the provisions of Public Law 100-407 (1988),
and is provided as a cooperative service of the Governor's Office
for Individuals with Disabilities, William Donald Schaefer,
Governor. MD TAP provides information on available products,
devices, services and other resources to assist individuals with
disabilities. No endorsements of these products, devices,
services or resources are intended
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