Overview

Learn about the innovative suite of ACCESS Tools that we are building to help individuals with disabilities find assistive technology (AT) solutions, strategies and accommodations needed for working, living, learning and playing. The ACCESS Tools are utilizing the best practices in data modeling, machine learning, predictive analytics / algorithms, and crowd sourcing, built upon up-to-date information from experts within the AT community. The Work ACCESS and ACCESS for Aging Well tools help assess an individual’s need for AT or accommodations. These tools link to the AT Network, a community of practice on AT and host of the national AT database.

Content Disclosure: Georgia Tech has developed ACCESS Tools to help people make AT decisions. This presentation will focus exclusively on these online tools and will not include information on other related resources.

Learning Objectives

1. Describe three scenarios for how the Work ACCESS and ACCESS for Aging Well assessment tools can be used to help determine AT solutions.
2. Describe two features of the AT Network that can be used to help determine AT solutions.
3. Identify three elements of the ACCESS Tools that make them different from other AT resources.

Strand(s)

Assistive Technology for Physical Access and Participation; Transition and Workplace Accessibility

Target Audience

AT Specialists; Caregivers; Consumers/Individuals with Disabilities; Disability Services; Family Members; Occupational Therapists; Rehabilitation Counselor; Speech-Language Pathologists; Transition Coordinator; Vocational Rehabilitation

Experience Level

Intermediate

Primary Life Cycle Addressed

Higher Education; Adult/Senior

Session Delivery Format

In-person presentation with live-stream

Course Schedule

This course was given at the ATIA 2024 Conference on Thursday, January 25 from 2:15 PM - 3:15 PM (EST)

Continuing Education Credits

For Satisfactory Completion and Continuing Education information, please visit: ATIA Online Education CEUs

This course is offered for the following CE Provider Credits:
ACVREP; AOTA; ASHA; CRC; IACET
For: 0.10 CEU Units or 1.0 CEU Hours

Speaker/s:

Karen Milchus, MS

CIDI, Georgia Tech, Senior Research Engineer

Biography

Karen Milchus, MS, is a senior research engineer at Georgia Tech’s Center for Inclusive Design & Innovation. Her research focuses on identifying and providing accommodations to employees and students with disabilities, with a particular focus on computer-based solutions. Her research has included studies on the use and effectiveness of accommodations and universal design in the workplace, development of resources to help people make accommodation choices, studies on how to make science experiments accessible to students with disabilities, and development of training for rehabilitation professionals. Karen has provided AT services to state vocational rehabilitation agencies in Georgia and Wisconsin. She is active in RESNA, an interdisciplinary association for the advancement of rehabilitation and assistive technologies.

Relevant Financial Relationship: Yes
Karen Milchus is a Senior Research Engineer, employed by the Georgia Institute of Technology. Her research projects are funded by Georgia Tech., and by grants from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Relevant Non-Financial Relationship: Yes
Ms. Milchus serves as a member of RESNA's Research Committee.

Maureen Linden, MS

CIDI, Georgia Tech, Interim Executive Director

Biography

Maureen Linden, MS is the Interim Executive Director and a Principal Research Engineer at Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation (CIDI) and has 30 years’ experience in rehabilitation and assistive technology research, development, and service delivery. Ms. Linden is the Principal Investigator of the Assistive Tech Network (AT Network) and Access for AgingWell. She holds electrical and biomedical engineering degrees from the University of Virginia. She is the Immediate-Past President of RESNA.

Relevant Financial Relationship: Yes
Maureen Linden is employed by the Georgia Institute of Technology, where she is the Interim Executive Director for the Center for Inclusive Design & Innovation. Her research is funded by grants from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Relevant Non-Financial Relationship: Yes
Maureen Linden is the Immediate Past President of RESNA.