The mission of TnT is threefold:

1
(No Transcript)
2
Mission
The mission of TnT is threefold (1) to study
prevalence, policy and resources, individualized
decision making, training and support and other
factors related to use of assistive technology
(AT) devices and services in early
intervention. (2) to disseminate current
knowledge and research findings in timely ways to
families, multidiscipline EI providers,
administrators, educators ad policymakers using a
variety of methods and approaches. (3) to partner
with parents of children with disabilities, with
individuals with disabilities, in the design and
implementation of the national research program.
3
(No Transcript)
4
Institute Research Questions

• Understanding AT use prevalence
• Policy and resources for AT in EI
• Understanding improving decision making,
  assessment, typical practices
• Identifying implementing effective training
  resources for system change
• Identifying understanding funding resources

5
Studies
6
Studies

• Policy Studies
• Part C Survey (n 42 Part C Coordinators)
• Tech Act Directors Interview (n 46 State Tech
  Act Directors)
• State Document Analysis (n 28 states)
• Profile of State Characteristics Training
  Summary (n 51)
• Lending Library Survey (n 39)
• Indicator Instrument (in process)
• Parents
• National Parent Phone Survey (n 924 parents of
  children under 3 years of age 845 whose children
  had used AT)
• National Parent Web-Based Survey (n 569)
• Practitioners
• National EI Practitioner Phone Survey (n
  967)
• National Follow-Up Survey (n 450 who
  participated in the initial study
• National EI Practitioner Web-Based Survey (n
  616)

7
Studies

• Evidence-Based Practices review (115 articles
  from 1980-2003 38 contained empirical evidence
  about practices)
• Providers self efficacy about AT for infants and
  toddlers (n86)
• State Implementation Study
• N 22 states (- Miss)
• N 26 sites ( Miss)
• N 91 interdisciplinary service providers
• N 234 parents
• N 234 infants and toddlers

8
Understanding AT Use Prevalence

9

• 4 of infants/toddlers nationally have AT listed
  on their IFSPs (DOE Report to Congress, 2004)
  this number shown little change over the years.
• Approximately 4 of infants toddlers in the
  NEILS sample were reported to be receiving AT
  services
• 18.1 of providers sampled believed that all
  children on their caseloads who needed AT were
  receiving it 15.7 reported that none of the
  children who needed AT were receiving it.

10
Infants Toddlers with AT on Their IFSP
11
(Part C Coordinators)
12
(Part C Coordinators)
13
What Do These National Data Tell Us?

• AT is not likely to be listed as a service or
  device on the IFSPs of infants and toddlers.
• Use, as recorded on the IFSP under the AT
  category has remained stable. However, this
  still doesnt provide us with information about
  the extent of underutilization.
• There is wide variability in definitions of AT
  devices across the states

14
Understanding AT Policy Resources

15
(No Transcript)
16
(No Transcript)
17
Availability of AT ResourcesPart C Coordinators
18
(No Transcript)
19
Availability of AT Resources

• Providers --
• 23.6 reported a lot of AT resources in their
  communities 27.6 reported only a few or no
  resources
• 49.6 reported access to loan library
• Parents --
• 34.1 reported access to loan library (23.8 did
  not know if library existed)
• Tech Act Directors --
• 60.7 reported either state-wide or regional
  lending libraries available for infants
  toddlers
• Lending Library Directors --
• 28 (72) report making infants and toddlers

20
Identifying implementing effective training
resources for system change
21
(No Transcript)
22
Type of Training Program/ Intended Audience
Reported by Tech Act Directors
In- service
EI Providers
EIs/ Families
Pre-service
Service Providers
EI Related Service Providers
Families
23
Sponsors of the Training Programs
24
State Level Collaboration
25
How well does your state AT project work with the
states Part C system?
26
Identifying understanding funding resources
27
(No Transcript)
28
Understanding improving decision making,
assessment, typical practices
29
Overview of Surveys

• Practitioner Questionnaire and Follow-up
  Practitioner Questionnaire
• State Coordinator and Deaf-Blind Program
  Coordinators Survey
• 2nd Provider Follow-Up Study

30
Overview of Surveys and Samples

• Practitioner Survey 1
• National Sample of 967 multi-discipline
  professionals who worked with a minimum of 3
  children per week
• 23-item questionnaire conducted through phone
  interview
• Provider demographic information
• Perceptions and definitions of AT
• Prevalence and use of AT
• Influences on AT decision-making process

31
Overview of Surveys and Samples

• Practitioner Follow-up Survey
• A follow-up survey including 424 of the
  multi-discipline professionals who participated
  in 1st survey and agreed to be re-contacted.
• 43-item questionnaire conducted through phone
  interview
• Provider demographic information
• Training and education experience in AT
• Decision-making What would you do?

32
Overview of Surveys and Samples

• Deaf-Blind Program Coordinator Survey
• 36 state directors/coordinators for programs for
  children who are deaf-blind
• Representing 30 different states Puerto Rico
• 30-item questionnaire A combination of
  practitioner surveys 1 and follow-up
• Demographic information
• Perceptions and definitions of AT
• Decision-making What would you do?

33
Overview of Surveys and Samples

• State Coordinators
• Same survey as the practitioner follow-up survey
• Provider demographic information
• Training and education experience in AT
• Decision-making What would you do?
• 31 providers representing 21 different states
• Nearly all female (1 male)
• Disciplines OT, PT, SLP, CDS, Early childhood
  education, AT specialist, Special Education,
  Social work, Education, Service coordinator,
  Family support studies.

34
Under What Conditions Are Providers Most Likely
to Recommend AT?
35
Provider Decision-Making
36
Decision-Making

• Providers reported decision-making about when to
  use AT generally reflects current views about
  best practices for infants and toddlers who may
  need AT
• Families and providers beliefs about AT are
  concordant with one exception prerequisite
  skills for AT. This likely reflects a gap
  between parent and provider decision making
  processes
• Policy and procedures were not a strong factor
  that providers would consider in their decision
  making processes

37
Providers Decision-making

• What would you do?..
• Playing with toys
• Dressing
• Crawling and Walking
• Bathing
• Vocalizing
• Eating and Drinking

38
Case Example 1 Child can hold but not manipulate
toys
39
Case Example 2 Child is unable to participate in
dressing
40
Case Example 3 Child can not get around by
crawling or walking
41
Case Example 4 Child unable to sit up for bathing
42
Case Example 5 Child is struggling not talking
and struggling to vocalize
43
Case Example 6 Child can not eat or drink
without assistance
44
Training
45
Overview of Surveys and Samples

• 2nd Provider Follow-Up Study
• 616 providers
• 45 states
• 21 Item web-based survey
• Demographics
• Activity and Routine Situations

46
(No Transcript)
47
Primary Setting where Services are Provided
48
(No Transcript)
49
(No Transcript)
50
(No Transcript)
51
Visit our web site
http//tnt_at_asu.edu