The Association of Blind Citizens has established the Assistive Technology
Fund. The Assistive
Technology Fund (ATF) will provide funds to cover 50%of the retail price of
adaptive devices or
software. The ABC board of directors believes that this program will allow blind
and visually impaired
individuals access to technology products that will have a significant impact
on improving employment
opportunities, increase the level of independence and enhance their overall
quality of life. The products
covered by this program must retail for a minimum of $200 with a maximum retail
price of $6000.
Persons eligible to apply for assistance must have a family income of less than
$50,000 and cash assets of
less than $20,000. Applications will be reviewed by the Assistive Technology
Committee (ATC) and
recommendations will be submitted for board approval. If applicants are selected
to receive a technology
grant, applicants will be asked to provide documents such as tax returns, bank
statements and any other
documents that the ABC board or it s designee would deem necessary to assess
financial need for the
grant. Applicants must be legally blind and the grantee must be a resident of
the United States.
Applications must be submitted by June 30, September 30 and December 31 for
each grant period (three
per year). Applicants will be notified if their request for a grant is approved.
Applicants may submit one
request per calendar year. All applications must be submitted via e-mail in
accordance with the procedures
outlined on the ABC website. You will be notified by ABC within 45 days after
the application deadline.
To learn more and obtain your application please visit http://assocofblindcitizens.org/assistive.html
This site offers information, ideas, and software related to the theme of empowerment
-- helping
individuals and communities achieve self-actualization and full citizenship.
In this website look for the:
Table of Contents/Technology / funding section. I have listed the Funding topics
for you below:
Funding
Series of answers to frequently asked questions about financing assistive technology
products and services
that enable people with disabilities
How to Choose Assistive Technology
Accessing Assistive Technology
Financial Assistance for Assistive Technology
Introduction to Funding Resources from the National Rehabilitation Information
Center
"But, We Don't Have the Money ..." (Or as It Should Be "The Check's
in the Mail ...")
Strategies for funding assistive technology through collaboration
Common Funding Excuses related to Computers and Environmental Control Devices
Social Security as a Source of Assistive Technology Funding
Tax Law Provides Subsidy for Assistive Technology
Funding Closed Circuit Televisions Through Medical Insurance
Compilation of tips on funding assistive technology through private health care
insurance
What Health Insurers Should Know About Assistive Technology
Compilation of articles about assistive technology and the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act
Compilation of articles about assistive technology and the Rehabilitation Act
Compilation of articles on assistive technology by Robert Williams
List of foundations that may fund assistive technology
Resource Guide to Federal Funding for Technology in Education
Download Family Guide to Assistive Technology
Download Financing Assistive Technology: A Handbook for
Rehabilitation Professionals
Specializing in high-quality, readily available, on-line training for blind
and visually impaired computer
users, ATI is setting the standards that others hope to follow. Cutting edge,
live, voice-chat, technology
allows Access Technology Trainers from around the world to participate in the
classes and seminars
offered in our virtual classrooms.
? Resources and References
? Reference Cards for Popular Applications
5650 South Windermere Street
Littleton, CO 80120
Phone: 303-795-6455 ~ Fax: 303-795-6425
E-mail bsistore@beyondsight.com
www.beyondsight.com
This company provides several services, including a store of
computers, notetakers, and low-tech equipment. It has sales and
a used items page. It offers
training and support with online chat rooms, etc. It claims to
be the only company offering financing on its entire product
line.
"Beyond Sight Inc. is proud to offer its customers financing on
all of its products. Our financing comes with a 90 day same as
cash and over two years. What this means is that after you're
approved, and you pick up the equipment, you don't have to make
any payments for 3 full months. If you make a full payment
within the above mentioned time period, you will not be charged
any interest. You also will not be charged any interest on any
payments you make during those 90 days. Our financing is also
available to people with low income if they have a qualified
co-signer, or if they are on a PASS plan. Print out our Credit
Application and start the process today. Fill the application
out, and mail it to Beyond Sight, Inc., 5650 South Windermere
St., Littleton, CO 80120 or Fax it to 303-795-6425. For more information, please
don't hesitate to call us at
(303)795-6455, or E-mail us at bsistore@beyondsight.com"
Many organizations of and for the blind offer scholarships. As
you will see below, a good place to get a list of most of them is from
Blindskills, at
www.blindskills.com
Some of the most useful are from ACB, NFB, AFB, and RFB&D.
Their respective web sites are:
www.acb.org
www.nfb.org
www.afb.org
www.rfbd.org
The organizations give out many different scholarships, so you
need to research which ones apply to your situation. Some must
be used toward tuition, but many are open-ended and can be used
to purchase technology. Recording for the Blind and Dyslectic's
Owenslager Scholastic Achievement award is given to college
seniors. You should begin looking into that one in your junior
year.
Freedom Scientific just started a program that gives
students up to $2,000 toward purchasing any Freedom
Scientific products. (not that it would help much, but
maybe you could get upgrades and service agreements.)
There's a home page, but you get more information
from the overview page at
www.freedomscientific.com/fs_news/scholarshipinfo/overview.htm
Here's a little from that page:
Freedom Scientific will award $101,000 in technology
scholarships annually, beginning in 2002, to 50 students
who are legally blind in the U.S. and Canada
at the college and graduate school level. Commencing in
the 2001-2002 school year, the awards will be in the
form of vouchers to be applied toward the
purchase of any products of the recipient's choosing
from Freedom's broad line of hardware, software,
accessories, training and tutorials. Freedom Scientific
is the world's leading producer of technology-based
products for people who are blind or vision-impaired.
The program is designed to give more students
access to the technology they will need to succeed in
their future studies, careers, and everyday lives.
The scholarship pool of $101,000 will be segmented into
college and graduate school divisions. In the U.S.
College Division, open to high school seniors
who are blind and intending to pursue higher
education, a total of $80,000 will be awarded to 40
students. Four Partnering Organizations in the U.S. will
each award $20,000 to ten students in individual
amounts of $2,500 or $1,500. In Canada, $10,500 (U.S.
Dollar equivalent) will be awarded in similar amounts
to five high school seniors. In the Graduate School
Division, a total of $10,500 will be granted to five college
graduates in the U.S. or Canada who are
blind and are planning to pursue post-graduate,
advanced degree programs. Altogether, Freedom
Scientific scholarships totaling $101,000 will help 50
students
get access to the assistive technology they need to
continue their educational programs.
Blindskills, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation, based in Salem, Oregon, that
publishes DIALOGUE, a
magazine written specifically for persons who are blind or are experiencing
sight loss.
Their address is: Blindskills, Inc., P.O. Box 5181, Salem, OR 97304-0181, (800)
860-4224 or Phone:
(503) 581-4224 Fax: (503) 581-0178 e-Mail: blindskl@teleport.com
The home page has several links of interest. There's a very comprehensive list
of scholarships for visually impaired students.
Another link lists computer groups.
We will end with the list you get when you go to the link called Other Visual
Impairment-Related Links.
Web Pages:
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