NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND RESOURCES

Disclaimer
The listings in the CCDHH Information Center represent a sample of the information resources available. Listings generally appear in alphabetic order by name of organization. These listing should not be taken as an endorsement or recommendation of individual organizations or vendors, nor should omission from these listings imply lack of approval. These materials are offered for informational purposes. Links to resources on the Internet are provided for the convenience of visitors to these pages; CCDHH attempts to verify the accuracy of the listings and links, but makes no warranty as to the accuracy or timeliness of content or information on other sites. We encourage consumers to explore these resources for their own purposes and contact the organizations involved to ask questions specific to their needs. This website is a living resource and is updated regularly. We welcome feedback on the usefulness of these materials and suggestions for additional resources to list. To suggest items for inclusion, or to correct errors, please contact the Web Manager at Deaf.Commission@cdhs.state.co.us.

ABLEDATA
8630 Fenton Street, Suite 930
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Toll Free: 1-800-227-0216
Fax: (301) 608-8958
TTY: (301)608-8912
ABLEDATA is a federally funded project whose primary mission is to provide information on assistive technology and rehabilitation equipment to consumers, organizations, professionals, and caregivers. (Funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research of the U.S. Department of Education.) The ABLEDATA database contains information on more than 30,000 assistive technology products (over 20,000 of which are currently available), from white canes to voice output programs; it contains detailed descriptions of each product including price and company information. The database also contains information on non-commercial prototypes, customized and one-of-a-kind products, and do-it-yourself designs. This resource covers AT for all disabilities; users can search the database in five ways: by keyword, product type, company, brand name, and Boolean search (using and, or, not, etc.)
Website: www.abledata.com

The Alliance for Technology Access
1304 Southpoint Boulevard, Suite 240
Petaluma, CA 94954
Voice: (707) 778-3011
TTY: (707) 778-3015
Fax: (707) 765-2080
Email: ATAinfo@ATAccess.org
Website: www.ataccess.org/resources
Headquartered in Petaluma, CA, the Alliance for Technology Access is a national network of assistive technology resource centers, individual and organizational associates, and technology vendors and developers. The ATA works on the national and local levels, promoting a consumer-directed service model. The ATA recognizes the changing need for technology over the course of a person's life, and therefore serve people of all ages and all disabilities. The ATA also works with technology companies to ensure the best and most accessible products possible. Resources include:

Alliance for Technology Access Resources Library
The Alliance for Technology Access (ATA) is a network of community-based Resource Centers, Developers, Vendors and Associates dedicated to providing information and support services to children and adults with disabilities, and increasing their use of standard, assistive, and information technologies." The Access Aware: Extending Your Reach to People with Disabilities Manual, covering a variety of disabilities, is available from this site.
Website:www.ataccess.org/resources

Computer and Web Resources for People with Disabilities
This book brings together user-friendly support, information, and up-to-date answers to all your questions, including: how to make use of conventional, assistive, and information technologies; real-life stories about people of all ages and disabilities who are using technology successfully; a "toolbox" section with the latest computer technology, including screen enhancements, speech synthesizers, and customized keyboards; and a full list of support organizations, vendors, publications, and online resources to contact for more information.
Website: www.ataccess.org/resources/atabook/default.html

Access Aware: Extending your Reach to People with Disabilities
This comprehensive resource for individuals and organizations provides real-world ideas and templates to help you implement a Technology Accessibility Plan for your organization or community. This manual covers all disabilities; of particular interest to Deaf and Hard of Hearing people is Chapter 3: Communication Access.
Website: www.ataccess.org/resources/acaw/default.html

Starting Points: An Introduction to Creating Access in Community-Based Organizations
This is a 15-page companion and starter piece for the Access Aware manual. This easy-to-use guide was developed to help community-based organizations take those critical first steps on the road to accessibility (available on the website and in PDF format).
Website: www.ataccess.org/resources/acaw/startingpoints.html

Vendors
The ATA provides a list of 83 developers and distributors of assistive technology devices and software who are vendor partners of the Alliance for Technology Access, with an overview of each company's products. The vendors work collaboratively with ATA centers and those who visit the centers, to assist in explorations for solutions for people. They also receive information from ATA centers that may lead to the development of new features in product upgrades or entirely new products.
Website: www.ataccess.org/community/vendors.lasso

Solving Interference Problems Affecting Infrared Assistive Listening Devices  
http://www.alds.com/Lit/AN006A.pdf  

Closing The Gap: Computer Technology in Special Education and Rehabilitation
Closing the Gap was founded by the parents of a deaf child to address issues relating to education and computer technology use for people with disabilities. The organization publishes the Closing the Gap newspaper six times a year, which highlights hardware and software products for people with special needs, and explains how this technology is being implemented in education, rehabilitation, and vocational settings around the world. A quote from the website:

Closing The Gap Resource Directory

The Closing The Gap Resource Directory is published once a year in the February/March issue of Closing The Gap. This product guide was developed to assist parents and professionals in the selection of computer-related products and services for children and adults with special needs. The print version may be purchased separately from the newspaper subscription, and an on-line version of the Resource Directory, with search capabilities and other features, is available by membership in Closing the Gap's "Solutions" program.
Website: www.closingthegap.com/home/aboutctg2.html  

Deaf Resource Center
Assistive Listening Device Catalog, USA
The Deaf Resource Center maintains an annotated list of equipment and services for people who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.
Website: www.deafbiz.com/links/assistivelisteningdevice-catalog-usa.html

Technology and People with Hearing Loss
Describes different types of technology, what it is for, how it works, who uses it.
Website: www.hearinglossweb.com/Technology/technology.htm

Companies that Make or Sell Assistive Listening Devices
Website: www.hearinglossweb.com/res/ald/ald.htm

The Institute of Disabilities Research and Training
11323 Amherst Avenue
Wheaton, Maryland 20902
Voice/TTY: (301) 942-4326 (V/TTY)
Fax: (301) 942-4439 (FAX)
Email: idrt@idrt.com
The Institute for Disabilities Research and Training, Inc. (IDRT) was established in 1986 to provide research, development, training, and technical assistance to organizations that serve, or are composed of members of special interest populations. Approximately 2/3 of the staff is deaf, and approximately 90% of the company's work focuses on topics related to persons with disabilities. IDRT has conducted a number of projects for the U.S. Department of Education on technology and services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing people; see the project list at About Us on the website. This page also lists research and development services IDRT offers, and current projects are listed on the Grants and Contracts page.
Website: www.idrt.com

The Listen Up Web
The site features a comprehensive description of assistive technology for Deaf and Hard of Hearing people, covering everything from batteries to cochlear implants. Information is presented in an accessible, easy-to-understand format, and includes links to additional articles, information, and vendors. Categories include alerting devices, captioning, assistive listening devices and systems, telecommunication options, and computers. Other helpful lists include When You Travel, State Resources, and Resources for Used Equipment.
Website: www.listen-up.org/edu/assist.htm

National Center for Hearing Assistive Technology
The National Center for Hearing Assistive Technology (NCHAT), in partnership with Self-Help for Hard of Hearing People, Inc. (SHHH), promotes the use of technology to maximize the residual hearing of people who are hard of hearing, late deafened, or deaf. This web page contains an Index of Articles Available from the Center, sorted by subject: Cochlear Implants, Hearing Aids, and Other Technology Issues. There is an overview article on Hearing Assistive Technology. A list of Featured Articles keeps readers up-to-date on current issues (such as Communication Access During a Power Outage or Financial Assistance for Hearing Aids and Hearing Assistive Technology). The site also has a comprehensive list of links to sources of assistive technology (see below).
Website: www.hearingloss.org/hat

Annual HAT Training and Outreach Program
SHHH and the Gallaudet University Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Hearing Enhancement (RERC-HE), provides an annually intensive regional training program and follow-up services about hearing assistive technology to SHHH members from specific states. Participants in this training agree to provide local outreach efforts about hearing assistive technology. This program began in 2004, and SHHH members from Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont attended on-site training in Rochester New York.
Website: hearingloss.org/hat/SHHH_RERC_HAT.htm

Hearing Assistive Technology Manufacturers and Vendors
This list of assistive technology (AT) sources identifies equipment and information sources by categories: AT vendors, manufacturers, and distributors; cochlear implant devices and accessories; hearing aids and accessories; FM, Infrared, or Induction Loop assistive listening systems; alerting systems; TTY hardware, software, and accessories; amplified phones and accessories; and speech-to-text technology (such as captioning).
Website: hearingloss.org/hat/HATequipment.htm

What is Hearing Assistive Technology?
This introductory essay briefly describes the kinds of assistive devices used by hard of hearing and deaf people.
Website: hearingloss.org/hat/hearing_assistive_technology_o.html

Starting Out with Hearing Assistive Technology
This essay presents four types of AT-assistive listening, alerting, telecommunications, and visual communication-and includes self-test and needs-assessment information.
Website: hearingloss.org/hat/description.html

Assistive Listening Devices
Descriptions of the different categories of devices that assist Deaf and Hard of Hearing people, and tips on getting the best results from them.
Website: hearingloss.org/hat/assistive_listening_devices.HTM

Alerting Devices and Systems
This article explains the use of devices such as telephone ring signalers; door bell, door knock, baby cry, and smoke alarms; weather radio warnings; vibrating watches and wake-up clocks; and security alarms. It includes both stand-alone devices or integrated alerting systems.
Website: hearingloss.org/hat/alerting_devices.html

Smoke Alarms: What Consumers with Hearing Loss Should Know
What happens if there is a fire in your home, dorm, hotel room or workplace? If the alarm sounds, will you be alerted?
Website: hearingloss.org/hat/rossmulvanyso03final.HTM

Preparing for Communication Access During Power Outages: Equipment Needs
People with hearing loss are especially at risk of losing communication access during power outages since the devices we use for communication access generally require power in some form. This article suggests equipment that can help preserve your ability to receive information about emergencies and to communicate with others.
Website: hearingloss.org/hat/communications_access_during_p.HTM

The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) on Hearing Enhancement
This national project, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, is conducting research programs that promote technological solutions to problems confronting people who are hard of hearing. The RERC on Hearing Enhancement addresses accessibility problems of hard-of-hearing individuals by developing and evaluating cost-effective technological aids for the various groups of people with hearing loss according to their needs (e.g. people with moderate hearing losses, people with severe or profound hearing losses, young children, older adults and people with both vision and hearing loss). The project has 8 main projects, runs from 2003 to 2008, and is a partnership between Gallaudet University and the City University of New York Graduate Center. It conducts research, holds seminars and training sessions, disseminates the results of our research, and provides information to users on amplification and assistive technology.
Website: www.hearingresearch.org

Tech Connections
Tech Connections is a collaborative project of the United Cerebral Palsy Associations, the Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access at the Georgia Institute of Technology, and the Southeast Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center.

The website offers a wealth of resources, including Online Assistive Technology Tutorials, Tech Connections Resource Guides, the Assistive Technology Quick Reference Series, a monthly newsletter, a quarterly Case Study Bulletin, training materials, case studies and examples of AT applications sorted by type of work, by disability, and by product type. The site also offers technical assistance, and has a section on legislation and policy issues.
Website: www.techconnections.org

Also:
Assistive Technology Catalogs for Hearing Impairments
www.techconnections.org/resources/guides/HI_Catalog.cfm
Email Discussion Lists
www.techconnections.org/resources/guides/Listservs.cfm