TECHNOLOGY

Pennsylvania's Assistive Technology Lending Library Policies and Procedures

Device Loans to Pre-Service Professionals for Class Projects

It is important that all of our future service providers—educators, therapists, physicians, architects, information technology professionals and others—understand the scope and potential of assistive technology (AT) to improve the lives of persons with disabilities. Accordingly, pre-service professionals (e.g. undergraduates in education; masters' degree students in speech-language pathology) are eligible to borrow devices for assistive technology-related projects from Pennsylvania's Assistive Technology Lending Library (AT Lending Library). Providing "hands-on" experiences to college/university students can be an effective to introduce AT.

The demand for devices from college/university students must not interfere with the primary goal of the AT Lending Library – to help individuals with disabilities make a decision about what assistive devices they need or want. Faculty is discouraged from requiring each student to borrow multiple items. Generally, the AT Lending Library operates on a first come-first served principle, EXCEPT that borrowers with disabilities will always receive priority over requests by service providers and pre-service professionals when the purpose of the loan is for personal knowledge rather than use with an individual with disabilities.

These policies have been developed in order to accommodate higher education faculty and their students and provide them with important AT experiences while assuring that the AT Lending Library is still able to meet the needs of Pennsylvanians with disabilities and older Pennsylvanians.

The AT Lending Library encourages faculty to consider the following alternatives, which can expedite the process by minimizing the number of requests and increasing the chances that the requests can be accommodated:

1. The faculty member or instructor may borrow one or more "Helping Tools" kits or the "General Demonstration" kit. These kits are comprised of many different low to mid-tech items, usually packaged in one or two large cases. They have been designed for instructional use rather than for device trial by people with disabilities. Except in the case of very large classes, there should be sufficient items to have students experience a range of devices by borrowing just one or two kits. The Instructor signs as the responsible party on the Device Loan Request Form (Request Form), and is responsible for the replacement cost of any items not returned. Note: These kits can be reserved at least two weeks in advance of date needed, and the date needed should be indicated on the Request Form.


2. The instructor develops, with his/her students, a list of devices and/or kits to be shared among the entire class, and requests them all on one Request Form. The Instructor accepts responsibility for all devices. If the Instructor is notified that an item is not available, s/he will make an alternate choice from the Equipment Catalog. If more than five devices are needed, the Instructor must discuss this with his/her regional assistive technology resource center (ATRC) contact to obtain approval to borrow the additional devices.


3. Students may be assigned to work in small groups, borrowing two devices or one kit PER GROUP. Each group will complete a Request Form, and one student from the group will be the primary contact person and the responsible party.

Regardless of the option selected, PLEASE MAKE THE REQUEST AT LEAST TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE OF WHEN THE DEVICES ARE NEEDED.

EXCEPTION: If a student is borrowing a device in order to work with an individual with a disability (as well as fulfill a class assignment), the name and information of the person with a disability (the Recipient) and not the student's information should be in Section 1 of the Request Form. If a person with a disability will be using the device, the regular policies regarding loans to people with disabilities will apply.

September, 2006

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