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Labor and Employment

Disabilities and Employment

President Signs the Assistive Technology Act of 2004
(HR 4278)

On October 26, 2004, President Bush signed the Assistive Technology Act of 2004 (HR 4278), which will ensure that individuals with disabilities throughout the United States and its territories have access to the technology they need to help them be independent in school, at home, the workplace and in the community. The Act supports the continuance of state assistive technology act programs and eliminates the sunset provision for state programs. The Act also supports state grants for protection and advocacy programs related to assistive technology and national activities such as a national public awareness tool-kit, research and development, technical assistance and training, data collection and a national public internet site. (Source: Assistive Technology Act Programs)

Specifically, the Assistive Technology Act of 2004:

• Strengthens the existing successful state Assistive Technology programs.
  
• Authorizes additional resources so each state will receive $410,000 minimum for the state program and $50,000 minimum for protection and advocacy services.
  
• Ensures that technology will be available where people need it - in schools, on the job and in the community- by refocusing training and technical assistance and emphasizing the provisions of assistive technology devices and services.
  
• Requires programs to provide device demonstration, equipment loan, device reutilization/recycling and financing systems such as low interest loan programs.
  
• Focuses on training and technical assistance to improve service planning for individuals with disabilities and ensure that service providers have information on assistive technology.
  
• Requires states to focus on two populations: students with disabilities receiving transition services and adults with disabilities maintaining or transitioning to community living.  This aligns the Act with recent federal priorities, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Americans with Disabilities integration mandate in the Olmstead decision.
  
• Authorizes projects of national significance to increase public awareness and encourage research and development.
  
• Improves technical assistance, data collection and the public internet site.

 

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