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HISTORY OF THE OKLAHOMA ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY CENTER (OATC)

In 1991, the Division of Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Allied Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center received a three-year grant from the Developmental Disabilities Council to open the Oklahoma Positioning and Mobility Center (OPMC). The Center provided positioning and mobility services for Oklahomans with developmental disabilities. In addition, the OPMC developed a contract with the SoonerStart Early Intervention Program (0-3 years) through the Oklahoma State Department of Health to provide positioning and mobility services to infants and toddlers.

Within months of its opening, the OPMC identified the need to expand services, covering all areas of assistive technology, including positioning and mobility, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), computer access (CA), and in a limited scope, architectural modifications (AM). With this vision, the OPMC, negotiated a contract with the Department of Human Services (DHS), Developmental Disabilities Services Division (DDSD) to fund a center which offered comprehensive assistive technology services.

The Oklahoma Assistive Technology (OATC) was created in 1992. In 1992, OATC also developed a contract with the Oklahoma State Department of Education to assist local school districts in providing assistive technology services to students with disabilities.

OATC continued serving primarily people with developmental disabilities until 1994 when a contract with the Department of Rehabilitation Services was established. The focus of this project was to serve people with acquired and developmental disabilities who were seeking employment, or furthering their education for future employment.

In addition to the contracts with the various state agencies which OATC renews annually, the Center has received additional external funding. These grants have included: 1) a 3 year collaborative project with the Oklahoma University Affiliated Program (UAP), Statewide Training in the Application of Assistive Technology (STAAT); 2) a 3 year project funded by the United States Department of Health and Human Services; 3) Successful Employment for People with Severe Disabilities through Assistive Technology (AT WORK), a 3 year project funded by the United States Department of Education; and 4) a 3 year collaborative research project with the Lee Mitchener Tolbert Center for Developmental Disabilities, Learning Early Travel Skills: Effects of Power Mobility on the Development of Young Children with Severe Motor Impairments funded by the United States Department of Education.