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Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission
SURVEY OF ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY USERS’ NEEDS IN MASSACHUSETTS
Printable Version | MRC Official Web site

Dear Survey Respondent,

Massachusetts is studying the needs of people with disabilities for assistive technology (known as “AT”). If you are an AT user yourself, we hope you will take the time to respond to this survey. If you work with AT users or have someone using AT in your family, we request your responses as well.

Your time on this survey will help decide how our state can make AT easier to use and more available for a wider group of people. Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey and helping to improve the lives of persons with disabilities in Massachusetts.

This survey is available in foreign languages (Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Khmer and Russian) and in alternative formats: large print, Braille, and electronic format online below, via email or on disk. Both foreign language and alternative formats of this survey are available upon request. If you have any questions regarding the survey, please contact Massachusetts Assistive Technology Act Project Staff at Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission via phone (voice) 617-204-3851 or (TTY) 617-204-3815

Please complete the on-line version below or print out the survey and send completed surveys to:

Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission
Independent Living and Rehabilitation Technology Department
27 Wormwood St. Suite 6
Boston, MA 02210

What is AT?
  • wheelchairs
  • communication devices
  • hearing aids
  • assistive listening devices
  • talking watches
  • electronic aids to daily living
  • large print material
  • text-to-speech screen readers
  • alternative keyboards and mice
  • head pointing devices
  • voice recognition software
  • screen magnification software
  • adaptive toys
  • adaptive learning tools
  • and much more
Before you begin, please indicate who is completing this survey.
Other: Please Specify

Section One:

Please answer questions in this section if you are an AT user yourself or completing the survey on behalf of an individual AT user. Otherwise, please skip to Section Two
1. What is your age?
2. Where do you live?
3. Where do you get most AT supports?
4. What is your race and ethnicity?
5. What disability best describes you?
Other:
6. Do you have difficulty with any of the following sensory-motor functions?
Other:
7. Do you work?
   
8. If yes, what is your work status?
9. What is your current living situation?
10. Has your living situation changed in the last 5 years?
   
Section Two:
Please answer these questions if you are either an AT User yourself or if you have a family member who uses AT, or if you provide any service to AT Users.
11. To what extent do you agree that AT contributes to your independence or to that of the AT users in your family or with whom you serve?
Living independently
 
Working
 
Participating in the community (volunteer, religious worship, community events)
 
Learning (school, general education)
 
12. What were the biggest barriers that you faced in getting the right AT or that were faced by AT users in your family or with whom you work? (Check all that apply)
Other:
13. Are you familiar with the Massachusetts Assistive Technology Loan Program (MATLP), which is a low-interest financial loan program?
   
14. If yes, how did you learn about this program? (Check all that apply).
Other:
15. In your opinion, what would be the best way to further advertise the Massachusetts Assistive Technology Loan Program? (Select One)
16. In your opinion, would a new AT Reutilization Program - that allows one to swap, repair, recycle, or otherwise re-use various second-hand AT devices - be helpful in our state?
   
17. Have you ever obtained AT devices from such an AT Reutilization program for yourself or for an AT user in your family or with whom you serve? (If No please go to question #21)
   
18. If yes, how satisfied were you with the following aspects of that AT Reutilization Program?
Choice of AT devices
 
Condition of the AT devices
 
Knowledge of the staff
 
Technical support offered
 
19. If yes, to what extent did you find the services of that AT Reutilization program to be?
Reliable
 
Essential for pursuing educational goals
 
Critical for independence in the community
 
Helpful for using telecommunication and information technology
 
20. What barriers, if any, prevented you from using an AT Reutilization Program or prevented its use by an AT user in your family or with whom you work?
Other:
21. In your opinion, would an AT Lending Program - that allows individuals to borrow AT devices for short periods of time - be helpful in our state?
   
22. Have you ever borrowed AT devices from such an AT Lending Program for yourself or for an AT User in your family or with whom you serve? (If No please go to question #26)
   
23. If yes, how satisfied were you with the following aspects of that AT Lending Program?
Selection of devices
 
Condition of devices
 
Staff level of expertise
 
Loan period
 
24. If yes, to what extent did you find the services of the AT lending Program to be:
Reliable
 
Essential for pursuing educational goals
 
Critical for independence in the community
 
Helpful for using telecommunication and information technology
 
25. What barriers, if any, prevented you from borrowing from an AT Lending Program or prevented its use by AT Users in your family or with whom you serve?
Other:
26. In your opinion, would a new AT Demonstration Center - that displays the newest AT devices and allows people to try them out with aid from technical staff - be helpful?
   
27. If yes, how far would you or AT users in your family or with whom you serve be willing travel to an AT Demonstration Center?
28. Have you ever used such an AT Demonstration Center for yourself or for an AT User in your family or with whom you serve? (If No please go to question #32)
   
29. If yes, how satisfied were you with the following aspects of the AT Demonstration Center’s services?
Demonstration of AT devices
 
Expertise of Staff
 
Preliminary evaluation
 
Training to use equipment
 
Technical support
 
30. If yes, to what extent did you find the services of the AT Demonstration Center to be:
Reliable
 
Essential for pursuing educational goals
 
Critical for independence in the community
 
Helpful for using telecommunication and information technology
 
31. What barriers, if any, prevented you from using an AT Demonstration Center or prevented its use by AT users in your family or with whom you work?
Other:
32. Please put the following proposed new AT programs for Massachusetts in order of importance to you by ranking them from 1 to 3.
(1 = Most Important    2 = Important    3 = Least Important)
AT Reutilization Program
AT Lending Program
AT Demonstration Center
Section Three:
Please answer these questions if you are either an AT User yourself or if you have a family member who uses AT, or provide any service to AT Users.
33. In your opinion, have you received ongoing strong support and advocacy for your AT needs in Massachusetts or have AT users in your family or with whom you work received such quality assistance?
   
34. In your opinion:
a. What forms of advocacy are needed to improve AT services in Massachusetts?

b. What AT supports are difficult to obtain in Massachusetts?

35. Have there been enough AT conferences and trainings held in Massachusetts?
   
36. How frequently have you attended?
37. How often would you attend if there were more AT conferences and trainings?
38. How often each year would you likely use a toll-free hotline that answers questions about AT?
39. In your opinion, how helpful would an email distribution list - that automatically broadcasts information over the internet - be in sharing AT information amongst residents of Massachusetts?
40. Are there any other recommendations you would like to make about how Massachusetts can better meet the AT needs of persons with disabilities in our state?
41. OPTIONAL:
Name:
 
Email:
 
Phone:
 

Thank you for completing this survey!


      
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