Protection and Advocacy for Assistive Technology (PAAT)
Equip for Equality receives funding from the Rehabilitation Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Education to provide protection and advocacy for assistive technology (PAAT) services to people with disabilities who have assistive technology needs. Assistive technology is often an essential component to communication, access to facilities and services, community integration and achieving independence.
The 2007 priorities for the PAAT program are to provide advice, information and referral, technical assistance, advocacy and representation (as resources allow) in the following areas:
- Access to public transportation - including implementation of two final components of the operational improvement fund from the settlement in Access Living v. Chicago Transit Authority.
- Access to government services.
- Access to public accommodations, such as commercial or recreational facilities, including communication, physical and website accessibility.
- Access to educational services (i.e. assistive technology needed by students.)
- Access to housing involving an assistive technology issue.
- Access to employment - including employment discrimination involving assistive technology.
- Access to funding of AT equipment and services through Medicaid, the Illinois Department of Rehabilitation Services, Medicare, private insurance, a PASS administered by the Social Security Administration, or other funding sources.
