Assistive Technology
Assistive Technology Specialists
North Carolina's Assistive Technology Program
Special Efforts in North Carolina
Statewide Centers
What is Assistive Technology?
What is Assistive Technology?
Assistive technology is any piece of equipment or any device that can be used to increase independence by making everyday living easier and more convenient for a person with a disability or limited functioning. They are "tools" which people with disabilities use for living, learning, working and playing. These tools can be wheelchairs, augmentative communication devices, prostheses, computers, visual aids, adapted toys, sports equipment, etc.
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Assistive technology is important because it can allow a person with a disability to function better in society and to be as independent as possible. Assistive technology also makes simple everyday tasks - tasks that most of us take for granted - easier for the disabled person. As a caregiver, the more independent you can help your family member to become, the less stressful and burdensome your caregiving responsibilities will be. |
North Carolina's Assistive Technology Program
The North Carolina Assistive Technology Program is a federally funded grant through the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, U.S. Department of Education, and is administered by the NC Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services.
The Program provides a statewide system that works to coordinate assistive technology services. The program's activities impact children and adults with disabilities across all aspects of their lives - education, employment, recreation and independent living.
They operate centers statewide that offer personalized assistance and hands-on demonstrations of assistive technology to the disabled and their families.
Services include:
- hands-on demonstrations of assistive technology for:
- computer use
- activities of daily living
- listening
- communication
- telecommunication
- mobility
- education
- learning
- leisure
- play
- alarm/emergency systems
- environmental control
- short-term loans of equipment to try it out
- information on options
- funding assistance
- referrals
- advocacy on rights to assistive technology services
They also offer arts, recreation, and an equipment finding service well as other programs specially designed to benefit the disabled.
Financial Assistance Resources
NC Assistive Technology Program
NC Assistive Technology Program Centers
Special Programs
There are centers where individuals can receive hands-on assistance, which cover the entire state.
South Central Region Navaho Center |
Counties
Served: Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Cumberland, Durham, Franklin, Granville, Harnett, Hoke, Johnston, Lee, Moore, Orange, Person, Vance, Wake, Warren |
North Central Region Silas Creek Center Miller Center Mendenhall Center |
Counties
Served: Alleghaney, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Guilford, Iredell, Randolph, Rockingham, Rowan, Stokes, Surrey, Wilkes, Yadkin |
Mountain Region Bonnie Center |
Counties Served: Buncombe, Cherokee, Clay, Haywood, Henderson, Graham, Jackson, Macon, Madison, Swain, Transylvania |
Northwest Region Enola Center |
Counties
Served: Alexander, Ashe, Avery, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, McDonell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Watauga, Yancey |
Western Region Executive Center |
Counties
Served: Alleghaney, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Guilford, Iredell, Randolph, Rockingham, Rowan, Stokes, Surrey, Wilkes, Yadkin |
Eastern Region Executive Park Center Station Square Center |
Counties
Served: Beaufort, Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Craven, Currituck, Dare, Edgecombe, Gates, Greene, Halifax, Hertford, Hyde, Lenoir, Martin, Nash, Northampton, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Perquimmans, Pitt, Washington, Wayne, Wilson |
Southeastern Region Jaeckle Center Griffin Center |
Counties
Served: Bladen, Brunswich, Carteret, Columbia, Duplin, Johes, New Hanover, Onslow, Pender, Robeson, Sampson |
Assistive Technology Specialists
In North Carolina, there are trained Assistive Technology Specialists available to provide hands-on demonstrations of the types of devices available to help and to help you find and arrange for assistance.
| Eastern North Carolina (Triangle and east of the Triangle) Station Square Center Station Square Suite 163 Rocky Mount, NC 27804 1-252-446-4330 |
| Western North Carolina (Charlotte and west of the Triangle) Executive Center 5501 Executive Center Drive, Suite 105 Charlotte, NC 28212 1-704-566-2899 |
Mountain Region |
Adults Accessing Augmentative Communication Technology
This program, provided by the NC Assistive Technology Program, provides information, referral, and advocacy services for adults with speech impairments resulting from degenerative neurological conditions (such as Lou Gehrig's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, and Muscular Dystrophy) and helps them to obtain needed augmentative communication services and devices. Examples of these types of devices are communication boards and computerized equipment with voice output. The devices will be custom-made if appropriate.
Individuals are served wherever they reside - either at home or within a long-term care facility. The program also works with the family and caregivers to help them understand how the devices work and how their family member can be helped. They provide loan of equipment so that the individual and family can try out a device before purchase and they work with the caregiver and family to secure funding for the devices.
There are no fees for this service. They primarily serve the counties around Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
| Silas Creek Center 3333 Silas Creek Parkway Winston-Salem, NC 27103 |
1-336-718-1660 |
