	August 1997

Hearings on Assistive Technology Take to Capitol Hill

On July 15, MD TAP staff Paul Rasinski, Mary Brady and Susan Levi participated in an exhibition of Assistive Technology Devices and Services held on Capitol Hill in conjunction with a hearing before the House Committee on Science, subcommittee on Technology. "Meeting the Needs of People with Disabilities Through Federal Technology Transfer" was the topic of the exhibit. Members of the Committee and their staff were able to view the exhibits and discuss AT devices and services with the exhibitors. MD TAP showed and demonstrated Gregg Vanderheiden's accessible kiosk design, and numerous adaptive telecommunications and augmentative communication devices.

Other exhibitors included: NIDRR, DC Partnership for Assistive Technologies; RESNA and the RESNA Technical Assistance Project; LC Technologies (manufacturers of Eye Gaze); The Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer; The US. Department of Veteran's Affairs; NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory; Department of Defense; U.S. Department of Education and NCR Corporation.

Witnesses at the hearing included Dr. Katherine Seelman, Director of NIDRR, Mr. C. Dan Brand, Chairman of the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer, Dr. Bruce Webbon, Chief Commercial Technology Ames Research Center, Mr. Steve Jacobs, NCR Corporation, Mr. David H. Hershberger, Prentke Romich Company and Mr. Joe Lahoud, LC Technologies. The hearings focused on the ability of the Federal Laboratories and other federal agencies to play a significant role in assistive technology development in the future.

During questioning from the Committee Chair, Rep. Constance A. Morella (R. MD), Dr. Seelman mentioned the TECH ACT Projects and described for the Committee the work of the projects. Dr. Seelman repeated for the Committee "For Americans without disabilities, technology makes things easier. For Americans with disabilities, technology makes things possible." (From Study of the Financing of Assistive Technology Devices and Services for Individuals with Disabilities, NIDRR, 1993).

The Committee was reminded through Dr. Seelman's testimony of the sunset provision in the TECH ACT. The panel of witnesses discussed the importance of technology transfer and joint public private projects in bringing technological innovations to people with disabilities. Mr. Hershberger pointed out to the committee that several opportunities exist for cooperation between the National Laboratories and the RERC's in making technology available to the people who would receive the greatest benefit from it.

Choose the following links to read several of the testimonies, and for a listing of the Subcommittee's complete membership, which includes two representatives from Maryland.

Witness List:

Dr. Katherine Seelman's Testimony

Mr. C. Dan Brand's Testimony

Dr. Bruce Webbon's Testimony

Steve Jacobs' Testimony

David H. Hershberger's Testimony

Joseph A. Lahoud's Testimony

The list of Witnesses

The complete Committee Membership

Photos from the Hearings!

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