Introduction
My Administration is committed to tearing down the barriers to equality that face many of the 54 million Americans with disabilities. Eleven years ago the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) made it a violation of federal law to discriminate against a person with a disability. But there is much more to do. Though progress has been made in the last decade, too many Americans with disabilities remain trapped in bureaucracies of dependence, denied the tools they need to fully access their communities. The unemployment rate for Americans with disabilities hovers at 70 percent. Home ownership rates are in the single digits. And Internet access for Americans with disabilities is half that of people without disabilities. I am committed to tearing down the remaining barriers to equality that face Americans with disabilities today. My New Freedom Initiative will help Americans with disabilities by increasing access to assistive technologies, expanding educational opportunities, increasing the ability of Americans with disabilities to integrate into the workforce, and promoting increased access into daily community life. I look forward to working with Congress to see these proposals become law. New Freedom Initiative
In addition to Increasing Access to Assistive and Universally Designed Technologies
Other Sections include:
Expanding Educational Opportunities, Promoting Homeownership, Integrating Americans with Disabilities into the Workforce, Expanding Transportation Options: and Promoting Full Access to Community Life
The Policy
The "New Freedom Initiative" is composed of the following key components: Increasing Access to Assistive and Universally Designed Technologies
Federal Investment in Assistive Technology Research and Development.
The Administration will provide a major increase in the Rehabilitative Engineering Research Centers' budget for assistive technologies, create a new fund to help bring assistive technologies to market, and better coordinate the Federal effort in prioritizing immediate assistive and universally designed technology needs in the disability community.
The - Access to Assistive Technology. Assistive technology is often prohibitively expensive. In order to increase access, funding for low- interest loan programs to purchase assistive technologies will increase significantly
Increasing Access to Assistive and Universally Designed Technologies
(Title 1)
Overview
The Administration's commitment to increase access to assistive and universally designed technologies is based upon the principle that every American must have the opportunity to participate fully in society. In the global new economy, America must draw on the talents and creativity of all its citizens.
Assistive and universally designed technologies can be a powerful tool for millions of Americans with disabilities, dramatically improving one's quality of life and ability to engage in productive work. New technologies are opening opportunities for even those with the most severe disabilities. For example, some individuals with quadriplegia can now operate computers by the glance of an eye. As the National Council on Disability (NCD) has stated, ""for Americans without disabilities, technology makes things easier. For Americans with disabilities, technology makes things possible."
Unfortunately, assistive and universally designed technologies are often prohibitively expensive. In addition, innovation is being hampered by insufficient Federal funding for and coordination of assistive technology research and development programs. The New Freedom Initiative will help ensure that Americans with disabilities can access the best technologies of today and that even better technologies will be available in the future. At the core of this effort are proposals that reinvigorate the Federal investment in assistive technologies; improve Federal collaboration and promote private-public partnerships; and increase access to this technology for people with disabilities.
Summary of Proposals
Increases Federal Investment in Assistive Technology Research and Development: Rehabilitative
Engineering Research Centers (RERCS) are recognized as conducting some of the most innovative and high impact assistive technology research in the Federal Government. The 15 RERCs are housed in universities and other non-profit institutions around the country and focus on a specific area of research - for example, information technology access, prosthetics and orthotics, and technology for children with orthopedic disabilities. To advance research specifically targeted to the disabilities community, the Administration will significantly increase funding for the RERCS.
Improves Coordination of the Federal Assistive Technology Research and Development Program:
There is no effective coordinating body for assistive technology research and development within the Federal Government. While the Interagency Committee on Disabilities Research (ICDR) was designed to coordinate the Federal effort, it has no real authority and has no budget. The Administration will provide new funding to the ICDR so that it can prioritize the immediate assistive and universally designed technology needs in the disability community, as well as foster collaborative projects between the Federal laboratories and the private sector.
Promotes Private-Public Partnerships:
There are nearly 2,500 companies working to bring new assistive technologies to market. Many small businesses, however, cannot make the necessary capital investments until they have information concerning the market for a particular assistive technology. To help these businesses bring assistive technologies to market, the Administration will establish an "Assistive Technology Development Fund." Housed under the ICDR, the fund will help underwrite technology demonstration, testing, validation and market assessment to meet specific needs of small businesses so that they can better serve the needs of people with disabilities.
Increases Access to Assistive Technology
Assistive Technology is often prohibitively expensive. For example, personal computers configured with assistive technology can cost anywhere from $2,000 to 20,000. The Administration will significantly increase Federal funding for low-interest loans to purchase assistive technology. These grants will go to a state agency in collaboration with banks or non-profit groups to guarantee loans and lower interest rates.
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