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Infinitec Assistive Technology Programs
& Services
What
is Infinitec?
Infinitec means "infinite potential through technology."
Infinitec, Inc. is the assistive technology program of the
United Cerebral Palsy Association of Greater Chicago. The
mission of Infinitec is to advance independence and promote
inclusive opportunities for children and adults with disabilities
through technology. Services provided through Infinitec include
information services, access to assistive technology equipment,
training and education programs, as well as access to specialists.
In order to increase access to assistive technology services
for children and adults with disabilities, the staff of Infinitec
is committed to creating partnerships that maximize available
resources to advance the mission of Infinitec.
| Equipment |
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Assistive Technology Exchange Network
(ATEN)—located in the Arthur & Mary Rubloff
Building in Tinley Park, Illinois, ATEN recycles computers
and other technology that has been donated by corporations
and individuals to benefit learners with disabilities.
Created in 1995, the program has distributed nearly 20,000
complete computer systems. This equipment is being donated,
free of charge, to learners in public schools in 1052
schools in 516 cities throughout the state of Illinois.
From September 2002 to June 2003, ATEN drastically increased
the amount of materials they recycled. During that time
period, the monthly average rose from 55.14 tons to 151.85
tons. In addition, they distributed computer recycling
educational packages to 250 high schools in Metropolitan
Chicago. |
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Assistive Technology Rental/Loan
Library—houses $2 million worth of assistive
technology equipment and software that is available to
coalition members statewide. An additional "light
tech" library is available to all educational professionals
across Illinois. The library is located at Infinitec Southwest
in the Arthur & Mary Rubloff Building in Tinley Park,
Illinois. |
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Durable Medical Equipment Website—The
DME website offers people with temporary or permanent
disabilities and their caregivers the opportunity to search
for and secure durable medical equipment free of charge.
The site also offers individuals from school districts
and agencies as well as private citizens the chance to
post equipment on the site that may be donated to someone
in need or sold online. |
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| Training
And Education |
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Assistive Technology Seminars—Infinitec
offers training seminars at its Infinitec centers located
in downtown Chicago, Tinley Park, and Villa Park, Illinois,
to support professionals and caregivers in their work
with assistive technology. These programs are commended
for their hands-on, user-friendly approach to education.
In addition to the annual calendar of seminars, Infinitec
develops and provides customized training programs based
on agency and customer requests, such as the two programs
listed below. |
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First Tech Touch—A program
provided to parents of infants and toddlers with disabilities
who need to discover, along with their child's caregivers,
the power of technology. Technology can open doors of
opportunity that parents never dreamed possible for their
children because of disability. Both equipment and software
are featured. |
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Video Streaming—A program
provided to teachers and related service providers to
provide an online opportunity to view training and education
programs presented by national and state experts. Illinois
teachers can earn CPDU credits online via Infinitec's
www.coalitionconnection.org
Web site. |
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Early Intervention Training—UCP
was recently selected as the statewide vendor to maintain
a comprehensive system of training for the Illinois Department
of Human Services, Bureau of Early Intervention program's
service providers. UCP's EI training program provides
the core training required for providers to receive initial
credentialing. UCP is also responsible for providing coordinated
training support, implementing public awareness efforts,
conducting training needs assessments, collaborating with
other training and credentialing entities, and issuing
Early Intervention workshop certificates. More information
is available at http://www.illinoiseitraining.org. |
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Parents as Leaders ICDD Grant—UCP/Infinitec
was recently awarded a $200,000 grant from the Illinois
Council on Developmental Disabilities. The two-year grant
will be used to identify and develop 100 parent leaders
who will make changes to the Early Intervention System
at the state or local level. These changes will lead to
improved services for families who have children with
developmental disabilities. |
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| Partnerships |
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Infinitec welcomes its new partner, SEAT, at Illinois
State University! The SEAT Center is a community of people
working together to help individuals with disabilities
realize the democratic ideal through assistive technology
(AT). The SEAT Center focuses on teaching pre-service
and practicing professionals the skills they need to meet
the technology needs of people with disabilities through
instruction that is practical, "hands-on", and
performance-based. Instruction provided at the SEAT Center
emphasizes developing competence in both AT and other
types of technology (e.g., instructional technology, adaptive
equipment) that can improve the education and quality
of life for persons with disabilities. Infinitec has collaborated
with the SEAT Center in the Preparing All Teachers for
Assistive Technology (AT2) Project in Fall, 2004, and
will work together to develop a national AT coalition
beginning fall, 2005. |
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Infinitec Southwest Assistive Technology
Center—This new 20,000 sq. ft. Arthur & Mary
Rubloff Building is located in Tinley Park. Resting on
1.5 acres of land donated by the Illinois Department of
Human Services (DHS), this center houses the Assistive
Technology Exchange Network (ATEN), funded by The Illinois
State Board of Education. The center also houses the Infinitec
coalition equipment rental/loan library, information resources,
and a state-of-the-art training and education center. |
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Infinitec West Assistive Technology
Center—The Author & Mary Rubloff Building
in Villa Park is home to one of UCPs most valued partnerships,
a relationship between Easter Seal Du Page and UCP. The
goal of the center is to collaborate in providing assistive
technology programs and services, including evaluations,
follow-up therapies and training to persons with disabilities,
as well as their educators and caregivers. The Arthur
and Mary Rubloff Building is located at 826 W. Addison,
Villa Park, IL 60181. The staff is composed of Easter
Seals Du Page staff and UCP staff. The UCP training room
offers classes and hosts guest lecturers about assistive
technology uses and applications. In addition, Easter
Seals DuPage provides outpatient physical, occupational
and speech therapies to children ages six months through
adolescence. Other services include a Child Development
Center that offers full day care and education to children
six weeks to six years old. This program is inclusive
in nature; children with and without disabilities grow
up side-by-side. The program is open to the community,
as well as to Easter Seals Du Page clients. |
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Infinitec North Assistive Technology
Center—UCPs third Arthur & Mary Rubloff Building
opened in Highland Park, Illinois on September 27th, 2004.
The building, located at 760 Red Oak Lane, houses a unique
early education center blending progressive childcare
practices, inclusionary special education services, and
cutting edge assistive technology resources. The building
is the third to be constructed with funds from the Arthur
Rubloff bequest. UCPs partners in the project are the
North Suburban Special Education District (NSSED) and
the Jewish Children's Bureau (JCB). Headquartered adjacent
to the building, NSSED is a nationally recognized joint
agreement providing a variety of special education services
to students in twenty North Shore school districts. JCB,
a non-denominational comprehensive children's service
agency, is responsible for developing a basic childcare
program and curriculum, as well as handling the issues
of admissions, tuition and coordination of services. The
building has already hosted meetings of the Infinitec
North Assistive Technology Coalition and UCPs Board of
Directors meeting |
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Infinitec Disability Answer Network
(IDAN)—Launched in 1998, IDAN provides information
for people with disabilities, their families and caregivers
via reading rooms, complete with printed, audio, and video
information materials. Each IDAN facility is also equipped
with free online access to the Internet, as well as access
to a closed-area network for IDAN member agency clients.
The network allows clients to share e-mail, document libraries,
and access to information about each of the member agencies
and their areas of expertise, ranging from legislative
issues to estate planning, to assistive technology and
much more. |
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ToyLend—A
Lekotek program, ToyLend is a toy lending library for
children with disabilities. ToyLend offers specially adaptive
and educational toys to enable all children to play—an
essential element in every child's development. ToyLend
is located at 159 West Roosevelt in Chicago and has helped
more than 200 families as it continues growing. |
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| Coalitions |
| Nearly 450
school districts and social service agencies from across
Illinois have voluntarily joined in a grassroots effort
to address the assistive technology needs of their students,
consumers, staff, families and leaders. UCP/Infinitec
leadership facilitates and manages these five regional
coalitions. |
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Infinitec Southwest Coalition—95
school districts in Chicago's southwest suburbs came together
in 1998 to create the first Infinitec regional assistive
technology coalition. Their leadership served as the model
partnership from which the other coalitions have subsequently
evolved. Service emphasis is on utilizing available assistive
technology equipment, offering specialized training, and
sharing information and expertise. |
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Infinitec North Coalition—Beginning
July 1, 2000, this coalition was created in partnership
with the school districts in North Cook, McHenry &
Lake Counties and serves 101 school districts. Services
range from utilizing equipment for students, to exchanging
the latest information among member school districts,
and providing quality training for member school district
personnel. |
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Infinitec Mid-State Coalition—This
coalition was created in partnership with 103 school districts,
special education cooperatives, and Illinois State University
to serve mid-state Illinois. Accessing specialized assistive
technology for a wide age-range of students is highly
important, as is sharing latest information and offering
cutting edge training among its members. |
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Infinitec Southern Illinois Coalition—65
school districts have formed a first-of-its-kind coalition
in southern Illinois. Synergistically, participating school
districts benefit through access to highly trained specialists.
The school districts receive cutting-edge training and
information sharing and exchange has become highly beneficial
for coalition members. Students of participating school
districts also have access to equipment. |
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Infinitec Social Service/University
Coalition—Created in 2002, this assistive technology
coalition is designed for social service organizations
that serve children and adults with disabilities who may
not be served by school-based coalitions. Members may
access assistive technology equipment loan library, information
services and staff training to meet their unique needs. |
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Infinitec West Coalition—The
Arthur & Mary Rubloff Building is located at 826 W.
Addison, Villa Park, IL 60181. This building is home to
Infinitec West Assistive Technology Coalition. The Infinitec
West Coalition provides assistive technology information,
training and equipment services to students in 67 western
suburban school districts. United Cerebral Palsy of Greater
Chicago facilitates the Infinitec West Coalition. |
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| What
is the future direction for Infinitec? |
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Training
and Education Linkages—Infinitec is presently
exploring methods for linking school districts, adult
agencies, universities, and even households to training
and education programs and other information resources
over the Internet, satellite, etc. This engaged learning
community would create and refine enriched universal learning
packets for use with all levels of consumers in schools
and communities. |
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