The Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) is pleased to announce the Assistive Technology Outcomes and Benefits Journal (ATOB) Vol 10 Issue 1 is now available. 

This focused issue titled Assistive Technology Outcomes: Meeting the Evidence Challenge discusses a long-standing topic in the world of assistive technology- outcomes measurement. This issue’s authors were specifically invited to expand upon discussions that began at the ATIA 2015 conference, during the AT Outcomes Day event, which was a joint-effort hosted by RESNA and the ATIA Research Committee. These six articles include perspectives from each of the three voices represented in ATOB- academia, the field, and industry. You can learn more about the contents through an Introduction to ATOB Volume 10, by Jennifer L. Flagg, ATOB Editor-in-Chief, or click on the links below to access individual articles.

Download ATOB Volume 10 Issue 1 (PDF) or download individual articles below.

1) Voices from Academia- These complementary articles discuss past efforts and future needs for measuring and using assistive technology outcomes data to improve the quality of life for assistive technology users.

• History of Assistive Technology Outcomes in Education

  Ben Satterfield

• The Emergence and Emergency of Assistive Technology Outcomes Research Methodology

   Roger O. Smith

2) Voices from the Field- This article describes a set of tools for educators who are interested in better understanding and improving their students’ assistive technology outcomes.

• Multiple Means of Measurement: Tools for Collecting and Analyzing Evidence of Student Progress

  Christopher Bugaj & Beth Poss

3) Voices from Industry- Each article describes ATIA member company products, which can be used to improve quality of life outcomes for users of assistive technology. First, read about five Attainment Company products geared towards educators interested in improving literacy outcomes for students with developmental disabilities. Next, learn about the features and functions of Prentke Romich Company’s automated data logging Realize Language ® system, which can be used to gather, interpret, and report data from speech generating devices. Lastly, review an in-depth account of BlueSky Design’s effort to improve outcomes by integrating consumer feedback into development of the Mount’n Mover system.

• Supporting Literacy Achievement for Students with Intellectual Disability and Autism through Curricular Programs that Incorporate Assistive Technology

  Carol Stanger, Pamela Mims, Leah Wood, & Lynn Ahlgrim-Delzell

• The Realize Language System: An Online Speech Generating Device Data Log Analysis Tool

  Russell Cross & Bob Segalman

• Measuring Assistive Technology Outcomes: A User Centered Approach

  Adam Kinney, Dianne M. Goodwin, & Lynn Gitlow

The authors and ATOB Editorial Board hope that you find these articles useful for your work and advocacy efforts. Many thanks to our ATOB Volume 10 Reviewers – we appreciate your hard work and dedication.

To contact ATOB with comments on this issue or about plans for future issues, please email  atob@atia.org or the ATOB Editor-in-Chief, Jennifer Flagg, at ATOBeditor@atia.org . We welcome your feedback.