Assistive Technology (AT) Fellowship

The Assistive Technology Program at OIDD works toward excellence in research, training, clinic, and policy activities for persons with disabilities across the lifespan.

  • Training includes pre-service and in-service opportunities for undergraduates, graduate students, and LEND fellows to shadow or intern in our daily clinic.

  • Research includes federally funded grants that investigate the social and language dimensions of assistive technology for consumers, their families, and their care givers. Presently, we are actively engaged in research projects around (1) investigating the role of caregivers with AAC technology for persons with ALS; and (2) determining optimal language symbolization for the communication aids used by persons with dementia, and progressive aphasia.

  • Clinical activities emcompass evaluation and treatment for augmentative and alternative communication, computer access, adapted play, seating and positioning for children and adults with various disabilities. We work with children and adults with developmental and acquired disorders, including but not limited to clients with cerebral palsy, autism, Rett Syndrome, ALS, Parkinsons disease, traumatic brain injury, general developmental delays, Down Syndrome, and aphasia. The clinic boasts of owning state of the art tools for written and spoken communication, as well as adapted toys and mobility equipment. The clinic staff works with families to (1) identify most appropriate equipment (2) integrate functional use into home, school, work, and leisure activities; (3) build consensus in the use and procurement of equipment and services across a user’s environments; (4) advocate for funding for equipment and services.

  • Policy activities most recently focused on changing national guidelines for the insurance payment of durable medical equipment in Oregon and nationally.

Presently, the Assistive Technology Clinic at CDRC is closed. Services are offered through other CDRC clinical programs: assessment and treatment for computer access and adapted play are offered in the CDRC Occupational Therapy Program; assessment and treatment for powered mobility and specialized equipment are offered in the CDRC Physical Therapy Program. There are no specialized augmentative and alternative communication services offered at this time through CDRC. However, Dr. Fried-Oken continues to provide AAC assessment and treatment services to adults, youth transitioning to adult services, and families through the Northwest Center for Voice and Swallowing in the OHSU Department of Otolaryngology (503-494-5947). The research and policy activities within the Assistive Technology Program are active through the Oregon Institute on Disability and Development (OIDD). Dr. Fried-Oken continues to conduct federally funded research on AAC for adults with neurodegenerative diseases through the REKNEW projects (http://www.ohsu.edu/oidd/reknew/index.cfm). Pre-service and in-service training opportunities, including both didactic and clinical experiences, remain available through the OIDD as well as the CDRC OT, and PT programs.

 

Letters and inquiries should be addressed to:

Melanie Fried-Oken, PhD
Oregon Health & Science University
Child Development and Rehabilitation Center
P. O. Box 574
Phone: 503.494.7587
E-mail: friedm@ohsu.edu

Last Updated: January 25, 2007