The Computerworld Honors Program
Honoring those who use Information Technology to benefit society
LOCATION:
Huntsville, AL, United States

YEAR:
2008

STATUS:
Laureate

CATEGORY:
Non-Profit Organizations

NOMINATING COMPANY:
ADTRAN

ORGANIZATION:
United Cerebral Palsy of Huntsville and the Tennessee Valley

PROJECT NAME:
Wireless Network Implementation for Increased Mobility



Introductory Overview
As North Alabama's Premier source for therapy and support programs to individuals with disabilities, United Cerebral Palsy of Huntsville & Tennessee Valley, Inc. (UCP) makes every possible effort to deliver quality services and accessible facilities to its clients. As the programs under the UCP umbrella grew, the main center was bursting at the seams with the amount of programming and clients being served. The staff needed to upgrade current technology, plan for growth, and create safe and accessible facilities for the clients and families.
The Importance of Technology
How did the technology you used contribute to this project and why was it important?
The mission of Technology Assistance for Special Consumers (T.A.S.C.), a program of United Cerebral Palsy of Huntsville and Tennessee Valley, Inc. (UCP), a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization, is to provide comprehensive services and state-of-the-art technology for individuals with physical disabilities to enable them to reach their full potential in order to lead independent and productive lives. UCP strives to positively affect the quality of life for persons, age birth to adulthood, with disabilities through a wide array of services and supports.

UCP opened TechPoint in January 2007, a technology and training center to benefit individuals with disabilities, as well as the family members, teachers, service providers and professionals who support their independence and self-sufficiency in the community in which they work, learn and live. The new building houses the following: adult evaluation room; child evaluation room; fully accessible computer and training lab featuring a Microsoft Accessibility Station; demonstration lab; make-and-take lab featuring equipment for low-tech adaptations or assistive technology; literacy library; low-tech, software and fundraising storage areas; community training; childcare inclusion training offices; large workstation and educational materials library; and UCP administrative and marketing office space. TechPoint is located within walking distance of the UCP Therapy Center where T.A.S.C. was originally located but quickly outgrew as its client base increased since teaming with UCP in 2005.

Access to the internet is a critical part of evaluation and treatment for T.A.S.C. clients, but the new building being hardwired posed a specific accessibility problem for clients with physical disabilities. Hardwiring prevented computer tables from being height adjusted for wheelchairs and other mobility devices. Exposed cords also posed a safety threat to individuals with physical disabilities as well as able-bodied individuals.

The goal was to make not only the T.A.S.C. program but also UCP as a whole wireless to provide accessibility and safety to clients and staff, as well as connect TechPoint to the UCP Therapy Center to securely share personnel, financial, grant and client information. ADTRAN’s NetVanta 1335 Multiservice Access Router and NetVanta 150 Wireless Access Points (WAPs) were a perfect solution.

Benefits
Has your project helped those it was designed to help?   Yes

Has your project fundamentally changed how tasks are performed?   Yes

What new advantage or opportunity does your project provide to people?
Both UCP buildings are now wirelessly connected, thus increasing the accessibility and safety of computer access for clients and staff alike. Physical, occupational and speech therapists can use computers interactively with patients during therapy sessions, visitors can access the internet anywhere in the building, and clients can navigate safely through labs and training rooms.

Most importantly, clients have expressed appreciation for the consideration taken to make TechPoint safer and more accessible. However, UCP board members are also excited about the opportunity to be a beta testing site for ADTRAN’s new technology. Board members are equally pleased that this technology gives them the ability to access UCP servers through a private VPN line that provides the appropriate security to be HIPPA compliant and protect financial/personnel information.

The primary advantage is safety and accessibility for clients to navigate the new TechPoint facility, but the opportunity to potentially share this technology with similar organizations is a source of pride and excitement for T.A.S.C. and UCP.

If possible, include an example of how the project has benefited a specific individual, enterprise or organization. Please include personal quotes from individuals who have directly benefited from your work.
“An individual with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s) disease needed to come to our center for an evaluation,” T.A.S.C. Program Manager Lisa Snyder recalled. “The client was in an electric wheelchair and had a portable respirator. The evaluation included a spouse, parent, healthcare professional, speech pathologist and child. The evaluation took almost two hours and repositioning was necessary to provide comfort for the client.”
Snyder said all parties involved with the evaluation were pleased with the wireless capability that enabled the individual to recline, raise his feet, and alleviate uncomfortable pressure while correctly identifying what technology was needed for the client to communicate and become as independent as possible.
“It’s important for us to make our clients and their families as safe and as comfortable as possible in a supportive environment to explore their technology assistance possibilities,” Snyder said.


Originality
Is it the first, the only, the best or the most effective application of its kind?   Most effective

What are the exceptional aspects of your project?
This is the first Adtran has developed a small business information technology solution. We deployed ADTRAN’s NetVanta 1335 Multiservice Access Router and NetVanta 150 Wireless Access Points. This provided net¬work access and allowed us to extend wireless connectivity throughout our campus.

The exceptional aspects of this project are the cost, efficiency and ease of use. We were concerned with the cost of a VPN line, need for hiring IT support, and how it would affect the daily functioning of our business. We were posed with the unique dilemma of needing the public to access information but also keeping medical records and other information secured. This can be costly and most businesses have full-time IT staff to support employees when technical problems arise. With Adtran’s help, the project has been cost efficient, employees workflow has been enhanced, and there is virtually no need for IT support.

Difficulty
What were the most important obstacles that had to be overcome in order for your work to be successful? Technical problems? Resources? Expertise? Organizational problems?
The biggest obstacle was securing funding for the other equipment and computers needed to meet the needs of a growing organization. Being a Beta Site for Adtran allowed us to use our financial resources to upgrade and buy additional computers that were needed for our growing staff. In addition, Adtran’s programmers and engineers demonstrated how easy it was to set-up and use the equipment.
Often the most innovative projects encounter the greatest resistance when they are originally proposed. If you had to fight for approval or funding, please provide a summary of the objections you faced and how you overcame them.
The biggest resistance was knowledge. UCP is a service organization that provides an array of services for individuals with disabilities. Understanding networking, firewalls, and VPN lines are not part of our every day vocabulary. Adtran was instrumental in explaining the concept and demonstrating the solution in terms that all could understand.

Success
Has your project achieved or exceeded its goals?   Exceeded

Is it fully operational?   Yes

How do you see your project's innovation benefiting other applications, organizations, or global communities?
This project should be model for other small and non-profit businesses who need technology that is cost efficient, user friendly, and needs minimal support.

How quickly has your targeted audience of users embraced your innovation? Or, how rapidly do you predict they will?
We predict that this technology will be the answer for many if not all small businesses and be a product worthy of notoriety.
Digital/Visual Materials
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