• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Holiday Cards
  • Donate
  • (207) 443-3341
  • Impact Stories

Pine Tree Society

  • Home
  • Pine Tree Camp
    • Overnight Camp
    • Camp Pine Cone Day Camp
    • Family Camp
    • Adventure Day Pass
    • Pine Tree Camp to You
    • Camp On The Road: Piscataquis County
    • Camp On The Road: York County
    • Retreats
    • Special Programs
  • Children & Families
    • Audiology
    • Children’s Case Management
    • Early Learning Center
    • Occupational Therapy
    • Sign Language Interpreting
    • Speech Language and Assistive Technology Services
  • Adults & Families
    • Audiology
    • Case Management
    • Community Support
    • Sign Language Interpreting
    • Speech/Language and Assistive Technology Services
  • About Us
    • Our Roots
    • Our Leadership
    • Board of Directors
    • Annual Report
    • Join Our Team
    • Connect With Us
    • Pine Tree Society Blog
    • News
  • Events
    • Dysart’s Snowmobile Ride-in
    • Bath Savings Paddle for Pine Tree Camp!
    • 2023 Children’s Conference
    • Flutie 5K at Pine Tree Camp
    • See All Events
Home  ›  Uncategorized  ›  New Assistive Technology Demo and Loan Libraries increase access to life changing tools

New Assistive Technology Demo and Loan Libraries increase access to life changing tools

by gareth on December 4, 2020

Assistive Technology can be life-changing for people with disabilities. Thanks to a grant from Maine CITE, Pine Tree Society has access to hundreds of Assistive Technology devices for Mainers to “try before you buy.”

“Simply put, Assistive Technology is any tool that helps someone do a task easier and, as a result, increases their independence,” said Linda Bonnar, director of Pine Tree Society’s speech and Assistive Technology program.

In its simplest form, Assistive Technology can be as basic as using a piece of Play-Doh to wrap around a pen to make it easier to hold or finding the perfect on/off switch for a person who can’t physically use their hands. At its most complex, Assistive Technology can be an app designed to aid in communication or an eye gaze system for speech.

“Assistive Technology truly is anything that will make something that’s challenging for a person easier for them,” Linda continued. “We even have an adapted Xbox controller for families who never thought their child could play a video game.”

Pine Tree Society’s Assistive Technology Demo and Loan Library is exactly what it sounds like: it’s aresource library of Assistive Technology that people can

“We often hear people say they bought something they saw on TV or in a catalog and they can’t get it to work the way they thought it would,” Linda said. “With the option to test drive a new tool before buying, it not only saves money, it also helps people to not buy a tool that’s not the right fit for their needs in the first place.”demo and borrow to try out at school, home or work before making the decision to buy.

 

Linda and her team are experts in evaluating people’s unique needs.

“We show you the features, let you know what you it can do and, if after trying it out, you think it’s a good fit, we help you figure out the best way to buy it,” she said. “We help people make good, sound decisions.”

For example, a parent reached out because their child’s speech therapist suggested an iPad keyguard could help their daughter access her communication device with more ease. Through Pine Tree Society’s Assistive Technology Demo and Loan Library, they were able to try it for a couple of weeks to make sure it was the right fit.

“Recently, a school that was interested in utilizing a reading pen for a student contacted us to do anevaluation and demo to determine if it was going to be successful,” Linda said. “We found that it was a really good fit for this particular student. Thanks to our Assistive Technology Demo and Loan Library,

they were able to try it before making the investment. They learned it was a good decision financially and for the success of the student.”

Demos can be done in-person or remotely via Zoom and there are several options available for pickup and return, which expands access to rural areas of the state. The library also provides short-term loans while someone’s existing device is being repaired.

Pine Tree Society’s Assistive Technology Demo and Loan Libraries in Scarborough, Bath and Auburn are free and open to anyone who wants to explore technology to increase independence.


Want to learn more about Assistive Technology?

Visit www.pinetreesociety.org to watch our AT Spotlight series, featuring a variety of tools like speech watches, reading pens, voice and schedule apps on our blog at pinetreesociety.org.

An inventory of hundreds of options can be searched on the Maine CITE website: www.at4maine.org

Request a virtual or in-person demo in Scarborough, Bath or Auburn by calling Pine Tree Society at 207- 386-5930 or emailing Emily Capaldi at ecapaldi@ pinetreesociety.org.


Here is just a small list of the types of Assistive Technology available at Pine Tree Society. Call to learn more.

  • Weighted gloves
  • Specialized spoons for tremors
  • Keyguards
  • iPads
  • On/off access switches
  • Medication dispensers
  • Adapted Xbox controllers
  • Amazon Echo Dot
  • Reading pads
  • Reading pens
  • Speech watches
  • Apps such as Voiceitt and Visual Schedule Planner

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Latest News

The 50th annual Snowmobile Ride-in blew us away

February 6, 2023

Eggs-citing News: Egg Ride to feature Jell-o instead of eggs

January 19, 2023

Share your voice through Pine Tree Society’s statewide community survey

January 17, 2023

Latest Blog Posts

Stay overnight this winter at Pine Tree Camp

February 2, 2023

Dirigo Experience February program info session recording

January 19, 2023

Share your voice: Please take our community survey

January 13, 2023

Footer

social

  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Pine Tree Camp Facebook
  • Autism Connection Facebook

connect

  • (207) 443-3341
  • Connect With Us

about us

  • Annual Report
  • Our Roots
  • Our Leadership

support

  • Donate
  • Pine Tree Camp 100

get involved

  • Support Pine Tree Society’s Impact
  • Bath Savings Paddle for Pine Tree Camp!

Auburn

589 Minot Avenue
Auburn, ME 04210

(207) 443-3341 voice
(207) 777-1205 fax

Bath

149 Front Street
Bath, Maine 04530

(207) 443-3341 voice
(207) 443-1070 fax

Scarborough

Elevation Center
71 U.S. Route 1, Suite B
Scarborough, Maine 04074

(207) 443-3341 voice
(207) 510-4647 VP
(207) 885-0157 fax

Pine Tree Camp

114 Pine Tree Camp Road
Rome, Maine 04963

(207) 386-5990 voice
(207) 397-5324 fax

  • © 2023 Pine Tree Society
  • •
  • Privacy Policy
  • •
  • Donor Privacy Policy
  • •
  • Refund Policy
  • •
  • Staff Login
  • •
  • Non-Discrimination Disclosure
  • •
  • Website by RainStorm