If you have questions about referrals, assessments, training, or your specific assistive technology needs, our team is here to help.
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Together we can find the technology you need to pursue your goals
At the Assistive Technology Unit, we provide commercially-available, modified, and custom-designed equipment to help maximize independence.
With our nine mobile units, we bring our services directly to you. We’ll visit you at home, school, work or recreation area, and test your devices where you use them. The people important to you can take part and learn along with you.
Our staff includes occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists and rehabilitation engineers recognized by RESNA as Assistive Technology Professionals (ATPs). We are the largest mobile assistive technology program in the country.
What is assistive techology?
Assistive technologies are devices and strategies that allow you to maximize your independence. These are hi- and low-tech, and include computers, augmentative communication tools, lightweight manual wheelchairs, and powered wheelchairs with specialized controllers.
We’re here to help you find, choose, and learn to use those devices.
Stats and Facts
95%
of our services are provided in the community
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25
years of service to northern Illinois' underserved communities
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On the frontlines of innovation
We’re part of the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Department of Disability and Human Development (DHD) and Illinois‘ University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities—home to innovative research centers and renowned leaders in the field of disabilities.
This helps us bring you services that are based on the very latest in research and best practices.
Our services
The Assistive Technology Unit is an interdisciplinary team of architects, occupational therapists, physical therapists, rehabilitation engineers, and speech-language pathologists. Together we use our fleet of nine mobile units to bring our services directly to your home, school, worksite, or place of recreation.
Thinking of getting an evaluation? Choose any of our services below to get started.
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Activities of daily living
Get an evaluation to identify equipment that will help you better utilize your abilities with activities like dressing, bathing, cooking and cleaning
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Adaptive equipment
Through our well-equipped shop, we provide modification of existing equipment or custom-designed devices to meet your assistive technology needs
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Augmentative communication
Work with our speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists to identify strategies and tools to improve communication, like books, boards and electronic devices
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Computer access
Examine alternative computer input hardware and adaptive software to enable you to pursue your educational or work goals
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Electronic aids to daily living
Explore handheld devices and smartphone apps to help with scheduling, task cueing, and travel in the community
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Environmental control
Work with an occupational therapist to identify assistive technology for independent control of phones, appliances, doors and other electronics within your environment
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Environmental modification
Work with our architects, rehabilitation engineers, occupational therapists, and physical therapists to help make your home more accessible
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Specialized seating and mobility
Determine your unique functional abilities—we handle everything from assessing your positioning and mobility needs to final fitting and delivery of the right equipment for you
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Worksite modification
Work alongside your team with a rehabilitation engineer to determine new equipment—or changes to existing equipment—that will improve your work environment
Person-centered assessment
Our assessments are completely individualized and focused on you. We gather information about goals, needs and opportunities through observation, interaction and input from team members.
We schedule appointments for a time and place that provides the best environment for natural opportunities and input from vital team members. Each appointment ranges from 1-2 hours in length.
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Contact us today
Can you or someone you know benefit from an assistive technology evaluation?
We provide AT evaluations to around 400 individuals a year of all ages with a range of disabilities. Referrals can come from a variety of sources, including consumers, family members, social services agencies, school districts, physicians and other medical staff and advocates.
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