FREEDOM MACHINES: PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
"F
inally, a compelling case for new public policies and programs to bring Americans with disabilities the needed technologies that bring freedom from poverty and institutionalization.”
— Mary Lester, Executive Director Alliance for Technology Access
Freedom Machines and the Alliance for Technology Access have joined together to help organize a national outreach campaign calling attention to the obstacles which prevent the use of assistive technology for those who most need it.
Alliance for Technology Access (ATA)
ATA is a network of community-based Resource Centers, Developers, Vendors and Associates dedicated to providing information and support services to children and adults with disabilities, and increasing their use of standard, assistive, and information technologies. ATA Members can be found all across the country. http://www.ataccess.org find your local ATA: http://www.ataccess.org/community
Along with the Alliance for Technology Access, Freedom Machines is proud to be working with the following national organizations to promote our mission:
Alliance for Public Technology (APT)
APT is a non-profit membership organization founded in 1989 to foster public policy that ensures access to advanced technologies and their life-enhancing benefits for all Americans, regardless of income, age, ethnicity, location, or functional limitation. APT is the unifying force that brings the full range of our nation's consumer constituencies and public interest advocates together to advance this shared goal.
http://www.apt.org Entry Point! Internship Program
The Project on Science Technology and Disability at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) manages the Entry Point! summer internship program for college students with disabilities who are majoring in science, math, engineering, computer science and some business. Placements are at IBM, NASA, National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Science Foundation,
Northwest Fisheries (NOAA), JPMorgan Chase, and Texas Instruments. This is a paid internship for 10 weeks.
http://ehrweb.aaas.org/entrypoint/
American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD)
AAPD is the largest cross-disability membership organization in the U.S. AAPD promotes political and economic empowerment for the more than 56 million American children and adults with disabilities. AAPD pursues its mission through leadership development and internship programs, mentoring and career exploration programs, voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts, public policy advocacy and research, and member benefits. http://www.aapd-dc.org
Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA)
The mission of ATIA is to serve as the collective voice of the Assistive Technology industry so that the best products and services are delivered to people with disabilities. ATIA represents the interests of its members to business, government, education, and the many agencies that serve people with disabilities. http://www.atia.org
Children's Partnership
The Children's Partnership is a national, nonprofit organization working to ensure that all children—especially those at risk of being left behind —have the resources and the opportunities they need to grow up healthy and lead productive lives. The Children's Partnership focuses particular attention on the goals of securing health coverage for uninsured children and ensuring that the opportunities and benefits of digital technology reach all children and families. http://www.childrenspartnership.org/
Community Technology Centers' Network (CTCNet)
CTCNet is a US-based international network of more than 1000 organizations and individuals united in their commitment to improve the educational, economic, cultural and political life of their communities through technology. http://www.ctcnet.org
Disability Funders Network (DFN)
DFN is a grant-makers' affinity group whose mission is to promote awareness, support and inclusion of people with disabilities and disability issues in grant-making programs and organizations. http://www.disabilityfunders.org
Easter Seals
Easter Seals has been helping individuals with disabilities and special needs, and their families, live better lives for more than 80 years. From child development centers to physical rehabilitation and job training for people with disabilities, Easter Seals offers a variety of services to help people with disabilities address life's challenges and achieve personal goals. http://www.easterseals.org
Family Center on Technology and Disability
The Family Center on Technology and Disability produces and distributes a range of informational resources on the subject of assistive technology. Its goal is to strengthen the ability of organizations throughout the country to provide current, accurate and useful materials to the families of children with disabilities. http://www.fctd.info
National Council on Independent Living (NCIL)
NCIL is a membership organization that advances the independent living philosophy and advocates for the human rights of, and services for, people with disabilities to further their full integration and participation in society. http://www.ncil.org
National Organization on Disability (NOD)
The mission of NOD is to expand the participation and contribution of America's 54 million men, women and children with disabilities in all aspects of life. By raising disability awareness through programs and information, together we can work toward closing the participation gaps. http://www.nod.org
National Spinal Cord Injury Association (NSCIA)
NSCIA, founded in 1948, is the nation's oldest and largest civilian organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of Americans living with the results of spinal cord injury and disease and their families. NSCIA educates and empowers survivors of spinal cord injury and disease to achieve and maintain the highest levels of independence, health and personal fulfillment. The NSCIA Resource Center answers thousands of calls and emails and provides information and referral to individuals with new and existing spinal cord injury and disease, their families and their service providers. The network includes 21 Chapters and 19 Support groups actively serving their communities. http://www.spinalcord.org/
Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights (PACER Center)
Pacer Center's mission is to expand opportunities and enhance the quality of life of children and young adults with disabilities and their families, based on the concept of parents helping parents. There are 28 projects to accomplish this mission, including the Simon Technology Center. http://www.pacer.org
RESNA Technical Assistance Project
The Technical Assistance Project at the Rehabilitation, Engineering, and Assistive Technology Society of North America provides technical assistance and information to the 56 AT Act projects funded under the Assistive Technology Act of 1998. The AT Act projects provide technology-related assistance to individuals with disabilities of all ages. http://www.resna.org/taproject
SeniorNet
SeniorNet is an international nonprofit organization that supports adults 50+ to learn to use computer technologies to enrich their lives and benefit society. SeniorNet has over 240 hands-on Learning Centers throughout the U.S. and selected countries and an award-winning community on our web site. http://www.seniornet.org
