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About the ATOMS Project

The ATOMS Project is one of two assistive technology outcomes projects funded in the fall 2001 for five years by the The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). It is housed in the Rehabilitation Research Design & Disability (R₂D₂) Center at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

The ATOMS Project abstract provides a general description of how the project began.
The FAQ list has answers to common questions about the initial five years.
The Executive Summary provides an overview of 2001-2006 project activity.

Need for AT Outcomes Research

The need for AT outcomes are comprehensive and urgent. Specific indications of the need include:

Consumers of outcome information have almost no outcome data and reports
Virtually no studies on costs of AT (cost-benefit was assumed to be obvious)
Few valid and reliable AT outcome instruments
Lack of understanding about the causes of abandonment

Challenges in AT Outcomes Research

Creating AT outcomes information is a daunting task, but the project is ready to face and address the challenges including:

Diversity of populations
Diversity of AT service settings and environments
Many interpretations of what outcome is from different stakeholders
The urgent need for outcomes
Few available outcomes models in AT
New models require crossing disciplines
Developing outcomes that are person centered rather than service model centered