ABOUT THE A.T. ANYWHERE IDEA

AT Anywhere is not a product or organization. It is an independent initiative to work toward digital equality for those who have to use assistive technologies (AT) in order to use computers or use them effectively.

It has been a longstanding practice for school, libraries, job centers and other places to provide computers so that everyone has one they can use. However, anyone who needs A.T. is barred from installing their A.T. on the computers.

As a result, people who need assistive technologies have been unable to use all of the computers provided in classrooms, laboratories, libraries, training, facilities, government services, etc. that have been available to all of their peers.

The A.T. anywhere initiative is about shining a light on this issue - and changing practice - now that it is possible for A.T. users to safely and securely use computers anywhere.

Children using computers in a computer lab

This site and this initiative are simply a way for those who would like to see AT users have equal access (now that it is possible) to:

  • express themselves;
  • tell their stories;
  • endorse the concept; and
  • encourage places that provide computers to their patrons or the public to take advantage of this new development and make those computers available to all of their patrons and all of the public.

THE BENEFITS OF
HAVING A.T. BE USABLE ANYWHERE

FOR THE A.T. USER

It would be the first time that they will be able to use the same computers as their peers, in the same classrooms, libraries, study areas, tutoring centers, and areas where their peers are.

For those who do not have their own personal computers, it may be the first time they will be able to use AT at all.

For all AT users, it would open up the types of AT that they could use at school, labs, library, etc.

FOR THE SCHOOL, LIBRARY, COMMUNITY CENTER, ETC

It would be the first time they would be able to support the full range of AT that their students or patrons need, rather than just a few different AT.

It would end the long discussions trying to decide each year which AT the library/school will support and which not.

Most importantly - it would allow them to provide equal access to all of their computers for all their students/patrons, and true digital equality for the AT users for the first time - a key goal they had no way of reaching before.

FOR IT DEPARTMENTS

It would allow IT Staff to support all AT on all computers without having to install it themselves on any computer - all while maintaining complete control over what would be installed.

It would reduce the time spent screening AT (since it would be pre-screened).

It would allow IT Staff to use a single disk image for all computers rather than having extra, special images they had to support the "accessible" computers.

COST

  • The software to implement this "AT anywhere" capability has been developed, tested, and released as open-source software that is free for anyone to use.
  • In addition, there is currently a non-profit organization - Raising the Floor - that is offering an AT anywhere service under the name AT-on-Demand. And the service is free, secure, and private with no gathering of information that is not needed for operation, and no monetization of that information.