Benefits of Assistive Technology
Dan Lewis Foundation | Winter 2023

How people live and work has changed dramatically over the past decades as technology is now seamlessly integrated into our daily lives. From television remotes, computers, GPS systems, doorbell cameras, and the like, we have all moved towards dependence on technology. For many individuals with disabilities, the use of assistive technology (AT) to participate in social activities and activities of daily living (like bathing, eating, dressing, communicating, and moving from place to place) has also increased. In 1998, Congress passed the Assistive Technology Act (P.L. 105-394), which made provisions for persons with developmental or acquired disabilities to access AT that can effectively decrease barriers found in everyday life while increasing access to and improving the quality of life.


In 2004, Congress amended the Assistive Technology Act (P.L. 108-364), noting that 54 million Americans had disabilities, with half of those individuals living with a severe disability. Federal law describes AT as any item that can maintain or improve the functional capabilities of a person with a disability.


As technology has become more sophisticated, so too have the AT tools that can be used to improve the lives of those with disabilities. The best AT tools and strategies are determined by the needs and goals of the individual, in conjunction with family members and care providers. The population of individuals needing AT is diverse and covers a wide range of disabilities. For some, the needs may be AT that has been used for decades, like eyeglasses, hearing aids, and communication boards. Others may need sophisticated tools such as speech-generating devices or equipment to assist positioning and mobility. Assessing individual needs is key to finding the right AT. To the greatest extent possible, every individual needing AT should participate in establishing and implementing an AT plan. There are multiple considerations to address in establishing an AT plan, including what barriers to independence need to be overcome or removed, what supports are necessary for functional progress, how can communication be assisted to increase options and opportunities for social interaction and participation, and what plans can be established for adapting activities and materials needed to encourage active engagement. As much as possible, the individual should help assess what is working or not working in their AT plan and help the AT specialist to generate potential solutions to problems that arise. Over time, plans will need to be updated and changed to correspond with changes in current levels of functioning. Therefore, AT needs and tools should be reassessed regularly to address current goals. Benefits of Assistive Technology Individuals with significant brain injuries often benefit from AT. It is essential to determine specific areas of need that may benefit from AT, including physical, sensory, cognitive, communication, academic, environmental control, social competence, vocational, and recreational. The person experiencing brain injury, their family, therapists, educators, rehabilitation engineers, physicians, and caretakers all may play a part in determining AT solutions. Finding therapists and caretakers knowledgeable about the implementation of AT and who can work on both short and long-term goals holds the most promise for reintegrating those with disabilities into purposeful life activities. Certified AT specialists can be found through the following link: https://www.resna.org/


The process of obtaining an initial AT evaluation and accessing AT equipment or devices is not always easy. It may help to contact your state’s brain injury association and check their website (a state-by Support The Dan Lewis Foundation when you shop at smile.amazon. Thank you to our amazing donors! state listing of brain injury associations is included in this newsletter). Additionally, every state has an AT project that is funded as part of the federal guidelines established in 1998 and can be accessed through: https:// askjan.org/concerns/State-Assistive-Technology-Projects.cfm 


A child’s school team may have an AT specialist, or there may be a school district-wide AT specialist who should be called upon. For any student with special needs (including students with severe brain injuries), AT needs should be considered in forming an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) or 504 plan. For an adult, a care coordinator may help find resources to meet AT needs. Alternatively, the individual’s medical team may be helpful, particularly occupational and physical therapists. Funding sources for equipment and devices vary from state to state, given that different agencies may bear responsibility for AT in different states. Again, it may be best to contact your state’s brain injury association to find an advocate, “system navigator,” or referral specialist who can steer you toward funding sources for AT. It is vital for family members or other advocates for the individual with a severe brain injury to be assertive in identifying and procuring the AT resources that are needed.



Kristen Gray M.A., ECE, ATP is an assistive technology specialist 

A gold trophy with a laurel wreath around it.

Announcing the 2025 DLF Prize

By Dan Lewis Foundation • April 2, 2025
For the third consecutive year, the Dan Lewis Foundation for Brain Regeneration is proud to announce the DLF Prize competition. The 2025 DLF Prize, a $20,000 award, will recognize an outstanding early career scientist (2 to 5 years post-doc) conducting innovative research in neuroscience, pharmacology, or biotechnology. This prestigious prize honors researchers whose work aligns with the DLF mission to drive breakthroughs in neural regeneration and repair. The current research priorities of the DLF are: Pharmacological Reactivation of Neural Repair: Research into pharmacological methods of reactivating or augmenting synaptogenesis, neurogenesis or axonal repair. Cell-Based Cortical Repair: Investigating the potential of derived cortical neurons to restore function in damaged cortical regions. Transcriptomics of Neural Recovery: Characterizing transcriptomic profiles of cortical neurons in the recovery phase following brain injury to identify pathways that drive repair. Molecular Inhibitor Targeting: Advancing anti-sense oligonucleotides (ASO’s) or small-molecule therapeutics designed to downregulate inhibitors of neural regeneration in the cortex or spinal cord. Application for the 2025 DLF Prize can be made by going to our website— danlewisfoundation.org —and clicking on the Tab “ 2025 DLF Prize ”. This will bring you into the application portal. The application portal opened in March, 2025 and will remain open through May 31st. Once in the portal, you will find complete information about the DLF prize, eligibility requirements, and an application form which can be filled in and submitted online. The winner of the 2023 DLF Prize, Dr. Roy Maimon, continues his research indicating that downregulation of PTBP1, an RNA-binding protein, can convert glial cells into neurons in the adult brain (Maimon et al. 2024) .* Dr. Maimon, currently a post-doc at the University of California, San Diego is currently interviewing for a faculty position at several prominent neuroscience departments. The winner of the 2024 DLF Prize, Dr. William Zeiger is a physician-scientist in the Department of Neurology, Movement Disorders Division, at UCLA. Dr. Zeiger has expertise in interrogating neural circuits using a classic “lesional neurology” approach. He states, “Our lab remains focused on understanding how neural circuits become dysfunctional after lesions to the cortex and on investigating novel circuit-based approaches to reactivate and restore damaged cortex”. * Maimon, Roy, Carlos Chillon-Marinas, Sonia Vazquez-Sanchez, Colin Kern, Kresna Jenie, Kseniya Malukhina, Stephen Moore, et al. 2024. “Re-Activation of Neurogenic Niches in Aging Brain.” BioRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.01.27.575940.

Alan’s Story

By Dan Lewis Foundation • April 2, 2025
Alan was injured in 2021, at age 42. An art teacher in Lakewood, Colorado, Alan was riding his bicycle after school and was crossing at an intersection when a truck turned into the crosswalk area and hit him. Alan reports no memory of the event but has been told this is what happened. Alan says “My frontal lobe took the brunt of the impact, particularly the left frontal lobe”. Alan had a 2 ½ week stay at a nearby hospital where he, “re-learned to talk, to walk, and drink”-- although again he reports no memory of his stay there. Alan was then transferred to Craig Rehabilitation Hospital, in Englewood, Colorado. Alan says, “The only reason I knew I was at Craig is that I rolled over in bed and saw “Welcome to Craig” on the dry erase board.” During this stage of recovering, Alan repeatedly denied that he had been in an accident. Twice he tried to leave Craig on his own accord despite his wife’s and his therapists’ assurances that it was important for him to stay to recuperate from his injuries. Alan’s wife was 8 months pregnant at the time of his accident and gave birth to their son while Alan was an inpatient at Craig. Alan’s wife brought his newborn son to visit him days after the birth and Alan held him while sitting in his wheelchair, but Alan wistfully reports this is another thing he can’t remember. Alan reports that he still has significant difficulties with memory. Alan has also experienced several other neuropsychological difficulties. He states that for months after his injury, he could not experience emotion. “I could not laugh, I couldn’t cry.” Even after three years, his emotional experience is constricted. However, an emotion that is sometimes elevated is irritation and anger. Sometimes, dealing with people can be difficult because he may have temper flare-ups with little reason. This is something that Alan regrets and he is working hard with his neuropsychologist to improve the regulation of his emotions. Alan also has difficulty with organization, motivation, and distractibility. Earlier in his recovery, he had trouble sequencing and had difficulty carrying out personal and household routines. Alan has benefited greatly from therapy and his own hard work to make improvements in these areas. A chief reason that Alan works so hard in his recovery is so that he can be a good father to his son who is now almost 3 years old. He recognizes that it is important not to get frustrated when it seems that he can’t provide what his son wants or needs at a given moment. “I’m trying to raise my son the best I can…he’s at such a pivotal time in his life.” Alan’s financial situation was helped for a time by Social Security Disability Insurance payments but these payments ended. He is trying to get SSDI reinstated but the process of doing so is confusing and is taking a lot of time. Alan returned to work about 11 months ago at a liquor store (after about 2 years of not being able to work), the same store where he previously worked part time while teaching. He works in the wine department. “I sell wine and make recommendations.” When asked for advice to other brain injury survivors, Alan’s words were: “No matter how confused or upset you are or how frustrated you get, keep pressing on and moving forward because there is light at the end of the tunnel even though it may seem long. Keep moving forward and don’t give up no matter what anyone says to you”. Alan added that supports for individuals with brain injury are very important. He has found support groups, retreats, and seminars/events where brain injury survivors can share their experience to be very helpful. The volunteer work he does at Craig Hospital has been valuable for him. Alan is an inspiring individual. Despite having scarce memory of his accident and some confusion about the functional losses he has experienced, Alan has worked hard to make his recovery as complete as possible. He continues to work hard to progress and to express gratitude for those who have assisted him along the way.
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