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Last Updated 6.12.09 | Text Only
Who is AT:LAST Inc?
DID YOU KNOW? |
A recent audit showed that 88 cents of every dollar goes toward program services, and 12 cents goes toward management and general expenses. |
AT:LAST, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1998 under the legal name Assistive Technology: Loans, Acquisitions, Services, and Training, Inc. It also does business as the Maryland A.T. Co-op since that was our first program and remains the service most frequently accessed today.
Additional services offered through our A.T. Learning Center in Columbia, MD include:
What is the Maryland AT Co-op?
This program provides discounted purchasing and training opportunities to schools, agencies, organizations, and families. With initial funding and support from the Maryland Technology Assistance Program (Governor’s Office for Individuals with Disabilities), the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE- Division of Special Education), and the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council (DDC) the Co-op uses the combined purchasing power of Maryland’s schools to make A.T. more affordable. As of May 2009, the Co-op has saved participants 1.95 million dollars on their A.T. purchases!
Browse the informational themes below to get a solid understanding of the depth of services and opportunities the AT Co-op provides to the citizens of Maryland.
Information Themes:
Purchasing & Training Accomplishments
What can the Co-op do for me?
How do I contact Co-op Staff?
How can the Co-op offer such good prices?
What AT Products are available?
Who shops the Co-op?
How can I shop the Co-op?
Why aren’t the products and prices published on this website?
FY 2008 - 2009 Accomplishments
~ Cooperative Purchasing ~
- Purchasing arrangements with over 110 companies for well over 18,500 products;
- 44 institutional members in addition to Maryland School Systems;
- Processed total orders of $1,338,346 of which
- $931,022 was from schools
- $407,324 was from private organizations, institutions, and families;
- Savings to members: $153,000 (approximately 11%);
- Total Savings since March 1999: over $1.950 million.
~ Cooperative Training ~
- 49 sponsored trainings and expos;
- Exhibited at 23 events;
- Made 10 presentations to organizations and at conferences;
- Face-to-face contact with at least 2,078 persons.
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What can the Co-op do for ME?
- The Co-op negotiates directly with and conducts semi-annual bids with over 110 manufacturers and vendors of A.T. to get the best price for YOU.
- The Co-op allows participants to put items from multiple manufacturers on a single purchase order for efficiency and economy.
- Parents and individuals with disabilities can participate in cooperative purchasing of A.T. software or devices needed at home or in the community. The Co-op works closely with the Maryland A.T. Guaranteed Loan Fund (www.mdtap.org; See Aquiring AT) so that individuals can get the lowest possible cost plus the lowest possible interest rate when financing the purchase of A.T.!
- The Co-op displays/ distributes manufacturers catalogs/ demo disks, etc. at training events open to the public and from our AT Learning Center [Training Section]
- In addition to training provided by our own staff A.T. Specialists, he Co-op brings nationally renowned speakers to Maryland for quality professional development activities, many of which carry MSDE and other professional CEU’s. [Training Section]
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How can I contact Co-op Staff?
Please visit the Staff Page to get email and phone contact information for Co-op administration, AT Specialists and staff.
How can the Co-op offer such good prices?
The Co-op can offer such good prices because we know the products and the "players" through years of professional contact and on-going conference attendance. Our price list is constantly changing due to competitive bids being conducted every six months to take advantage of price reductions and new product developments. We also conduct additional direct negotiations with manufacturers. We also seek new products from relatively new manufacturers as well as from cottage industries in order to identify additional inexpensive alternatives
The Co-op serves as a "reseller" to offer the best pricing on certain product lines where margins are small. We believe in low overhead to maximize the discounts we can offer. Another way we bring you discounted products is by getting permission from numerous manufacturers to hold "statewide" versions of "district" licenses, allowing small systems to benefit from the purchase levels of large systems.
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What AT products are available
- Educational Software to promote competency in academic areas and communication skills
- Communication Devices to improve verbal and written language interaction
- Computer Access Items to allow access to a computer other than by the standard keyboard
- Aids for Daily Living to assist with environmental control, feeding, and seating options
- Switches and Adapted Toys to encourage independent play and participation in activities
- Visual Supports Software for communication boards, picture schedules, adapted books
- Sensory Aids to provide access for individuals with hearing or vision difficulties
- Therapeutic supplies for use by OTs, PTs, SLPs and parents
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Who shops the Co-op?
- All of Maryland's 24 public school systems plus the MD School for the Blind and MD School for the Deaf;
- 20 private schools;
- Government Agencies, including: County Health Departments, DDA, DDC, MDTAP Guaranteed Loan Program, MSDE, US Veterans Affairs Office for Western MD, DC Government; Division of Rehab Services;
- Colleges and Universities: Bowie, Frostburg, Johns Hopkins, Loyola, Salisbury, Towson, Temple University, UMBC; Howard CC, Montgomery CC, Baltimore Co. CC;
- Organizations including: UCP; ARCs; Easter Seals (Baltimore and Del-Mar), Head Start, Garrett Special Needs Children, Abilities Network, Day Care Centers, Amerigroup MD Inc. CSAAC, Lion's Club, Mikel Foundation; Korean American Disabled Association; Kennedy Krieger Institute; Public Libraries in Howard and PG Counties; Sheppard Pratt; Melwood; MD Coalition for Inclusive Education;
- Parent groups and individuals
- Teachers and Therapists
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How Can I Shop the Co-op?
Request an electronic copy of our discounted purchasing booklet or pick one up during your next visit to our A. T. Learning Center. Directions for ordering are inside the booklet.
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Why aren’t the products and prices published on this website?
Part of our arrangement with our vendors is that we will NOT publish prices on the web. Recognizing that training is crucial to the correct and effective use of AT, neither we nor our collaborating manufacturers want to see purchasers be without a source for support for their devices.
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