Project OATS

Welcome to Project OATS: Outcomes of Assistive Technology in the Schools

Project OATS computer graphic
Project OATS computer graphic
Project OATS was a research project based at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee that was designed to study the impact of assistive technology devices and services in the schools. Project OATS sought to develop and test instrumentation useful for assessing assistive technology outcomes in the school setting.

Project OATS Team

The Project OATS team consists of three entities:

  1. The University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee.
  2. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
  3. Wisconsin Area Public Schools CESA #1.

The University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee directly interacts with both the Wisconsin Department of Instruction and the Wisconsin Area Public Schools CESA #1.

Likewise, the Wisconsin Department of Instruction and Wisconsin Area Public Schools CESA #1 directly interact with each other.

Illustration showing the team interactions between different participants in Project OATS
Figure 1: Illustration showing the team interactions between different participants in Project OATSView EqTD

3 Phases of Project OATS Research

There have been three phases of OATS research:

  1. Phase 1 (1997-1998). Identification and piloting of 27 existing instruments for possible use as an outcome measure.
  2. Phase 2 (1998-1999). Examination of aspects of validity of an existing instrument: The School Function Assessment (SFA) development and field testing of a modified version of the SFA called teh SFA-AT.
  3. Phase 3 (1999-2000). Ongoing field testing of the SFA-AT to examine its potential contribution as an assistive technology outcomes instrument.
Flowchart demonstrating the 3 phases of Project OATS
Figure 2: Flowchart demonstrating the 3 phases of Project OATSView EqTD

Project Bibliography

Presentations

Grogan, K. M. (2000, May). An examination of the relationship between part II task supports, part III activity performance, and the adaptations checklist of the modified school function assessment as an assistive technology outcome measure. Poster session presented at the 13th Annual Dean’s Research Day, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI.

Grogan, K and Smith, R. (2000, June 27). Overview of Project OATS. Presented at Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative’s Summer Training Institute, Amherst, WI.

Silverman, M.K. & Smith, R.O. (1999, April). Practitioners Interpretations of School Function Assessment Results for use as an Assistive Technology Outcome Measure. Presented at Dean’s Research Day, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI.

Silverman, M.K. & Smith, R.O. (1999, April 17). Assistive Technology Outcome Instruments for OT’s: OTFACT & SFA-AT. Presented at the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Annual Conference, Indianapolis, IN.

Silverman, M.K. & Smith, R.O. (1999, October). Strategies for Effective Assistive Technology Management. Presented at the Governor’s Wisconsin Education Technology Conference, Milwaukee, WI.

Silverman, M.K. & Smith, R.O. (2000, April). Interpretation of the school function assessment for use as an assistive technology outcome. Poster session presented at the annual American Occupational Therapy Association conference, Seattle, WA.

Silverman, M.K., Smith, R.O., Edyburn, D. (1999, April, 18). Assessing Assistive Technology in the Schools: Comparison of Nine Instruments. Presented at the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Annual Conference, Indianapolis, IN.

Silverman, M. K., Smith, R. O., Stratman, K., & Grogan, K. M. (2000, May). Project OATS outcomes of assistive technology in the schools. Poster session presented at the 13th Annual Dean’s Research Day, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI.

Smith, R.O., Edyburn, D. Silverman, M.K., & Taylor, D. (1998). Impact of Assistive Technology in the Schools. Presented at Wisconsin Occupational Therapy Association’s Conference, Milwaukee, WI

Smith, R.O., Edyburn, D. Silverman, M.K., & Taylor, D. (1999, March 5). Does the School Function Assessment Measure Assistive Technology Outcomes? Presented at the 6th Annual Wisconsin Technology Access Conference, Milwaukee, WI.

Stratman, K. (2000, May). Examination of the task supports section of the school function assessment as a measurement of assistive technology outcomes. Poster session presented at the 13th Annual Dean’s Research Day, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI.

Publications

Silverman, M.K. (1999). Interpretation of the School Function Assessment for use as an Assistive Technology Outcome Measure. Unpublished manuscript, University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee.

Silverman, M.K., Smith, R.O., Edyburn, D. & Taylor, D. (1999, June). Assistive Technology Outcomes in the Schools: Identifying a Valid Measure. Proceedings of RESNA Annual Conference, Long Beach, CA, 204-206.

Silverman, M.K., Smith, R.O., & Taylor, D. (1999). Project OATS Outcomes of Assistive Technology in the Schools. The Communication Connection. 13(3), 23.

Silverman, M.K., Stratman, K.F., Smith, R.O. (2000). Measuring AssistiveTechnology Outcomes in the Schools Using Functional Assessment. Diagnostique. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/073724770002500405 

Silverman, M.K., Toonen, M., Stratman, K.F., McElwee, M., Smith, R.O. (In preparation). Identifying an Assistive Technology Outcomes Measure in the Schools: Comparison of 9 Instruments. Assistive Technology. 25(4): 307-325.

Smith, R.O., Edyburn, D. & Taylor, D. (2000). Project OATS: Outcomes of Assistive Technology in the schools. Rehabilitation R&D Progress Reports. Baltimore, MD.

Stratman, K.F. (1999). Examination of the Task Supports Section of the School Function Assessment as a Measurement of Assistive Technology Outcomes. Unpublished manuscript, University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee.