The Appalachian Center for Assistive Technology (ACAT) is the Assistive Technology Resource Center serving eastern Kentucky and is a part of Kentucky Assistive Technology Service (KATS) Network. ACAT provides assistive technology (AT) demonstrations and consultation, a short term AT loan locker, maker space, workforce training, and refurbishing.

ACAT Year In Review

Activities

State Level ActivitiesState Leadership Activities

Associated Programs

Project CARAT

Project CARAT (Coordinating and Assisting the Reuse of Assistive Technology) is a community outreach, service learning program that aims to make assistive technology and durable medical equipment (DME) more accessible to those who need it in underserved areas of Kentucky through its refurbishing and reutilization.  Our site is based at the University of Kentucky Center of Excellence in Rural Health (UK CERH) is a service learning program that involved by students in the University of Kentucky Doctorate in Physical Therapy program. Students are trained to clean and refurbish DME to distribute to those in need. Project CARAT has several locations across Kentucky and is overseen by the Kentucky Assistive Technology Service Network (KATS).

CARAT-TOP

CARAT-TOP includes a 8 week program that brings together students, of all abilities, from local high schools and the community to develop skills in assessing community accessibility, refurbishing used medical equipment, adapting toys and other assistive technology devices, prototype new parts, and develop strategies for engaging community stakeholders (leaders, businesses, faith communities, local media, etc.). As a part of this program participants work on an overall team project that has a direct impact on their community.

Toys with a Purpose

Toys with a Purpose is a collaboration that provides free adapted toys to individual families through an online lending library. This program is also planning to expand its services to provide adapted toys to organizations that work closely with children of all abilities. Additionally, this program serves as a platform for educating students from multiple levels (high school, community college, and university) about inclusion and accessibility through the process of adapting toys.

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