Hawaii Administrative Rules
Title 17 - DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
Department of Human Services
Chapter 401.1 - VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION SERVICES
Section 17-401.1-28 - Rehabilitation technology services
Universal Citation: HI Admin Rules 17-401.1-28
Current through February, 2024
(a) Rehabilitation technology means the systematic application of technologies, engineering methodologies, or scientific principles to meet the needs of, and address the barriers confronted by individuals with disabilities in areas that include education, rehabilitation, employment, transportation, independent living, and recreation. The term includes the following:
(1) Rehabilitation engineering as defined in
section 17-401.1-2;
(2) Vehicular
modification;
(3)
Telecommunications systems: any transmission, emission, or reception of signs,
signals, written images and sounds of intelligence of any nature by wire,
radio, visual, or other electromagnetic systems including any intervening
processing and storage;
(4) Sensory
and other technological aids and devices: an electronic or mechanical piece of
equipment or hardware intended to improve or substitute for one or more of an
individual's senses or for impaired mobility or motor coordination. Ordinarily
such devices are used with individuals who have partial sight, are hearing
impaired, or have limited mobility or motor coordination;
(5) Assistive technology devices: any item,
piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the
shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve
functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities;
(6) Assistive technology services: any
services that directly assist an individual with a disability in the selection,
acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device, including:
(A) Evaluating the needs of an individual
with a disability, including a functional evaluation of the individual in the
individual's customary environment;
(B) Purchasing, leasing, or otherwise
providing for the acquisition of assistive technology devices by individuals
with disabilities;
(C) Selecting,
designing, fitting, customizing, adapting, applying, maintaining, repairing, or
replacing of assistive technology devices;
(D) Coordinating and using other therapies,
interventions, or services with assistive technology devices, such as those
associated with existing education and rehabilitation plans and
programs;
(E) Training or technical
assistance for an individual with disabilities or, where appropriate, the
family of an individual with disabilities; and
(F) Training or technical assistance for
professionals (including individuals providing education and rehabilitation
services), employers, or other individuals who provide services to, employ, or
are otherwise substantially involved in the major life functions of individuals
with disabilities.
(b) Rehabilitation technology services may be provided in accordance with the following:
(1) Where appropriate for determining
eligibility and VR needs, by personnel skilled in rehabilitation technology, to
assess and develop the capacities of an individual with a disability to perform
in a work environment.
(2) If
appropriate, each IPE shall include a statement of the specific rehabilitation
technology services to be provided to assist in the achievement of the specific
employment outcome of the eligible individual.
(c) The division shall provide each applicant or eligible individual or, as appropriate, the individual's representative, through appropriate modes of communication, information concerning the availability and costs of rehabilitation technology services, qualifications of service providers, and consumer satisfaction with those services to the extent that such information is available, to assist the individual in making an informed choice in accordance with section 17-401.1-12. Referrals may be made to other consumers or consumer groups, disability advisory councils or other resources qualified to discuss the services or service providers.
(d) Aids, devices, and systems that may be considered include, but are not limited to the following:
(1) Devices for individuals who are blind or
visually impaired such as:
(A)
Optacon;
(B) Closed circuit TV
systems to be used as low vision aids;
(C) Braille embossing equipment, particularly
end-line terminals which interface for the purpose of providing braille
printout;
(D) Braille attachments
of magnetic-card/selectric typewriters;
(E) Telebraille or other similar mechanism
for the employment of individuals who are deaf-blind for communication with
business associates;
(F) Any
subnormal vision lenses or travel aids to assist an individual with a
disability in performing more effectively on the job;
(G) Braille writer, or tape recorder which
may be necessary in the case of college students;
(H) Equipment for compressing speech for the
use of college students or employed persons who are blind to enable them to
absorb essential material at a greatly increased rate of speed using an
auditory method of reading;
(I)
Stereotoner;
(J) Radio reading
services (closed circuit radio receivers for both direct and indirect
rehabilitation services activities); and
(K) White cane (of sufficient length to
ascertain by touch what is in front of the individual who is blind).
(2) Devices for individuals who
are deaf, hearing impaired, and speech impaired:
(A) Hearing aids and other assistive
listening devices;
(B) Telephone
communication devices such as specially-equipped teletypewriters, C-Phone,
Porta-Printer, and Porta-Tel in cases where use of telephone broadens
possibilities in the individual's vocational rehabilitation, including training
and employment;
(C) Captioned or
manually interpreted films and TV programs to be used as training
aids;
(D) Fixed or portable warning
and attention-getting equipment such as flashing lights, vibrators, and
buzzers; and
(E) Devices that
enable laryngectomees and other voice-deficient individuals to produce speech
or to communicate mechanically.
(3) Devices for other individuals or groups
who are significantly impaired with communicative impairments, either physical
or environmental, which interface with existing communications systems. These
devices are many and varied and may be used in their original state or be
specially-designed. Package software for use with these and other devices such
as videotapes, audiotapes, and videocassettes shall also be considered as part
of the rehabilitation services to individuals.
(A) TV monitor;
(B) Terminal units;
(C) Videotape recorder (VTR);
(D) Dial-access devices;
(E) Mini-computer terminals;
(F) Picture-phone;
(G) Oversize TV screens for group viewing or
for the visually impaired; and
(H)
Speech synthesizers.
(4)
Services to groups of individuals such as:
(A) The purchase and installation of a closed
circuit TV system in a rehabilitation facility, including necessary software,
to evaluate and test groups of individuals;
(B) Tele-counseling; and
(C) Radio-reading services for disseminating
rehabilitation-related information with direct or indirect impact on the
rehabilitation of individuals with reading impairments.
(5) Other devices for individuals with
limited mobility or motor coordination, such as:
(A) Switches;
(B) Environmental controls;
(C) Manual and powered wheelchairs;
(D) Gripping aids;
(E) Driving controls;
(F) Voice recognition software; and
(G) Reacher.
(e) Rehabilitation technology services are exempt from the use of comparable services and benefits provisions of section 17-401.1-13, but are subject to the use of personal resources (financial needs test) provisions of section 17-401.1-14.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Hawaii may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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