AbleLink Smart Living Technologies has been working since 1997 to address the needs of individuals with cognitive disabilities for cognitively accessible support technologies to facilitate greater independence and increased quality of life. Our team has been purposefully built with individuals representing relevant fields of expertise including human services, human factors, rehab technology, software engineering, occupational therapy, and clinical and experimental psychology. The company is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
AbleLink researchers have conducted over 85 research and development projects to create technology applications that promote independence and quality of life for individuals with cognitive disabilities and for seniors utilizing technology to help age in place. Our research findings demonstrating the benefits of cognitive support technologies have been published in various peer-reviewed research journals, such as the Journal of Special Education Technology, Intellectual and Developmental Disability, and the American Journal of Occupational Therapy, and our products are utilized around the world to promote independence and quality of life. For more information visit our website at www.ablelinktech.com.
ATLAS (Accessible Testing, Learning, & Assessment System) is AbleLink’s cognitively accessible survey system, which enables individuals with cognitive disabilities to report their own unfiltered, uninfluenced opinions and thoughts. Founded on AbleLink’s award-winning, research-based approach, ATLAS surveys capture the voices of those with cognitive disabilities in a variety of areas.
JobQuest surveys allow individuals to explore and express their career interests. Travel Readiness assessments allow agencies and caregivers to form a trustworthy estimate of competencies and possible gaps in travel and community navigation skills. VantagePoint surveys capture opinions and satisfaction levels pertaining to living arrangements and agency programs and services. Beyond these fixed-content surveys, the sky is the limit. AbleLink can work with agencies and organizations to build custom surveys that specifically address the questions you want answered.
Using principles of universal design, ATLAS surveys use easy-to-follow instructions in a simplified, picture and audio-based format to allow for self-directed completion. Survey respondents can independently complete training or survey modules using this system. Responses are automatically uploaded to an organization’s secure cloud-based report repository, where results are immediately available for review. Individual and aggregate results can be viewed, downloaded, or shared as needed.
The AbleLink ATLAS engine is the result of over ten years of research and development focused specifically on accessible survey design for individuals with cognitive disabilities, conducted in collaboration with the University of Kansas Beach Center on Disability (beachcenter.isi.ku.edu) and the Westchester Institute for Human Development (www.wihd.org). ATLAS has been systematically tested with hundreds of individuals with cognitive disabilities in multiple settings. References for several journal articles and other relevant publications describing this research and documenting the accessibility of the ATLAS system are listed below. To find out more about ATLAS and explore how it could benefit your organization, please contact us.
Kramer, J. M., Schwartz, A. E., Davies, D. K., Stock, S. E., & Ni, P. (2021). Usability and reliability of an accessible patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) software: The Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory–Patient-Reported Outcome (PEDI–PRO), American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 75, 7501205010.
Davies, D.K., Stock, S.E., Davies, C.D. & Wehmeyer, M. L. (2018a). A cloud supported app for providing self-directed, localized job interest assessment and analysis for people with intellectual disability, Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, 2, 199–205.
Davies, D.K., Stock, S.E., King, L., Wehmeyer, M.L. & Shogren, K.A. (2017) An accessible testing, learning and assessment system for people with intellectual disability, International Journal of Developmental Disabilities, 63:4, 204-210, DOI: 10.1080/20473869.2017.1294313.
White, A., O’Hara, D., Charrier, F., Liberatos, P., Stock, S.E. and Davies, D.K. (2015). Promoting Self-Determination in Health for People with Intellectual Disabilities through Accessible Surveys of their Healthcare Experiences, Journal of Human Development, Disability, and Social Change, Jan. 2015.
Davies, D.K., Stock, S.E., Patrick, P. and O’Hara, D. (2015) MyNutritionPlanner: Development and Evaluation of an Innovative Software Approach for Increasing Independence and Understanding in Healthy Nutrition Planning and Execution by People with Down Syndrome, Phase I Final Project Report submitted to the National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Child Health and Human Development, Sept. 2015.
Schwartz, A.A., Bacon, A., O’Hara, D., Davies, D.K., Stock, S.E., and Brown, C. (2013). Using Cognitively Accessible Survey Software on a Tablet Computer to Promote Self-Determination among People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Journal of Human Development, Disability, and Social Change, Vol. 21, No. 1, pp. 17-28.
Tanis, E.S., Palmer, S.B., Wehmeyer, M.L., Davies, D.K., Stock, S.E., Lobb, K. and Bishop, B. (2012). Self-Report Computer-Based Survey of Technology Use by People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Vol. 50, No. 1, pp. 53-68.
Davies, D. K. and Stock, S. E. (2008). ATLAS: An Accessible Testing, Learning and Assessment System for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities to Facilitate Inclusion and Access to the General Curriculum, Phase I Final Project Report submitted to the U.S. Dept. of Education, April 2008.
Davies, D. K. and Stock, S. E. (2006). Job Quest: A Self-Directed Career Exploration and Assessment System For Students and Adults with Intellectual Disabilities, Phase II Final Report submitted to the U.S. Dept. of Education, September 2006.
Stock, S. E., Davies, D. K., and Wehmeyer, M. L. (2004). Internet-Based Multimedia Tests and Surveys for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities. Journal of Special Education Technology, 19(4), 43-47.
Stock, S. E., Davies, D. K., Secor, R. R., and Wehmeyer, M.L. (2003). Self-directed career preference selection for individuals with intellectual disabilities: Using computer technology to enhance self-determination. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 19, 95-103.
Stock, S.E. and Davies, D.K. (2003). Job Quest: A Self-Directed Career Exploration and Assessment System For Students and Adults with Intellectual Disabilities, Phase I Final Report submitted to the U.S. Dept. of Education, April 2003.
Stock, S.E., Davies, D.K. and Brown, R.B. (2003). NutraNet: An Internet Based Self-Directed Multimedia Nutritional Planning and Grocery Shopping System for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities, Phase II Final Report submitted to the U.S. Dept. of Education, September 2003.
Stock, S. and Davies, D. (2003). QuestNet: A Customizable Internet-Based Self-Directed Testing and Assessment System for Individuals with Mental Retardation, Phase I Final Report submitted to the U.S. Dept. of Education, April 2003.
Stock, S.E. and Davies, D.K. (2001). NutraNet: An Internet Based Self-Directed Multimedia Nutritional Planning and Grocery Shopping System for Individuals with Mental Retardation, Phase I Final Project Report submitted to the US Department of Education, March, 2001.
Stock, S. E., Davies, D. K., and Secor, R. (1996). WorkSight: A Multimedia Based Job Matching System for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities to Enhance Self-Determination and Success in Career Selection. SBIR Phase I Final Report submitted to the US Dept. of Education, March 29, 1996.