TTAP History
TTAP was established in 1988 under Public Law 100-407, the Technology Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act, commonly called the TECH ACT. Tennessee received its first grant in 1990 and is funded by the US Department of Education. In October of 1998, the Assistive Technology ACT of 1998 was established for states to continue providing service of technology-related assistance for individuals with disabilities.
In its first three years, TTAP was primarily devoted to program development, implementation and service delivery activities. In 1994, Congress amended the Tech Act to reflect a move from direct service delivery to systems change and advocacy. Since 1994, TTAP has focused on those systems change activities that allow individuals with disabilities, state government agencies and the business community to find solutions to the challenges that many individuals with disabilities face when getting an education, finding a job or simply being a part of their community.
Some of those activities include:
- Collaboration within state government
- Collaboration within the business community
- Providing technical assistance to individuals with disabilities and their families
- Educating individuals with disabilities and their families about assistive technology and resources for finding that technology.