A review of practices among information resource programs on assistive technology

There is presently a growing need for timely information on assistive technology products and services. Some exemplary assistive technology information resource programs exist, while others are just now being developed. A survey was used to review the practices of 24 information resource programs. The results, obtained from 15 responding programs, provide guidelines for those considering setting up such services of their own. Among the significant findings, 60% of the programs receive between 10 and 100 requests per month; over two-thirds of these come by telephone, but over one-half must be answered by mail; the average time spent per request is 33 minutes; over one-half of all requests are for product literature, and over one-half of all requests come from service providers. Some critical issues related to information delivery are presented for further investigation.