In 2007,
Tasha Shoffner completed her MBA with the help of a DynaWrite speech generating
device. After graduation she was in pursuit of full-time employment when she
learned of an opportunity to serve as an AmeriCorps volunteer at the United
Cerebral Palsy (UCP) Houston assistive technology (AT) demonstration center, a
program of the Texas AT Act program. She couldn’t resist. Tasha had already
been working part time as a consumer representative for Dynavox (a maker of
alternative and augmentative communication devices) and had discovered the
pleasure of helping others get empowered through assistive technology (and AAC
in particular). Now here was an opportunity to light that fire for people with
disabilities of all kinds; it was a chance to put her skills and life
experience to work in a powerful and satisfying way, and learn about a lot of
assistive technology in the process.
Shoffner’s
own story with AAC did not begin until her junior year of college. She was
contemplating switching majors to avoid the oral presentations necessary to
complete her BA in social work when the Texas Rehabilitation Commission hooked
her up with Dynavox software on a laptop. It changed her life. Shoffner, who
has cerebral palsy, had discovered the power of AT. As she learned more, she settled
on a DynaWrite—a keyboard-based device—because it allows her the greatest
freedom of expression (Shoffner can type 20 words per minute with one hand). Finally
speaking for herself, Shoffner completed her social work degree and later
entered and completed the MBA program.
At UCP
Houston, Shoffner has spent the last year and a half demonstrating all the AT
equipment the center has to offer including JAWS screen reading software,
Dragon Naturally Speaking (computer access for people with limited mobility),
various alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) devices, as well as
CCTVs and portable magnifiers for low vision.
“My favorite
part of the job is watching the light go off in the client’s head when they
realize what AT means to them,” Shoffner told ATPN in an email. “Every time a
parent or teacher has come into the AT lab for the first time and realizes that
there is help for their child or student, there has been an expression of
relief and pure excitement of what the future may hold for them. That
expression is all I need to know that I have had a positive impact on another
person’s quality of life.”
Shoffner
serves as an AmeriCorps Active Service Solutions for Economic Transitions (ASSET)
Navigator, a program of UCP Texas. Congress expanded AmeriCorps funding in
2009, changes which include allowing volunteers to maintain their SSI benefits
while earning their AmeriCorps monthly stipend. In addition, Shoffner will
receive a Segal
Americorps Education Award to put toward her student loans at the
completion of the UCP assignment.
The Texas AT
Act program (Texas TAP) funds an ASSET Navigator in each of six AT demonstration
centers in the Texas TAP network. For
Texas TAP, the AmeriCorps partnership was an easy fit; it began when UCP Texas,
already a Texas TAP partner, became an AmeriCorps subgrantee through the Texas
One Star Foundation (which administers AmeriCorps State).
Texas TAP Program Director Roger Levy says Americorps provides the centers with
inexpensive and highly competent personnel, and so far over 50% have been
people with disabilities.
Shoffner
would like to stay on at UCP Houston, but her second and final Americorps term
ends in August, and she will again be looking for full-time work (contact Tasha Shoffner). ATPN asked
Christine Ellery, Shoffner’s supervisor at UCP Houston, about the turnover that
is inevitable with AmeriCorps. After all the training time, was it worth it to
have Tasha for just two years? Ellery was succinct, “I think any time you get
the chance to have someone like Tasha serve you take it.”
Know someone
interested in becoming an Americorps volunteer? They can explore all the programs
of Americorps at this interactive
program selector for individuals.
Tasha is an inspiring story. I wish her all the success in the world!!!
Posted by: Gary Johnson | May 05, 2010 at 05:55 PM