SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — The Illinois Assistive Technology Program, known as IATP, helps people with disabilities or health conditions live independently. Gov. JB Pritzker proclaimed October 2026 as Assistive Technology Month, recognizing the work of organizations like IATP.
IATP was created almost 40 years ago. Barbara Doyle, a board member, said the organization started 37 years ago with one employee and now has more than 80 employees.
“As a person who lives with a person with disabilities, I can say personally that small changes in assistive technology make a big difference in life,” said Doyle. “People with disabilities want to participate. They want to work, and technology can help,” Doyle said.
Doyle said the organization provides assistive technology for people of all ages, including specialized adaptive toys for children and devices for people with hearing and vision problems.
The IATP building has become a haven where anyone can try out technology like adaptive peelers, vision enhancers and mobility aids. Jessica Schuyler-Weir, director of training at IATP, is able to help community members find technology that will help them.
“They can talk about what their needs are or what their family members’ needs are and we’re able to actually go to that device inside the demo center and look at it, and they’re able to try it out, and we can make that connection,” Schuyler-Weir said.
Schuyler-Weir said IATP has programs that let people borrow devices to try them out before investing in the technology, along with other programs for people who don’t qualify for assistive technology in other ways.
The IATP includes a tech kitchen, where staff can demonstrate braille measuring cups, potato peelers that only need one or two fingers, and chopping devices that cut food, but not fingers.
A lot of people don’t really know who we are until they need us.,” said Karen Birky, director of communication at IATP. ”So the proclamation gets our name out there and gets people out here to see who we are, so we can better assist people.”
