[senit] Equipment loan bank

Good point Paul.? I am interested to know how other assessment centres do this.

Interesting - Loan Bank operation is a little-discussed issue. Our biggest problem is losing things  - often because we can't control our own generous lending habits and poor admin/paperwork (and we  have enough staff resources to counteract this), rather than schools or clients behaving badly.....    We had a really interesting and useful day meeting with the ACE Centre North a couple of years ago to discuss and compare all the details  - loan forms, record keeping systems, database, procedures etc.

In CALL we have a large equipment loan bank. For educational material we find that there are high frequency items that we need many duplicates of, as they are always out on loan eg access devices like different roller balls, joysticks, big keyboards, switch interface boxes, switches etc.   The communication /AAC equivalents of these are Partner 2 & 4, GoTalks, Techtalks etc. (or equivalents).

If we're lending software for trial we would often lend it IN a loan laptop, to get around copyright/licencing  issues
We often recommend schools buy/use software such as Clicker or the Grid on a school computer for early skills acquisition (eg of scanning)  before recommending an AAC device but have increasing problems with computer networks in schools 'locking out' our users (illegally) so they may have to go straight to a laptop or personal device inadvisably early.

We usually use a laptop or tablet with different AAC software for basic AAC assessment.

However we DO also carry a selection of expensive AAC devices (not all) that we use for assessment and extended pre-purchase trial. We loan these out but not on an 'open request' basis like the joysticks. We generally only loan them to CALL assessment clients and  accompanied by specialist training (from supplier or from ourselves) and ongoing support. (We MAY occasionally loan them to therapists or other AAC services that we know well and who have already had the specialist training).  We have found that we ALSO have to carry and loan out full mounting systems as a child often cannot really have a proper trial of a device without this. (We may sell these on to the client afterwards, when they buy their device, if they are customised.) 

Inevitably, some of the AAC devices in the Loan Bank  turn out to be more 'popular' than others and you have to learn to 'second guess' which ones are different /worth buying and which are just gimmicky 'me-too' type clones by different suppliers (eg the many digitised devices). There tends to be a 'skew' towards the devices that the assessment service knows well/trusts/ and likes and so new devices can sometimes take a while to get out into use.  We've also learned by bitter experience also never to buy a new system or programme when it's first released (as some suppliers tend to use their first customers as beta testers for their unfinished/undertested systems!).  If you ask, some suppliers will give discounts or provide extra devices or licences for assessment and training purposes, but usually only if you're spending a lot with them anyway. It's annoying when you've bought an expensive system for assessment and loan (and spent time writing crib sheets and support materials etc. ) then the supplier brings out a new model.  I personally think that a generous upgrade deal should be offered to assessment/loan centres in those conditions as it it's in the suppliers' interests for a Centre to be  letting people see and try the latest model.

The way we justify expensive AAC items to our Funders is based on the notional 'value' of the loan. If a switch costing £30 goes out 20 times a year it's saved Scottish education £600. But if an AAC device costing £5,500 goes out twice only in the year, it's saved Scottish Education £11,000. ( loosely speaking!)
We also have a remit anyway to have at least some examples of the 'latest' systems available for demonstration and assessment (to keep Scottish education community up to date).   Also we have a remit to evaluate systems (for the benefit of Scottish education) - which you can't really do if you don't have and use them.

The bugbear of AAC Loan Bank operation (especially if you are trying to run a training service alongside loans) is above all the software suppliers that have complicated licence code systems that don't allow transfer from machine to machine or that need internet access and downloading facilities. I fully appreciate the need for honesty and respect of licencing conditions,  but some suppliers seem to be geared exclusively to one-off purchases by individuals and have no appreciation of how complicated it can get 'out there' working in many different schools and authorities (often at a distance)  with an ever-shifting set of kit,  dodgy networks, lack of broadband etc., and how flexible services have to be in putting together packages for assessment, training and trials and loans.  On the other hand, some suppliers are extremely helpful and generous with technical and training support.
Is any of this relevant, Trish?
Sally
*********

>Good point Paul.? I am interested to know how other assessment centres do this.
>
>Trish
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Paul Hawes (Sensory Software) <paul at sensorysoftware.com>
>To: senit at lists.becta.org.uk
>Sent: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 6.07pm
>Subject: Re: [senit] Equipment loan bank
>
>
>
>
>Interest declared
>
>Trish, as all high end AAC devices are now PCs, it has become much easier to
>maintain a
>comprehensive loan/assessment kit at minimal cost.
>
>A couple of general purpose tablet PCs and a selection of your favourite AAC
>software could
>set a centre up to assess almost anyone.  Precise selection of rugged equipment
>can be
>made later - at the time of purchasing for an individual.
>
>
>
>Paul
>
>On 11 Sep 2007 at 10:39, cenmac4 at aol.com wrote:
>
>To:                 senit at lists.becta.org.uk
>Date sent:          Tue, 11 Sep 2007 10:39:56 -0400
>From:               cenmac4 at aol.com
>Subject:            [senit] Equipment loan bank
>Send reply to:      senit at lists.becta.org.uk
>    <mailto:senit-request at lists.becta.org.uk?subject=unsubscribe>
>    <mailto:senit-request at lists.becta.org.uk?subject=subscribe>
>
>> CENMAC too has an extensive loan bank that is part of our assessment and
>review service to subscribing LEAs in the London area. We loan for as long as
>the pupil requires the equipment or until an upgrade is needed.? When equipment
>is returned from a pupil, it is cleared, cleaned and made ready to go out
>again.? Many pieces of equipment have been used for many years.? However, there
>is a high write off every year as equipment breaks, is no longer viable or just
>too old fashioned.? Some things are requested again and again.? These are
>usually low tech devices that have proven to be excellent in the build up of
>switch skills and symbol recognition.
>> Portable computers do have a very short life expectancy but with falling
>prices are now used in more cases where specialist software or access devices
>are required.?
>>
>> However, we do not provide the loan of high tech communication aids for pupils
>(although we would like to) purely due to finanical contraints of the budget and
>will pass pupils/schools on to the appropriate services.? CENMAC can provide
>'start out' machines to start?building up the communication?skills.? In
>mainstream schools, this works well as you can gently break the staff in to the
>world of communication and AAC.?
>>
>> A loan bank does work but the CENMAC loan bank has been going for many years.
>>
>> I am happy to talk to anyone off list if they want to contact me about how we
>manage this amount of equipment.? We presently have 3,400 items and work in
>approx. 240 schools.
>> I could go on and on about Access but perhaps that is enough information for
>now.
>>
>> Trish
>> CENMAC
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-- 

Sally Millar FRCSLT, M.Ed,
Senior Research Fellow / Joint Coordinator
CALL Centre                    
University of Edinburgh           Direct Line +44 131 651 6077        
Paterson's Land		Office +44 131 651 6236
Holyrood Road                	Fax +44 131 651 6234
Edinburgh EH8 8AQ                        
Scotland, UK

Web: http://www.callcentrescotland.org.uk/