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July 2025
We publish our Constellations newsletter to share ways that Assistive Technology can be life-changing for people with disabilities and raise awareness of the services offered through the STAR Program and our partners.
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From the Director
Summer in Minnesota provides a welcome change in our weather and an opportunity for people of all ages to fully enjoy a variety of adventures and fun, such as a festival in your community, gardening, or visiting a park.
One important milestone we are celebrating on July 26 is the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This civil rights law prohibits discrimination based on disability across employment, public services, transportation, telecommunications, and public accommodations. We look forward to its future advancements.
In this issue, we share our reflections on the powerful legacy of the ADA. We also provide information in our STAR Services Spotlight about how we reach out to the community with Public Awareness. This time we are featuring STAR Partner LiveLifeTherapy Solutions, Inc. and an interview with individual Council member Tom Reed, who shares what it’s like to be part of the MN STAR Advisory Council.
We also highlight a recent addition to our lending library, the Lotus Ring, in Technology and Apps. A STAR across the State is the organization Partners in Policy-making, that has a long history of successfully preparing people with disabilities or their family members to advocate for disability services. Our STAR Success Story is from the Minnesota Judiciary Board and is a great example of how organizations can raise awareness of the importance of incorporating digital accessibility in the workplace.
Finally, you can refer to the calendar of upcoming events and take note of helpful links. We hope you enjoy this issue of Constellations and be sure to subscribe for next time!
Amy Perron, Program Director
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Do you like the Constellations Newsletter? Don’t miss an issue!
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Assistive technology (AT) is something that can help you do things that might otherwise be difficult or impossible to do on your own. It is an item or device that can help you speak, walk, talk, remember, see, hear, learn and more.
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Did you know? There is no cost to borrow equipment from the STAR Program or our partners! You can schedule a time to pick up the equipment or we can ship the device at no cost to the borrower. The borrower is responsible for returning the item back to the program they borrowed it from at the end of the six-week period by scheduling an appointment to return the device or by paying to ship the equipment back to the program. |
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From the beginning, the ADA has been more than a legal mandate — it has encouraged people to come up with new and better ways to do things. The law’s guarantee of “equal opportunity” supports and encourages the development and deployment of technologies that allow people with disabilities to fully participate in all aspects of society.
Assistive technology, defined as something that helps people with disabilities do everyday tasks better or more independently, is central to this goal. Whether it’s a screen reader, speech-generating device, powered wheelchair, or adaptive software, AT helps bridge gaps and dismantle barriers the ADA aims to eliminate.
In 1990 when the ADA was signed into law, the world of assistive technology looked very different:
- Text-to-speech systems were expensive and limited.
- Personal computing was still in its early stages.
- Internet access was rare in households.
Fast forward to 2025:
- AI-powered apps offer real-time captioning and object recognition for blind and deaf users.
- AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) devices are more portable, customizable, and affordable.
- Mainstream platforms like smartphones, smart speakers, and video conferencing tools now integrate accessibility as a standard feature, not an afterthought.
The ADA laid the legal and cultural foundation for these breakthroughs, pushing society to recognize accessibility as a right, not a privilege.
Looking ahead, we will likely see more AI, machine learning, and universal design to create tools that adapt dynamically to users’ needs. These advances must be guided by inclusive design principles and user-centered development—ideals rooted in the ADA itself.
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Public Awareness: Spark Action using the AT Theme
Public Awareness Station with a STAR Program banner and device examples
Public awareness sparks action—it’s about making people see, care, and do something. Activities and events to increase public awareness include public service announcements, radio talk shows, news reports, newspaper stories and columns, newsletters, brochures, and public forums. Each is designed to reach large numbers of people.
MN STAR does several public awareness events throughout the year to get out there and promote our services. Now more than ever, it is important to spread the word about the STAR Program and how we can help those with disabilities access the assistive technology they need.
If you think STAR would be a good fit for your public awareness event, please reach out to us. We would like at least 50 people to attend, but we will consider smaller events depending on the location.
Here are some AT public awareness activities to check out:
Be sure to check out our YouTube channel for webinars and informational videos on assistive technology that we have created to increase public awareness.
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Check out our online lending library at MN AT4ALL where you can see many of the devices hosted by STAR and our partners. You can check out a loan online and a staff member will reach out regarding next steps.
For more information, contact STAR. We look forward to hearing from you!
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Our Partners Help Broaden Our Reach State-wide
The federal 21st Century Assistive Technology Act, requires programs like STAR to provide the following services: assistive technology demonstrations, loans, and reutilization services. In order to support the entire state with a small team, STAR has broadened their ability to meet people where they are, closer to their communities where possible.
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Featured STAR Contract Partner: LiveLife Therapy Solutions, Inc.
Bringing AT to You: LiveLife Therapy Solutions, Inc.
Sue Redepenning, OT, ATP, MN-AS, ECHM – President, LiveLife Therapy Solutions, Inc.
Our featured STAR Partner, LiveLife Therapy Solutions, Inc., is an assistive technology company serving Minnesota residents. We recently talked with Sue Redepenning, President, to learn about their work.
Sue Redepenning is no stranger to AT, beginning her career as an occupational therapist with a focus on AT. When an opportunity opened in Minnesota to help people with disabilities in their homes and communities, she founded LiveLife Therapy Solutions in 2013.
Sue Redepenning with some of the LiveLife Therapy Solutions team
Sue stated, “I believe the way we use advanced experts and therapists to do this work is quite unique. I haven’t found another agency that brings these professions together and does the work over a broad geographical area.” The company employs occupational therapists (OTs), physical therapists (PTs) and speech therapists (STs) to gather a comprehensive view of the person’s situation beyond AT, identifying home modifications from the point of view of the OT and PT. They ensure durable medical equipment modifications fit the person, a ramp is in the right place, or that the bathroom and bedroom have the required modifications. Sue explains, “People have different needs. It’s why we employ different disciplines for therapy. We also have a biomedical engineer, and an engineer to help us understand the technology from the backside. We can be anywhere in the state when we are troubleshooting, so technical support is essential.”
LiveLife Therapy Solutions became a STAR Partner in 2023 and appreciates the quarterly updates and training on AT that they receive. Part of their company’s assessment is to do demonstrations and compare similar devices that LiveLife Therapy Solutions owns. Because they are working with Minnesota residents, they may borrow equipment from MN STAR, which can double the number of devices to demo. Sue said, “We want to be sure that the person can experience and try a device before we select an item for them. If a person is still unsure of what they like, they may borrow a device from MN STAR’s lending library for up to 45 days.”
“AT supports options that help people live where they choose and do more for themselves. The shortage of personal care assistants means AT is more important than ever. People need to be able to do more things on their own if they can, and we look at ways we can help a person do that. A device is like learning a new language – it’s not always easy,” explained Sue. LiveLife Therapy Solutions also ensures that the person knows how to use the device and who to contact with questions, creating a binder with the person’s device manuals and tech support information. According to Sue, “We set the person up for success so that the manufacturer can support the person directly without intervention from us.”
“It’s important to us that the people we see use their technology, so we survey people one or two years after we finish working with them. If a person is not using the technology we helped them obtain, the survey tells us why, and we address the situation and can also adjust our service model for the future. Many times, they just need a little troubleshooting,” Sue said. In addition, people they see who have progressive disorders often need new equipment over time to address their changing situation. LiveLife Therapy Solutions might exchange equipment and put their equipment into the pool for someone else. They encourage people to call if anything changes in three or four months.
Their surveys reveal 92% of LiveLife Therapy clients are still using their technology after two years, while nationally, only 30% of people are doing so. We believe the reason for our success is our follow-up and training, which isn’t happening nationally,” Sue shared.
There are options for payment. The company applies for and utilizes state grants, bills waivers, and contracts with vocational rehab services, among other options. Contact LiveLife Therapy Solutions to learn more. “We always tell the person to inform their case manager/social worker about their request as they are our main referral source,” said Sue.
What keeps the organization motivated can be summed up as “AT changes lives.” Sue shared some of the many examples of that sentiment in action:
- An older person was unable to let his personal care assistant into his apartment. He couldn’t push the button on his cellphone that allowed the building’s security system to grant entry. LiveLife Therapy set up a tone to simulate pressing the access number on his cellphone and also taught him how to use voice access with his phone. Just one night later, he had an emergency. He called 911 and was able to let the emergency staff in to help. AT was life-saving - help came fast because he knew what to do.
- LiveLife Therapy Solutions used their “Parenting with a Disability” grant to enable a mom with ALS to use her eyes and a device to adjust her bed without help. Now, her young son can climb into bed with her so she can read him a bedtime story. She said it was life-changing and allows her to share meaningful experiences as a mom with her son for as long as she can. She knows he will remember her. “We were also able to adapt games that she could play with her son using her feet on the controls,” shared Sue.
- A pastor with a progressive disease and losing his ability to speak wanted to speak at his daughter’s wedding. LiveLife Therapy obtained a device, set it up and trained him on how to program it. He was able to enter what he wanted to say and officiate his daughter’s wedding.
Sue said, “I think our staff and consultants are the best people I’ve ever met and are wonderful to work with. We’re very passion-driven people and this work is super important to us. We care about socioeconomic and cultural diversity. We use interpreters as needed and are always pushing the boundaries of what devices can do, such as make them multi-lingual. We study why we may not be reaching certain cultures or people. We ask ourselves what we need to change and adjust as we go. Now we’re getting a lot of referrals. We’re trying to make our service available to everybody.”
Contact LiveLife Therapy Solutions to learn more.
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STAR Partners are listed on our Device Loan page. Individuals can search for a device by product type and location by accessing the MN AT4ALL online lending library. If there are questions, we encourage people to check with STAR first. |
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Note: The Minnesota STAR Program is federally funded by the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living in accordance with P.L. 117-263 Division E:21st Century Assistive Technology Act. This law requires that the STAR Program have an Advisory Council. The purpose of the Minnesota Technology Advisory Council is to provide consumer-responsive and consumer-driven advice to STAR.
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Getting to Know Council Member Tom Reed
We recently caught up with Tom Reed, who is an individual member of the Council. Tom is one of 7 Public Members on the Council. To serve as a Public Member you must use assistive technology or be a family member or guardian of an AT user. Two-year terms are served, sometimes sequentially. Individual members provide important perspectives, which are vital to MN STAR.
Tom has been on the Council since 2021, and this is his second time participating. He said, “I first joined the Council in 2007, and was encouraged to do so while I was living in St. Cloud. I was very involved in the disability and the Assistive Technology (AT) community. I rejoined the Council in 2021.”
What Tom likes about being on the Council is the ability to network with fellow members. “I like hearing about what STAR is doing in Minnesota,” he shared.
Tom feels that the value he brings to the Council are his experiences with AT. He uses various types of AT and shares end user experiences with the Council, which are so valuable for setting direction or policies.
When asked about how the Council has impacted his life, Tom shared, “In my previous years as a member, we had a guest speaker from the Office of Legislative Auditor (OLA) who was critical of the Personal Care Assistant (PCA) Program. I responded and shared my perspective. What I said silenced the entire room, including the speaker. So, I think it really helped me to be a better advocate,” he recalled.
Community outreach is important to MN STAR to promote their services with AT and is one of the areas in which Council members can assist, and Tom is no exception. Personally, he promotes MN STAR on his social media.
Tom has made some good connections with Council members and MN STAR staff while serving on the Advisory Council, and he hopes that when a fellow Council member sees other Council members using AT, that they feel they have played a small part in making that happen by serving as a Council member.
To learn more about the Minnesota Technology Advisory Council and the work they do, email STAR: [email protected].
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Note to readers: in each issue, we feature a device from our lending library or a useful AT app we have found. There are many devices that can be demonstrated or trialed through our loan program at no charge to you. Check out our inventory of devices at the MN AT4ALL website. We also feature promising apps that help improve the lives of people with disabilities. |
The Lotus Ring
The Lotus Ring
We recently added a smart home technology device to our lending library: the Lotus Ring. The wearable Ring uses infrared (IR) signals to control objects in the home by pointing the ring at any toggle or rocker wall switch and pushing a small button on the ring to activate (i.e., point and click). No app or Wi-Fi is required.
The ring can turn on or off anything connected to a paddle or rocker-style wall switch, such as lights, fans, or appliances connected to a wall plate like a fireplace.
The focus of the Lotus Company is improving human lives and prioritizing universal and inclusive design. They focus on things that need to plug into a wall and activities for daily living that empower all users in their living spaces.
The technology is ideal for:
- The smart home enthusiast seeking solutions for their rental space (i.e. no wiring/rewiring or drilling required – fits over existing wall switches).
- A person who wants to make their home more accessible.
- A parent caring for a newborn while managing things at home.
- Travelers bringing smart home convenience wherever they go.
- Providing a convenient and easy way to turn on lights before getting out of bed at night to help prevent accidental trips or falls.
The Ring is easy to use:
- Select any toggle or rocker wall switch to control and snap on the Lotus magnetic switch covers.
- Place the Ring on the preferred finger with the infrared (IR) band pointing up and aligned to the knuckle, placing the button on the side of the finger closest to the thumb.
- Point the Ring at the switch cover and click to turn off or on.
Benefits include:
- Ready to wear. Slip the Ring on and go about your day.
- Switch Covers can be attached to any existing wall switches in your living space and can be moved around as needed.
- Lightweight and portable. Perfect for travel.
- Lower power use: charge every 90 days.
For more information about the Lotus Ring, refer to their website and our lending library, MN AT4ALL.
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Partners in Policy Making®: Advocacy in Action
Colleen Wieck, PhD, Executive Director, Partners in Policy Making (upper left), with 3 self-advocates
Partners in Policy Making® is a leadership training program that has been changing lives since 1987. The program is for parents of young children with disabilities and adults with disabilities and is federally funded. Created by the Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities, the Partners program has been offered nationally and internationally, with a focus on providing information, education, and training to build knowledge, develop skills, and change attitudes that will lead to increased independence, productivity, self-determination, integration and inclusion (IPSII) for people with developmental disabilities and their families.
We recently had the opportunity to talk with Colleen Wieck, PhD, the Executive Director of Partners in Policy Making. She has been involved with this important and successful program since it began.
About Partners in Policy Making Training
People who participate in the training attend 8 mandatory sessions held over 9 months. The curriculum includes leadership skills and learning the process of developing positive partnerships with elected officials and other policymakers who make decisions about the services that the person and/or their family use. The program is accessible, informative, and empowering for all.
When asked about the relationship between MN STAR and the Partners in Policy Making program, Colleen referred to a section of the Partners in Policymaking Handbook on developing competencies, one of which is that participants will be able to “describe examples of state-of-the-art technologies that can benefit people with disabilities.” Colleen shared, “The MN STAR Program is definitely part of how we address this competency by presenting at one of our sessions.” The organizations support each other at events to raise awareness of disabilities and possibilities that assistive technology can provide to support independence.
A Success Story: Advocacy in Action
Colleen shared, “Many of our graduates have gone on to new careers, have become lobbyists at the state capitol, successfully run for their local school board. They become leaders and change agents overall.”
Colleen pointed to one recent example: universal changing tables. The Minnesota Chapter of the Changing Spaces Campaign is led by Advocates Tram Nguyen and Sarah St Louis; both are graduates of the Partners in Policy Making training program. The two were inspired to start advocating for accessible restrooms with universal changing tables because of their own struggles to care for their children while away from home.
In 2023, they introduced legislation in Minnesota, SF 999, that will require adult changing tables to be made a part of the Minnesota building code. The governor signed the bill in March 2023, and it became law in February 2024 through an expedited rule making process. The code will officially become part of the Minnesota building code in August 2025. Their work continues on funding and advocacy to spread awareness to help advance access and inclusion in Minnesota.
A Track Record of Success since 1987
The track record of Partners in Policy Making is impressive. Approximately 1,200 self-advocates and family members or parents have graduated from the Partners Program in Minnesota, and more than 29,000 people have graduated worldwide.
Interested in the program? Check out the Partners in Policy Making website: https://mn.gov/mnddc/pipm/ to learn more.
Note: Registration for Class 43 (Sept 19, 2025, through May 2026) is open.
Registration closes July 11, 2025.
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Accessibility Lab Builds Understanding
The Minnesota Judicial Branch Digital Accessibility Project Team shared the success they had recently with a digital accessibility lab. Suzanne Mateffy, Court Services Division, Communications Analyst and Kate Malmon, Strategic Planning and Projects Office, Sr. Project manager, talked with us about the experience.
Said Suzanne, “Digital accessibility came into focus as we developed more of our own publicly facing applications, like MN Court Records Online and the online public defender application.” This led to incorporating the same digital accessibility standards into new or significantly updated documents that are posted to the MJB’s public website. The Department of Justice amending of the ADA provided more clarity on these standards. “It led us to take a closer look at all the documents available on our public website,” explained Kate.
Then came an opportunity for the project team to hold a breakout session at the bi-annual conference for line staff. “These folks work with our court customers every day and are such an important part of ensuring their needs are met. Reaching them with the message of digital accessibility and their role in it was a natural extension of the project’s work,” Suzanne said.
The goal: help line staff understand how people with differing abilities interact with courts and why it is important to incorporate digital accessibility into their work.
Suzanne explained, “The line staff are seeing changes to the documents they work with every day, as well as process changes and the introduction of new accessibility-checking tools. We hoped our lab would enable them to come away with a sense of the ‘why’ behind the changes, the real why.”
Kate added, “Of course there’s the obligation to follow the new DOJ rule, but there’s a much bigger ‘why.’ For us, it’s ensuring all Minnesotans have the same access to justice, lessening impediments that make what might feel like an already bewildering or stressful experience harder,” added Kate.
MN STAR assisted the team with setting up the experience lab. Suzanne said, “It was amazing. Not only did they provide the equipment we used but also offered so much great advice and inspiration! I left the Administration building with a bag of equipment, a head filled with ideas, and a desire to change the world!”
The team had stations that allowed attendees to experience what having a particular disability might be like. The stations:
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- Demonstrated what a cognitive impairment might be like. Attendees thought about the difference between how long it took to trace a star when looking at it on the table in front of them compared to doing the same task while looking in a mirror.
- Showed what three levels of hearing loss might be like in several common environments, like meetings and parties.
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- Were devoted to starting and stopping a timer on an iPad application, first with a finger and second with a switch, to see what living with a mobility disability could be like.
- Featured illustrations of several common visual impairments and their effect on being able reading a court order for information like when, where, and how to show up for a hearing.
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From the comments received, the experience lab was a success:
- “It was good to have examples of what others experience - gave a good perspective.”
- “I love the hands on with the different equipment that people with certain disabilities can use to assist them in court”.
- “Was interesting to see what people with disabilities deal with when trying to access online documents.”
- “It was helpful to experience what some people with disabilities have to go through on a daily basis. It makes it easier to empathize with people.”
The team felt that this was a great way to shine a spotlight on accessibility with their organization and are already planning to do it again.
Suzanne said, “Even getting a small taste of what our court customers living with disabilities experience gives purpose and meaning to these changes. The experience lab helped us accomplish that.”
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There are several events and learning opportunities that may be of interest about assistive technology. More information about upcoming events is available from the links. All events are in Central Time unless otherwise indicated. If you want to hear more about future events, subscribe to our Upcoming Events list!
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Oct. 8th – 9th
Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center (DECC)
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Oct. 20 – 24
Hilton Hotel Bloomington, Minneapolis
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The 43rd annual conference of Closing the Gap, focused on Assistive Technology in Special Education, Rehabilitation and Everyday Living
Preconference workshops: Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 20-21
Conference is Wednesday, Oct 22 – Friday Oct. 24
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We have many device and educational videos. STAR posts videos often, so consider subscribing to our channel! Here are also two playlists on the channel:
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