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Technical Assistance (TA)

MassMATCH TA Services

Technical Assistance (TA) is available from MassMATCH. State or local agencies and other public or private organizations who need TA for assistive technology may contact MassMATCH for services.

Examples of assistance we have provided include help providing reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities in their places of employment, training on ergonomic computer workstation accessibility, and coordination and planning for videophone installation at MRC offices to ensure direct communication access for people who are deaf and their counselors. Our TA staff can work with your organization or agency to evaluate equipment needs and train staff to make AT work for your unique situation.

Please contact:

MassMATCH
Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission
27 Wormwood Street
Boston, MA 02212-1616

866-682-9955 (Toll Free)
617-204-3851 (Voice)
617-204-3887 (FAX)

Email: massmatch@state.ma.us

Employer TA from Massachusetts Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies

Employers of people with disabilities and employers considering hiring a person with a disability can get free technical assistance from Vocational Rehabilitation agencies in Massachusetts. Services available include:

  • Help complying with The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA);
  • Help accessing IRS tax incentives available to employers of people with disabilities;
  • Disability awareness/sensitivity training;
  • No cost job placement services—help finding a qualified prescreened applicant for a vacant position;
  • Information about on-the-job training funds that can pay for an employee's on-site training period.*
  • On-site consultations for how to modify/adapt the work environment to make it accessible for a particular employee or job applicant with a disability;*
  • Follow-up services to ensure success with accommodations and on-going productivity.*

*These services are available to employers of clients of the VR agencies only.

If you employ or are considering employing a person who is legally blind, please contact the Mass. Commission for the Blind's VR program:

Boston MCB Office
48 Boylston Street
Boston Ma 02116-4718
Telephone: (617) 727-5550
VOICE (800) 392-6450 (MASS. ONLY)
VOICE (800) 392-6556 (MASS. ONLY)
TDD Fax: (617) 626-7685

Worcester MCB Office
390 Main Street Suite 620
Worcester, Ma 01608-2111
(508) 754-1148 VOICE
(800) 263-6944 (MASS ONLY) VOICE
Fax: (508) 752-7832

Springfield MCB Office
436 Dwight Street Room
109 Springfield, Ma 01103
(413) 781-1290 VOICE
(800) 332-2772 (MASS. ONLY) VOICE
Fax: (413) 746-8570

New Bedford MCB Office
800 Purchase Street Suite 290
New Bedford, Ma. 02740-6344
(508) 993-6140 VOICE
(800) 989-4411 (MASS. ONLY) VOICE
Fax: (508) 992-4147

If you employ or are considering employing a person who has low vision or has another physical and/or mental disability, please contact:

The Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission VR program

(800) 245-6543

You may also call MAXIMUS at (866) 968-7842 (toll free English and Spanish) or (866) 833-2967 TTY.

Find your local MRC VR area office

Communication Access, Training, and Technology Services (CATTS)

The Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing's (MCDHH) CATTS Department provides a range of free professional and educational in-services/presentations to other organizations, agencies, and businesses seeking to improve their effectiveness interacting with people who are deaf and hard of hearing. In-services on AT and "reasonable accommodation" are available as well as programs specifically geared for public agencies and medical offices. Read more about their TA services and request a training at the CATTS website.

CATTS Department

MCDHH Main Office

150 Mount Vernon Street, Suite 550

Dorchester, MA 02125-3115

617-740-1699 (FAX)

617-740-1668 (VOICE)

617-740-1768 (TTY)

Videophone:
Dial 617-740-1800 or use the following IP address: 70.22.152.162

MCDHH Western Regional Office

Springfield State Office Building

436 Dwight Street, Suite 204

Springfield, MA 01103-1317

413-731-5177 (FAX)

413-788-6427 (V/TTY)

Videophone:
Dial 413-788-6427 or use the following IP address: 70.109.254.98

Job Accommodation Network (JAN)

JAN is a free service of the Office of Disability Employment Policy of the U.S. Department of Labor. JAN provides free consulting services to employers and employees including individualized work site accommodations solutions, technical assistance regarding the ADA and other disability related legislation, tax incentives, and information about self-employment options for people with disabilities. JAN is accessible by phone, fax, postal mail, or email. Most calls are routed to one of JAN's four specialty teams. These teams include the Motor/Mobility Team, the Sensory Team, the Cognitive/Psychiatric Team, or the Small Business Self-Employment Team. They are staffed by professional Human Factor Consultants experienced in the field of rehabilitation. JAN's office hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST, Monday-Friday. Learn more at the JAN website.

Job Accommodation Network
PO Box 6080
Morgantown, WV 26506-6080

800-526-7234 (V) in the United States
800-ADA-WORK (V) in the United States
877-781-9403 (TTY)
304-293-7186 (V)

304-293-5407 (FAX)

email JAN

PEPNet-Northeast Regional Center

PEPNet stands for "Post secondary Education Programs Network." PEPNet regional centers provide outreach and technical assistance to colleges and other post secondary programs serving people who are deaf or hard of hearing. PEPNet-Northeast offers workshops, regional conferences, informational guides, and consultations to help post secondary programs initiate and/or improve the accessibility of their programs for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. PEPNet-Northeast offers assistance with strategies for:

    • basic academic preparation
    • interpreting
    • note taking
    • teaching English, math, or science
    • tutoring
    • using technology in the classroom

PEPNet- Northeast is located at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID), a college of Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). The center is one of four regional centers that are working collaboratively to provide TA nationwide. They are funded by the U.S. Department of Education through a five-year, $5 million grant. Read more at the PEPNet-Northeast website.

Dianne K. Brooks, director

52 Lomb Memorial Drive

Rochester, NY 14623-5604

585-475-6433 (V/TTY)

585-475-7660 (Fax)

Email: pepnetnortheast@rit.edu

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