related ▁assistance ." ▁▁▁ ▁Currently , ▁there ▁are ▁ 5 6 ▁State ▁AT ▁programs . ▁ ▁For ▁the ▁approximately ▁ 5 0 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁individuals ▁with ▁dis abilities ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁these ▁programs ▁are ▁available ▁to ▁provide ▁them ▁with ▁assistance ▁in ▁selecting ▁and ▁acqu iring ▁assist ive ▁technology , ▁defined ▁as ▁any ▁device ▁that ▁would ▁help ▁them ▁perform ▁tasks ▁that ▁would ▁otherwise ▁be ▁difficult ▁or ▁impossible . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁Technology - Rel ated ▁Ass istance ▁for ▁Ind ividual s ▁with ▁Dis abilities ▁Act ▁( P . L . ▁ 1 0 0 - 4 0 7 ) ▁was ▁first ▁passed ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁re author ized ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁( P . L . ▁ 1 0 3 - 2 1 8 ) ▁and ▁again ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁( P . L . ▁ 1 0 5 - 3 9 4 ). ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁designated ▁as ▁a ▁systems ▁change ▁grant ▁and ▁is ▁often ▁called ▁the ▁" T ech ▁Act " ▁for ▁short . ▁Congress ▁passed ▁this ▁legisl ation ▁to ▁increase ▁access ▁to , ▁avail ability ▁of , ▁and ▁fund ing ▁for ▁assist ive ▁technology ▁through ▁state ▁efforts ▁and ▁national ▁initi atives . ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁law ▁re aff ir med ▁that ▁technology ▁is ▁a ▁valuable ▁tool ▁that ▁can ▁be ▁used ▁to ▁improve ▁the ▁lives ▁of ▁Americans ▁with ▁dis abilities . ▁ ▁Every ▁state ▁and ▁territory ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States