Presentation Summery
MonTECH, based out of the University of Montana’s Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities, serves as Montana’s statewide assistive technology program, offering a wide range of free and accessible resources tailored to the blind and low-vision community. Through personalized, 1-on-1 consultations available both online and in-person at their Missoula and Billings locations, MonTECH staff help individuals explore low-tech to high-tech vision solutions—including video magnifiers, screen-reading software, accessible mobile apps, and specialized computer access tools.
To ensure Montanans can try equipment in their daily lives before making financial commitments, MonTECH operates a free short-term equipment loan program with free two-way shipping across the state. They also offer the Montana Assistive Technology Loan (MATL) program, which provides low- or zero-interest financing to help individuals acquire permanent devices, adaptive technology, and accessibility modifications. Additionally, MonTECH hosts the Montana Deaf-Blind Project to support youth with dual sensory needs and maintains an online equipment exchange network for buying, selling, or donating gently used assistive technology statewide.