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Develop Rehabilitation Technology Information Sources

Professor Field began the Breaking New Ground Project at Purdue to serve the needs of farmers with disabilities who desired to remain active in their farm operation despite their physical limitations. Since 1979, the project has responded to over 45,000 requests for technical information and has published a newsletter which was mailed at one time to about 13,000 individuals. Over 30 issues have been published between 1980 and 2000. The program has been involved in hosting or participating in over 135 workshops for farmers and rural rehabilitation professionals held throughout the United States and Canada. Three editions of a resource manual on rural assistive technology were published containing over 700 pages of ideas to make the return to farming following a disability easier and safer. (The single most frequent cause of disability of those contacting the Breaking New Ground Project continues to be traumatic injuries.) Work was recently completed on an extensive CD catalogue of assistive technology (The Toolbox) with full color photos and video clips. Over 17,000 copies of The Toolbox have been distributed nationally. The program's most recent product is a new publication, Arthritis and Agriculture which was done in collaboration with the Arthritis Foundation – Indiana Affiliate.

The Breaking New Ground Resource Center has become the most widely recognized source of educational material related to rural assistive technology issues and working with farm families impacted by disability. The following is a sample of resources presently available.

  • Rehabilitation Technology — “A Challenge For All”, 13-minute video presentation, 1986.
  • Modified Agricultural Equipment: Manlifts for Farmers & Ranchers with Physical Handicaps, 1987.
  • Arthritis and Farmers, 15-minute video presentation, 1989.
  • Agricultural Tools, Equipment, Machinery & Buildings for Farmers & Ranchers with Physical Disabilities, Vol. 2, 1991, 2000.
  • Conducting Agricultural Worksite Assessments, 1991.
  • Assistive Technology Needs Assessment of Farmers and Ranchers with Spinal Cord Injuries, 1992.
  • Identifying, Selecting, and Implementing Assistive Technology in the Agricultural Workplace, 1992.
  • Making Career Decisions Following a Disability — A Guide for Farmers & Ranchers, 1992.
  • Rural Assistive Technology Slide Presentation Resource, 134 slide presentation with descriptions, 1992.
  • Enterprising Ideas, 1993.
  • Improving Your Rural Business with the ADA, 1993.
  • Improving Farmstead Accessibility, 1994.
  • Cooperative Extension Service and Accessibility, 15-minute video presentation/package, 1995.
  • Farming With An Upper Extremity Amputation, 23-minute video presentation, 1995.
  • National AgrAbility Project, 15-minute video presentation, 1995.
  • To Everything There is a Season, 48-minute video presentation/package for rural caregivers, 1996.
  • Barn Builders, 1996, 2002.
  • The Toolbox, 2003, 2009.
  • Arthritis and Agriculture, 2004.
  • Plain Facts about Arthritis, 2005.
  • Conducting Agricultural Worksite Assessments, 2010.

In addition, the Breaking New Ground Resource Center has produced over 25 technical reports on specific disability-related issues that have been distributed to thousands of individuals throughout North America. These include:

  1. Tormoehlen, R. L. and Field, W. E., 1983. Potential Health and Safety Risks of Farming with Physical Handicaps. Breaking New Ground Newsletter, Vol. 1, No. 4, Purdue University.
  2. Gaynor, R., Willkomm, T.M., and Field, W. E., 1986. Hand Controls for Agricultural Equipment. Breaking New Ground Newsletter, Vol. 4, No. 2, Purdue University.
  3. Willkomm, T. M. and Field, W. E., 1986. Prosthetic and Worksite Modifications for Farmers with Upper Extremity Amputations. Breaking New Ground Newsletter, Vol. 4, No. 3, Purdue University.
  4. Richey, C. B. and Field, W. E., 1986. Purdue Designed Chairlift Attachments for Farmers with Restricted Mobility. Breaking New Ground Newsletter, Vol. 4, No. 4, Purdue University.
  5. Hancock, J. N. and Field, W. E., 1987. Selection and Operation of All-Terrain Vehicles by Physically Impaired Farmers. Breaking New Ground Newsletter, Vol. 5, No. 3, Purdue University.
  6. Hancock, J. N. and Field, W. E., 1989. Farming Following a Spinal Cord Injury. Breaking New Ground Newsletter, Vol. 7, No. 1, Purdue University.
  7. Field, W. E., 1989. Rehabilitation Services - A Challenge for Rural America. Breaking New Ground Newsletter, Vol. 7, No. 2, Purdue University.
  8. Bowles, J. W. and Field, W. E., 1990. New Concepts in Manlift Attachments for Tractors and Combines. Breaking New Ground Newsletter, Vol. 8, No. 1, Purdue University.
  9. Linville, B. T., Brusnighan, D. A., and Field, W. E., 1990. Improving Worksite Mobility for Farmers with Physical Disabilities. Breaking New Ground Newsletter, Vol. 8, No. 2, Purdue University.
  10. Clemons, N. M., 1991. Alternative Farm Enterprises for Farmers with Disabilities. Breaking New Ground Newsletter, Vol. 9, No. 1, Purdue University.
  11. Brusnighan, D. A. and Field, W. E., 1991. Guidelines for Construction of Ramps Used in Rural Settings. Breaking New Ground Newsletter, Vol. 9, No. 2, Purdue University.
  12. Deason, M., 1991. Directory of Rural Assistive Technology Resources. Breaking New Ground Newsletter, Vol. 9, No. 3, Purdue University.
  13. Carpenter, R. and Deason, M., 1991. Farming with a Visual Impairment. Breaking New Ground Newsletter, Vol. 9, No. 4, Purdue University.
  14. Tormoehlen, R.L., 1992. A Perfect Fit - Involving Youth Who Have Disabilities. Breaking New Ground Newsletter, Vol. 10, No. 1, Purdue University.
  15. Deason, M., Kirkpatrick, E., and Field, W. E., 1992. Rural Public Libraries - A Resource for the Disabled. Breaking New Ground Newsletter, Vol. 10, No. 2, Purdue University.
  16. Sillery, B. and Allen, P. B., 1992. Assistive Communication Devices for Farmers/ Ranchers with Physical Disabilities. Breaking New Ground Newsletter, Vol. 10, No. 3, Purdue University.
  17. Frederick, C. and Field, W. E., 1993. Farming/Ranching with Cerebral Palsy. Breaking New Ground Newsletter, Vol. 11, No. 2, Purdue University.
  18. McCormick, S., 1993. Reins of Life - Riding for the Disabled. Breaking New Ground Newsletter, Vol. 11, No. 3, Purdue University.
  19. Yearns, M. and Brusnighan, D.A., 1994. Making Your Farmhouse Accessible. Breaking New Ground Newsletter, Vol. 12, No. 1, Purdue University.
  20. McVea, T. Z., Freeman, S. A., and Sheldon, E. S., 1994. Farming with a Respiratory Impairment. Breaking New Ground Newsletter, Vol. 12, No. 2, Purdue University.
  21. Delks, B., McLeod, W., Baker, D., and Williams, W., 1995. Computer Utilization by Farmers with Disabilities. Breaking New Ground Newsletter, Vol. 13, No. 1, Purdue University.
  22. Breaking New Ground Staff, 1995. Directory of Rural Assistive Technology Resources. Breaking New Ground Newsletter, Vol. 13, No. 2, Purdue University. (Replaces Plowshares No. 12).
  23. Getts, M. L., Ploss, A. J., and Brusnighan, D. A., 1995. Farming with a Hearing Impairment. Breaking New Ground Newsletter, Vol. 13, No. 3, Purdue University.
  24. Petrea, C., Brusnighan, D. A., and Schweitzer, J. M., 1996. Farming with a Lower Extremity Amputation or Impairment. Breaking New Ground Newsletter, Vol. 14, No. 1, Purdue University.
  25. Newman, M.C., Field, W. E., and McCormick, S., 1996. Accessing Horses and Horse Drawn Vehicles. Breaking New Ground Newsletter, Vol. 14, No. 2, Purdue University.
  26. Gruver, M.L., Tyring, T., Field, W. E., and Weisman, G., 1997. Farming with a Back Impairment. Breaking New Ground Newsletter, Vol. 15, No. 1, Purdue University.
  27. Gruver, M. L., Allen, P. B., Field, W. E., and Schweitzer, J.M., 1997. Potential Health and Safety Risks of Farming/Ranching with a Disability. Breaking New Ground Newsletter, Vol. 15, No. 2, Purdue University.

The Breaking New Ground Resource Center worked in partnership with the National Easter Seal to provide leadership to the USDA AgrAbility during the first 10 years of the program's operation (1991-2000). This involved providing resources and training to over 70 staff involved with the 21 state projects. Since 1990, the Breaking New Ground Outreach Program has served as the Indiana component of the USDA AgrAbility Program providing direct services to farm families and information dissemination throughout the state. In 2008 the National AgrAbility Project returned to Purdue in partnership with Goodwill International and the Arthritis Foundation-Indiana Affiliate.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
Last updated: 07-Dec-2011 3:17 PM