Rate My Professor Thomas Manthey

Thomas Manthey serves as co-director of Assistive Technology for Kansans (ATK), a program housed within the University of Kansas Life Span Institute. ATK, established in 1993, operates as a statewide initiative covering all 105 Kansas counties to enhance access to assistive technology and related services for individuals of all ages with disabilities or health conditions. The program facilitates equipment distribution through the Kansas Telecommunications Access Program (KS TAP), which provides adapted phones, signalers, accessories, smartphones, and tablets. Additional offerings include KS Relay for telecommunications relay services, iCan Connect for National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program support, and various special projects aimed at promoting assistive technology use in daily life. ATK supports Kansans by offering individualized training on device use and maintenance, statewide training sessions for groups and partners, device demonstrations and short-term loans at demonstration centers, reuse of used devices, and guidance on locating funding sources for assistive technology needs in areas such as work, school, recreation, and community participation.

In August 2025, the Life Span Institute announced a $1 million grant award from the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services to ATK, co-directed by Thomas Manthey alongside Shea Tanis and Abby Azeltine. This funding supports expanded technology access for Kansans with disabilities through targeted activities including needs surveys, resource development, provider training, and an Assistive Technology Fair to strengthen statewide infrastructure. Thomas Manthey also holds a voting position on the University of Kansas Faculty Rights, Privileges and Responsibilities committee for fiscal year 2026, with his term extending through 2028. Through his leadership at ATK, he contributes to empowering individuals across the lifespan to live more independently by ensuring access to appropriate assistive technologies and resources.