Assistive & Adaptive Technologies

By: Katie Bounds

Imagine if you relied on an assistive technology…..

Meet Mason! Watch his inspiring attempt at living a normal life.

What is it? Assistive Technology- any

item, piece of equipment, or product system that is used to improve, increase, or maintain the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities

Adaptive Technology- any item that is specifically designed to help a user compensate for areas of impairment or disability

There are many different assistive and adaptive technologies for each disability

A photo by Rain Rabbit on Flickr

Why is it important? Using these technologies

in our classrooms lets students with disabilities adapt and participate in regular classroom activities.

Students with disabilities are able to succeed in general education classrooms with the use of assistive technologies

These technologies give students with disabilities a chance to expand their learning and comprehension

A photo by EasyStand on Flickr

Hearing Impaired Assistive Listening Systems

transmits the teachers voice to the hearing impaired student. This system decreases background noise making the audio more clear.

Closed Captioning for videos and lectures helps students read what is being said.

Be aware of students with hearing aids. Make seating accommodations so they can hear you more clearly.

A photo by Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery on Flickr

Visually Impaired

E-Books and other software programs read aloud to those with visual impairments

A screen magnifier allows the student to zoom in and see the material more clearly

A photo by jeff_golden on Flickr

Cognitively Impaired

Picture Exchange Communication System helps those who cannot communicate verbally.

There are many educational websites that offer activities to help improve the cognitive process of students with disabilities.

By Quadell (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or CC0], via Wikimedia Commons

Physically Impaired

Adjustable computer monitors and keyboards are great for students with a physical disability who cannot reach the normal height

Intellikeys is a keyboard that is made for students with physical disabilities that have difficulty using a standard keyboard.

A photo by EasyStand on Flickr

Where to go for more information?

http://www.readingrockets.org/article/33074

http://atto.buffalo.edu/

References

Assistive and Adaptive Technology. (n.d.). In Glencoe McGraw-Hill. Retrieved April 8, 2014, from http://glencoe.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/dl/free/0078901359/594902/AAT_v4.pdf

Assistive Technology for Kids with Learning Disabilities. 2014. In Reading Rockets. Retrieved April 8, 2014, from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/33074

Assistive Technology Training Online Project. 2005. In ATTO. Retrieved April 8, 2014, from http://atto.buffalo.edu/

Examples of Assistive Technology. (n.d.). In Assistive Technology for Education. Retrieved April 8, 2014, from http://assistivetechnologyforeducation.com/assessments-workshops-services/examples-of-assistive-technology/