Assistive Technology Kelsey Hayward

What is Assistive Technology?

Assistive technology gives students with severe disabilities the opportunity to participate in learning and communication in their least restricted environment.

Alabama law says what?!

âFrom past experience I am aware that in Mobile

âand Baldwin Counties, if your child is in need of

âAT while at school they are given an assitive

âtechnology survery. Once you apply for the âsurvey and are approved, an OT/PT will come out

âand observe your child with a variety of task. If your

âchild qualifies for an AT while in a learningâenvironment, it will be brought to his/her âclassroom with no charge.

Alabama Law ContinuedThe mission of STAR: "To enable Alabamians,

children and adults with disabilities to achieve their

maximum potential at school, home, work, and

play through improved access to and acquisition of

assistive technology devices and services via a

variety of statewide services." ( ADRS 2012)

Hearing ImpairedFor the hearing impaired, there are the choices of

brail, sign language, picture cards, and applications

that are now on tablets that have pictures. PEC, is

a picture exchange program. Through this program

you can have pictures of items the child is interested

in or their wants or likes. The child can then point to

show you what they want or need. This is also works

for nonverbal students. From past experience I had a

student who used PEC for getting into a daily routine!

Seeing ImpairedThe items below are some that are in the

classrooms at my school! We also have a screen

that can be attached to our computer/laptop to help

maximize what is being displayed. The tablets that

are listed below have different apps on them.

My personal iPad has an app that the students love.

For those who have a difficult time of seeing, red

items flash on the screen and when the students

hit the red item, music is played! The students love to

hear the music and know they got it correct!

Learning Disabled

For students with LD, there are many AT available; from recorders for students who may have trouble listening or keeping organized, to having audio books and alternative keyboards. Depending of the LD that your child has depends on the AT that you would be getting to help your child work to their fullest advantage in the classroom.

Physically Disabled

Switches are frequently used in my school! They

are also known as assistive communication devices. One girl who is disabled and confined to her wheel-chair loves her switch! She has a silver dot, which is similar to a sticker that goes on her forehead that acts as a pointer. She also has a pad that helps her communicate while at school. Big Mac Switches are also helpful in the classroom. A Big Mac switch is where you can record your voice, then give to student to press as if they were participating in class. For instance brown bear, you could record yourself saying it then when time in the story, the child could press it as if it was themselves.

Physically Disabled Continued

Another item that is used for the physically disabled

is a stander. We use these for students who are in

wheel chairs and aren't able to stretch their muscles.

During the day the students will be taken out and

strapped on to the stander. While on the stander,

the child is in an upright/standing position, to help

stretch their muscles out! In the corner of the photo

are items that are used for the physically disabled. A

stander and also a walker is shown in the picture.

Reference Page

The IRIS Center. 2014. August 30, 2014. Assistive

Technology Umbrella. Retrieved from http://iris.

peabody.vanderbilt.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013

/06/at_umbrella_3drop.jpg

Wordle. Blogger. August 30, 2014. Assistive

Technology Wordle. Retrieved from http://3.bp.

blogspot.com. Googled Learning Disabilities

with Assistive Technology.

Googled Image of PEC.2008. August 30, 2014.

Retrieved from http://373virtualpta.files.

wordpress.com/2008/01/p-1-pecs-colour1.jpg

Seeing and Physical Pictures. 2014. August 27,

2014. Retrieved from Robertsdale Elementary

School.

Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services.

.2012.August 30, 2014. STAR, Alabama's

AssistiveTechnology Program. Retrieved from

www.rehab.alabama.gov/individuals-and-

families/star