Assistive TechnologyRobin Elmore

University of West Alabama / ED 505

Explanation of AT

Assistive Technology (AT) – Often referred as the synonym for adaptive technology.

Definition of AT – an umbrella term that includes assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices for people with disabilities.

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act – ensures that every student must meet a level of achievement regardless of abilities.

This places the focus of student achievement in the hands of teachers and school systems to meet every student’s need for success.

Law Information

Mainstreaming - introduced in the 1990’s which allowed students with disabilities to spend the majority of their time in regular classroom settings.

The process of inclusion all AT students the opportunity to be involved in general classroom settings and receive support services for success.

Law Information

Tech Act (1998) – affirms that technology is a valuable tool that can be used to improve the lives of Americans with disabilities.

IDEA (1990) – outlined that school districts must provide AT to students with disabilities.

Americans with Disabilities Act (1990)

Law Information

Teachers must set annual goals and short term objectives for all students in order to maximize student achievement.

It is the responsibility of educators to meet the needs of every student and work hard for these students to achieve success throughout life.

AT Images

AT Examples:

AT Descriptions

The following are some examples of different types of assistive technology devices:

Access and Environmental Controls: Devices that allow increased control of the environment or that open up access to things in the environment. This includes electronic controls like switches, special keyboards or mice, and remote controls as well as things that help people get around the community, like ramps, automatic door openers, and Braille signs.

AT Descriptions

Aids to Daily Living:

Special tools for daily activities, like brushing teeth, dressing or eating. This includes adapted utensils, plates and cups, opening doors, non-skid surfaces, and specially designed toilet seats and shower stalls.

Assistive Listening:Supports that help a student who is either deaf or has a hearing loss. This includes hearing aids, amplifiers, captions on TV, and typing telephones.

AT Descriptions

Augmentative/Alternative Communication:

Supports that allow a child who cannot speak, or whose speech is not understood by others, to communicate. This includes picture boards, voice output communication devices, communication software and computers.

Computer-Based Instruction:

Software to help students with learning difficulties in reading, writing, math and other subject areas.

AT Descriptions

Mobility: Equipment that allows a student with a physical or visual disability to move independently and safely through the community. This includes wheelchairs, walkers, and adapted bicycles.

Visual Aids: Supports that give a student with visual difficulties access to information. This includes large-print books, books on tape, magnifiers, talking computer software, and Braillers.

Hearing Impaired

Students with sensory disabilities have needs that must be met for proper student achievement.

Hearing impaired students can use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software – this software accommodate students with hearing impairments. (screen readers)

For students with partial hearing impairments can also use assistive listening devices

Seeing Impaired

Optical Character Recognition (OCR) – is software for the blind.

Mobility Sensory Cane – this helps the student navigate throughout the school easier.

Buddy System – Positive reinforcement of body awareness

Braille - used to help the blind read (raised shapes that allow the blind to read.

Learning Disabled

Information and ideas from a multidisciplinary

team, including the parents and student, are

important for developing an Individualized

Education Program (IEP) that meets the unique

needs of each student with learning disabilities.

A carefully developed multidisciplinary

approach will make classroom instruction meaningful for students.

Learning Disabled

For students with short term memory problems (e.g., understand math processes, but have short term memory problems that interfere with remembering math facts), a table of facts or a calculator could be provided.

For students who have difficulty with spelling, a “misspeller’s dictionary” or computerized spell checker can help make written materials readable.

Learning Disabled

For students who read below expected levels, educational videos and films or talking books can provide the general information that cannot be acquired from the printed page.

For some students who read slowly or with difficulty, a “read-along” technique may be used with taped texts and materials to allow learning of printed materials.

Learning Disabled

For students with memory problems or difficulty taking notes, a fellow student might share notes; the student might tape the lesson; or the teacher might provide a copy of the lesson outline.

For students whose handwriting is slow, illegible or includes many reversed letters, a cassette recorder or a computer with word processing software could be used for written work or tests.

Physically Disabled

Speech recognition is assistive software that allows people to control a computer by talking to it. Instead of using a keyboard and a mouse to control the computer, a student speaks instructions into a microphone that is connected to a computer.

Physically Disabled

For students who have difficulty using a keyboard or operating a mouse, a device called IntelliKeys can be used. IntelliKeys is a keyboard and overlay combination that takes the place of a keyboard.

Physically Disabled

For students who have severe physical disabilities and cannot use a keyboard, mouse or IntelliKeys, there are devices such as the SmartNav 4. This AT device allows a student to move the mouse by moving his head slightly. A virtual keyboard is on the screen that allows the student to enter text or navigate on the Internet. This device is ideal for students with spinal cord injuries, muscular dystrophy, and other special needs .

Reference

http://edtech.bosestate.edu/doaks/541/integration/adaptive.html#ar

http://pluk.org/Pubs/PLUKATguide269Kpdf

http://www.uapat.org/resources/educ_sheetss/mobility.pdf

http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JOTS/Winter-Spring-1998/cardon.html

http://kidsource.com/kidsource/content/challenging_gifted_kids.html

http://www.ehow.com/about_6514486_assistive-students-severe-mutiple.html