Assistive Technology

Bridgett Hill

ITEC 7530

Summer 2014

Dr. Carlson

Background

• Educators will often encounter students with disabilities that will require some type of special device for assistance.

• Students can have mild, moderate, or severe disabilities

• It is the school system’s and educator’s responsibility to ensure success for all students

Individualized Education Plans(IEP)

• “Kids with delayed skills or other disabilities might be eligible for special services that provide individualized education programs in public schools, free of charge to families.”

• IEPs are developed to help kids succeed in school

• IEPs set goals for children to during the school year 

• Student will IEPs will often require assistive technology

What is assistive technology?

• According to Wikipedia, “Assistive technology is an umbrella term that includes assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices for people with disabilities and also includes the process used in selecting, locating, and using them.”

• Any item that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functions of individuals with disabilities

• Promotes greater independence by enabling people to perform tasks that they usually would struggle with

Guidelines to Choosing Assistive Technology

• Collect child and family information- strengths, abilities, preferences and needs

• Identify activities for participation & what is preventing child from participating

• Observe level of participation and observable behaviors

• Brainstorm assistive technology behaviors and discuss possible solutions

• Test assistive technology intervention and create an observation plan to record child’s participation

• Identify what worked with assistive technology intervention and make modifications if necessary

Common Disabilities for Students

• Learning Disabilities

• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)/Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)

• Emotional Disorders

• Cognitive Disorders

• Autism

• Hearing/Visual/Speech Impairments

• Developmental Delay

Who can Diagnose a Learning Disability?

• Clinical Psychologist

• School Psychologist

• Educational Psychologist

• Neuropsychologist

• Psychometrist

Laws to Protect Students with Disabilities

• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)- prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in employment, transportation, public accommodation, communications, and governmental activities.

• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)- law ensuring services to children with disabilities throughout the nation. It governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services to children with disabilities.

• Section 504- federal law designed to protect the rights of individuals with disabilities in programs and activities that receive Federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Education. It states, "No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States . . . shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance . . . ."

Assistive Technology for Mild Disabilities

Assistive technology devices can be used to help with organization, note taking, writing, academic productivity, access to reference and general education materials and cognitive assistance

• Videotaping class sessions for visual learners

• Web-cam photography across Internet for students to see and hear class

• Send class notes/presentations via e-mail

• Translating print-based notes by voice

• Using notebook computers, PDs, or portable word keyboards to help with not taking

• Grammar and spell-checkers, dictionaries, and thesaurus programs assist in mechanics of writing

Assistive listening devices

• Hearing Assistive Technology Systems (HATS)- devices that can help you function better in your day-to-day communication situations. They can be used with or without hearing aids or cochlear implants

• Distance between the listener and the sound source is difficult for people with hearing loss because the intensity or loudness of sounds fades rapidly as it travels

• Competing noise in the environment is difficult because most rooms have background noise that competes with the spoken message

• Poor room acoustics/reverberation is difficult because the quality of sound maintained can affect your ability to hear effectively

Examples of Products

• Read and Write Gold

• E-Books and Apps

• Voice Recognition Software

• Free Text-To-Speech Software

• DAISY Audio Players

• iPad and iPhone Apps

• Environmental Controls

• Adjustable and Large Font Keyboards

• Switch Access

• QR Codes and Bar Codes

• Magnification Software and Hardware

• ScreenReaders

• LiveScribe SmartPen

• Refreshable Braille Displays

• Communication Boards

• Mind Mapping, Brainstorming & Graphic Organizers

• Track Balls and Mice

• Augmentative & Alterative Communication

Georgia Project for Assistive Technology(GPAT)

• GPAT- provides Georgia school systems with assistive technology devices and services to students with disabilities

• GPAT- mission is to improve student achieve and productivity, independence and inclusion by enhancing educators knowledge of assistive technology and increasing student access to appropriate assistive technology devices and services

References

• http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/learning/iep.html

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assistive_technology

• http://www.ldonline.org/article/8088

• http://drc.calpoly.edu/content/eligibility/whoCanDiagnose

• http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/disability/ada.htm

• http://idea.ed.gov/

• http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/504faq.html

• http://www.ericdigests.org/2003-1/assistive.htm

• http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/treatment/assist_tech.htm

• http://www.gpat.org/Georgia-Project-for-Assistive-Technology/Pages/default.aspx