Assistive Technology

Julie Thomaston

What is Assistive Technology?Assistive technology can be defined as any item or piece of equipment that aids or assists an individual. These assistive technologies improve a child’s abilities by increasing, enhancing, or maintaining the child’s functioning or learning levels. Assistive technology is often a part of special education and an IEP but can work to benefit all students.

Laws Regarding Assistive Technology

According to the IDEA laws of 2004, when an IEP team is meeting on a student with a disability, they must consider assistive technology that is beneficial for the student. “Technology should be used to maximize the accessibility for children with disabilities”.

Read more @ http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/atech.index.htm

Hearing Assistive Technology (HATS)FM systems are a widely used form of assisted technology for the hearing impaired. FM systems are mobile, flexible and sturdy. They block out background noise and maximize the teacher’s voice from any distance within the classroom.

Tactile Enhancers for the Visually Impaired The tactile enhancer

takes a blank piece of paper and uses heat to create a raised image. Tactile enhancers give visually impaired students a better opportunity to experience graphic designs.

Assistive Technology for the Learning Disabled Learning disabled

individuals often use a computer to write instead of the pencil and paper method. Computers allow students to easily edit their work, and they also give students the opportunity to easily check for spelling and grammatical errors in their writing.

Assistive Technology for the Physically Disabled A wheelchair is one

example of assistive technology for the physically disabled individual. Wheel chairs help disabled people to move about freely and this helps them to maintain their mobility and independence.

References American Speech-Hearing Language website. (2015)

Retrieved from http://www.asha.org/FileNotFound.aspx?aspxerrorpath=/public/hearing/hearing-assistive-technology-for-children/2015/

  Tactile Image Enchancer. [Video file]. (April 25, 2015)

Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8tTFVMTf7o

Wrightslaw website. (2015) Retrieved from http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/atech.index.htm

The Iris Center website. (2015) Retrieved from http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/at/chalcycle.htm