Assistive Technology

By: Megan HattonED 505

What is Assistive Technology?

• Assistive technology (AT) is any kind of service or device that helps a student with a disability participate in a general education setting.

• Assistive technology helps a student with a disability function and perform as well as possible.

The Law and Assistive Technology

• The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) states that every child with a disability has to be considered for use an assistive technology.

• The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act requires that, if needed, the school supplies an assistive technology for a student with a disability.

What are some kinds of Assistive Technology?

• Assistive technology covers a wide array of objects that can help a student with a disability. The technology can be as complex as computer software or as simple as a calculator or pencil grip.

Hearing Impaired

•  A student who has a hearing impairment might use a personal FM unit.

• When a child uses a personal FM unit, the teacher wears a small microphone. The sound is transmitted to a hearing aid that is in the students ears.

Seeing Impaired

• A student who has a visual impairment could benefit from the use or a screen reader.

• A screen reader is an application that verbalizes words from a computer screen to headphones speakers.

Learning Disability

• A student who is struggling with reading could benefit from using audio books.

• An audio book is a book that is verbally recorded. This kind of publication allows people to use CDs, MP3s, and cassettes to search for an learn information within a book.

Physical Disability

• A wheel chair could be helpful for a student who has a physical disability.

• Electric wheel chairs are often equipped with a joystick that control the movement of the wheel chair.

Reference Page

Assistive Technology for Kids with Learning Disabilities: An Overview. (n.d.). Retrieved June 8, 2015, from

http://www.readingrockets.org/article/assistive-technology-kids-learning-disabilities-overview

Bing. (n.d.). Retrieved June 8, 2015.

SC Curriculum Access through AT. (n.d.). Retrieved June 8, 2015, from

http://www.sc.edu/scatp/cdrom/atused.html