Assistive Technologies In the Classroom Resources for Special

Assistive Technologies In the Classroom Resources for Special Needs

Terms Assistive Technology Any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities Adaptive Items Technology that are specifically designed for persons with disabilities and would seldom be used by non-disabled persons

Reasons For Assistive/Adaptive Learning Increased opportunity for education Social interaction Meaningful employment Awareness United community

Disability and the Need for Assistance Image provided by Census Bureau

Disabilities and Technological Resource to Assist Blindness Input Locator dots on the keyboard Output Speech output Refreshable Braille embossers Scanners with optical character recognition Image Provided by Post of Belarus

Disabilities and Technological Resource to Assist Low Vision Input Large-print key labels and home row indicators Output Large monitors and anti-glare screens Screen enlarger software Color and contrast adjustments Speech output systems

Disabilities and Technological Resource to Assist Learning Disabilities Input Phonetic Spelling software Speech recognition products Concept mapping software Output Enlarged screen displays Alternative color contrasts Speech output Reading systems incorporating OCR Image Provided by Melesse

Disabilities and Technological Resource to Assist Speech and Hearing Impairments Output Computer Image Provided by Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices programmed to flash the screen instead of a tone to indicate an error Communication devices that substitute for voices for students who cannot communicate verbally

Disabilities and Technological Resource to Assist Mobility and Orthopedic Impairments Input Flexible positioning or mounting of equipment Software utilities that combine multiple keystrokes Trackballs or other alternatives to a mouse Keyboard emulation with specialized switches that allow the use of scanning or Morse code input Output Speech output software

Considerations Assessment of student Abilities, interests and preferences Family's culture and value system Environment Functional tasks for participating in daily routines Ongoing intervention and evaluation Photo Provided by David J. Hewitt

Considerations Factors for success Student and family goals and values form the basis of the student's educational programs Students, family, therapists and educators work as a team to select, obtain, implement assistive technology Communication about all aspects of the students school program is frequent and honest Both major and minor glitches are solved quickly and systematically by the team

Understanding Assistive Technology

Resources ATTO: Introduction to Assistive Technology: Device Selection. (n. d. ). ATTO: Assistive Technology Training Online. Retrieved March 19, 2013, from http: //atto. buffalo. edu/registered/ATBasics/Foundation/i ntro/introselection. php Burgstahler, S. (n. d. ). Adaptive Technology. University of Washington. Retrieved March 19, 2013, from http: //www. washington. edu/doit/Faculty/Strategies/Aca demic/Adaptive/ Images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Song by Sigur Ros “Glosoli”