Assistive Technology Catherine R Wright

University of West Alabama

Explanation of Assistive Technology

"Any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of children with disabilities" (Definition of Assistive Technology, 2014).

Source: Definition of Assistive Technology. (2014, January 1). Definition of Assistive Technology. Retrieved June 10, 2014, from http://www.gpat.org/Georgia-Project-for-Assistive-Technology/Pages/Assistive-Technology-Definition.aspx

Assistive Technology Laws• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)- prevents

discrimination against people who need assistive technology.

• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)- guarantees free education to all who are eligible.

• Carl D Perkins Vocational and Technical Act Amendments of 1998- requires schools to provide vocational and technical training and submit annual reports on this training.

Source: Family Center on Technology and Disability (FCTD) - Assistive .... (n.d.). Assistive Technology Laws. Retrieved June 10, 2014, from http://www.fctd.info/

Hearing Impaired Assistive Technology

• Description: Allows users to improve hearing function.

• Examples:• Assistive Learning Devices (ALD)-

help amplify sound and cancel out background noise.

• Alerting devices – make ordinary sounds louder than usual (i.e. telephone ringer, doorbell, etc.) .

Text Source: Assistive Devices for People with Hearing, Voice, Speech, or Language Disorders. (n.d.).Assistive Devices for People with Hearing, Voice, Speech, or Language Disorders. Retrieved June 10, 2014, from http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/pages/assistive- devices.aspx#2

Image Source: Grants for Assistive Listening Devices | Listentech. (n.d.). Grants for Assistive Listening Devices | Listentech. Retrieved June 10, 2014, from http://www.listentech.com/blog/grants-for-assistive-listening-devices/

Seeing Impaired Assistive Technology

• Description: Allows users to improve auditory function through the use of technology.

• Examples:• Computers that can speak or

significantly enlarge text. • Optical character recognition system

that reads text aloud.• Braille embossers that transfer files

into hard copy braille.

Text Source: Assistive Technology. (n.d.). - American Foundation for the Blind. Retrieved June 10, 2014, from http://www.afb.org/info/living-with-vision-loss/using-technology/assistive-technology/123

Image Source: Great Father’s Day Ideas for your Dad!. (n.d.). Enhanced Vision RSS. Retrieved June 10, 2014, from http://www.enhancedvision.com/innovations-for-visually-impaired/great-fathers-day-ideas-for-your-dad.html

Learning Disabled Assistive Technology

• Description: technology used to aid users specifically designed for their disability.

• Examples:• Simple- books on tape, calculators,

color coding. • Complex- speech recognition

system, talking calculators.

Text Source: An Overview of Assistive Technology | Assistive Technology | At School. (n.d.). National Center for Learning Disabilities. Retrieved June 10, 2014, from http://www.ncld.org/students-disabilities/assistive-technology-education/overview-assistive-technology

Image Source: Company Overview. (n.d.). IntelliTools. Retrieved June 10, 2014, from http://www.intellitools.com/company.html

Physically Disabled Assistive Technology

• Description: Technology used to meet the physical needs and improve function of the individual user.

• Examples:• Mouth stick • Head wand • Oversized trackball mouse • Adaptive keyboard • Eye tracking • Voice recognition software

Text Source: Assistive technologies for people with physical impairments. (n.d.). GMC. Retrieved June 10, 2014, from http://www.gmcuk.org/accessibility/assistive_technologies/physical_impairment s.asp

Image Source: Westchester institute brings needed equipment to disabled children in schools. (n.d.).The Journal News. Retrieved June 10, 2014, from http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080508/NEWS02/108070001

References • An Overview of Assistive Technology | Assistive Technology | At School. (n.d.). National Center for Learning Disabilities. Retrieved June 10,

2014, from http://www.ncld.org/students-disabilities/assistive-technology-education/overview-assistive-technology

• Assistive Devices for People with Hearing, Voice, Speech, or Language Disorders. (n.d.).Assistive Devices for People with Hearing, Voice, Speech, or Language Disorders. Retrieved June 10, 2014, from http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/pages/assistive-devices.aspx#2

• Assistive technologies for people with physical impairments. (n.d.). GMC. Retrieved June 10, 2014, from http://www.gmc-uk.org/accessibility/assistive_technologies/physical_impairments.asp

• Assistive Technology. (n.d.). - American Foundation for the Blind. Retrieved June 10, 2014, from http://www.afb.org/info/living-with-vision-loss/using-technology/assistive-technology/123

• Company Overview. (n.d.). IntelliTools. Retrieved June 10, 2014, from http://www.intellitools.com/company.html

• Definition of Assistive Technology. (2014, January 1). Definition of Assistive Technology. Retrieved June 10, 2014, from http://www.gpat.org/Georgia-Project-for-Assistive-Technology/Pages/Assistive-Technology-Definition.aspx

• Family Center on Technology and Disability (FCTD) - Assistive .... (n.d.). Assistive Technology Laws. Retrieved June 10, 2014, from http://www.fctd.info/

• Grants for Assistive Listening Devices | Listentech. (n.d.). Grants for Assistive Listening Devices | Listentech. Retrieved June 10, 2014, from http://www.listentech.com/blog/grants-for-assistive-listening-devices/

• Great Father’s Day Ideas for your Dad!. (n.d.). Enhanced Vision RSS. Retrieved June 10, 2014, from http://www.enhancedvision.com/innovations-for-visually-impaired/great-fathers-day-ideas-for-your-dad.html

• Westchester institute brings needed equipment to disabled children in schools. (n.d.).The Journal News. Retrieved June 10, 2014, from http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080508/NEWS02/108070001