ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGYSupporting Students with Special Needs

Donnia M. TurnerITEC 7530Instruction Technology Foundations

WHAT IS ASSISTED TECHNOLOGY ?

According to the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), Assistive Technology (AT) is defined as any item, piece of equipment, or product system (whether acquired off the shelf, modified, or customized) that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a child with a disability.http://www.atp.ne.gov/techassist/def-legal.html

Assistive Technology

Assistive technology devices and services were first defined in federal law in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-476) which:

-is a law ensuring services to children with disabilities throughout the nation. IDEA governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education and related services to more than 6.5 million eligible infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities.

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

www.idea.ed.gov

Assistive Technology continued

The purpose of assistive technology is to bypass, work around, or compensate for specific deficits, rather than fixing them in order to help them reach their full potential and live satisfying, rewarding lives.

http://www.pluk.org/Pubs/ATguide4LD_419k.pdf

AT can be categorized as either of the following:

Low Tech• pencil grip• adapted books• slant board• highlighters, tape• magnifiers• color coding• picture

communication• sign language• extra time• peer support

Mid-Tech• word processor• text to speech• spell checker• calculator• digital recorders• organizers• e-books• adapted keyboard• adapted mouse• adapted toys

High-Tech• computer• smartphones• smartpens• PDAs• OCR software• magnification

software• speech output

devices• switch, joystick

access• scanning access• voice recognition

Low Tech: any assistive device that is not electronic. Mid-Tech: electronic but do not include highly sophisticated computer componentsHigh Tech : devices utilize complex, multifunction technologyhttp://www.ericdigests.org/2003-1/assistive.htm

• promote independence

• improve quality of life

• increase productivity

• enhance performance

• increase self esteemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assistive_technology

By enabling people to perform tasks that they were formerly unable to accomplish, or had great difficulty accomplishing, the use of AT can:

Why is AT Important?

Why is AT Important? continued

Studies have shown that assistive technology can support the developing child by significantly improving the educational, vocational, and social performance of students with special needs.

However, their families and the professionals who provide services to them may not be aware of these tools or know how to use them. (http://www.ldonline.org/article/8088)

SPECIAL NEEDS POPULATION

The term “special needs" is broad and includes health, mental health, developmental, and other kinds of conditions and diagnoses. Some examples include: autism, mental retardation, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), cerebral palsy, tics, learning disabilities, visual, speech or language impairments.

Also includes those children who are “at-risk” for disabilities such as those who have a developmental delay. The designation is useful for receiving needed services, setting appropriate goals, and gaining understanding for a child and their family.

http://specialchildren.about.com/od/gettingadiagnosis/p/whatare.htm

Special Needs can encompass the following:Behavioral Issues Developmental IssuesMedical IssuesMental Health IssuesPhysical DisabilitiesLearning Issues

http://specialchildren.about.com/od/gettingadiagnosis/p/whatare.htm

FINDING A.T. SOLUTIONS

Individual Education ProgramAn Individual Education Program (I.E.P) is

typically in place to serve students who have a special need.

The IEP is a legal document that is initiated by the school that describes the goals sets for a child during the school year, as well as any special support needed to help achieve them.

http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/learning/iep.html

Choosing Assistive Technology

When considering which assistive technology devices/services, several factors must be considered:

SettingPhysical needs of the studentTask(s) to be accomplished by the studentThe device itself

http://www.ncld.org/students-disabilities/assistive-technology-education/choosing-assistive-technology

Identifying AT SolutionsStep 1: Collect child and family

information. Begin the discussion about the child’s strengths, abilities, preferences and needs. What strategies have been found to work best?

Step 2: Identify activities for participation. Discuss the various activities within the environments that a child encounters throughout the day. What is preventing him/her from participating more?

Step 3: What can be observed that indicates the intervention is successful? What is his/her current level of participation and what observable behaviors will reflect an increase in independent interactions? What changes (e.g., number of initiations, expression attempts, responses, reactions, etc.) will you look for?

Step 4: Brainstorm AT solutions. Do the child’s needs include supports for movement, communication and/or use of materials? Start with what is available in the environment (what other children use) and consider adaptations to those materials. A range of options that address specific support areas should be considered.

Step 5: Try it out. Determine when the AT intervention will begin and create an observation plan to record how the child participates with the AT supports.

Step 6: Identify what worked. Reflect on your plan and discuss did and didn’t work. Make modifications as needed and try again.

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

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES

There are many types of learning difficulties students may encounter such as: listening, math, organization and memory, reading, and writing as a result of their disability/special need. However, there are several AT resources that can help.

Assistive listening devices (ALDs) help amplify the sounds and can be used with a hearing aid or cochlear implant. http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/pages/assistive-devices.aspx

Easy Listener and Hearing Helper- personal FM systems that uses radio signals to transmit a speaker's voice directly to the user's ear. http://www.greatschools.org/special-education/assistive-technology/959-listening-tools.gs

Text to Speech: Natural Reader is a free text to speech reader. http://www.naturalreaders.com/

Resources forListening/Hearing Difficulties

Resources for Math DifficultiesMathPad and MathPad Plus- Allows students

to use the computer to work math problemshttp://www.infouse.com/mathpad_public

Math Talk -- user can voice own work and print work

MaxAid and AbleData- talking calculator has the ability to read aloud each number, symbol, or operation key a user presses and also vocalizes the answer to the problem.http://

www.greatschools.org/special-education/assistive-technology/949-math-tools.gs

Resources for Organization/Memory Difficulties

EcoSmart Pen – paper-based computer pen that records and links audio to what a person writes using the pen and special paper.http://www.livescribe.com/en-us/solutions/learningdisabilities/

Kidspiration and Draftbuilder - Graphic organizers and outlining programs help users who have trouble organizing and outlining information as they begin a writing project.http://www.readingrockets.org/article/33078

Resources for Writing DifficultiesTypeit4Me- word prediction software http://

ettoresoftware.com/About%20TypeIt4Me.html

WordQ - word prediction software (fee associated) http://www.wordq.com/

AlphaSmart and QuickPad – portable word processor that allows the user to edit and correct written work more efficiently than by hand

Simply Speaking – speech recognition that allows user to dictate in microphone which is translated into texthttp://www.readingrockets.org/article/33078

Resources for Reading DifficultiesReading Assistant - students read aloud, and this

software corrects their errors. It provides immediate feedback on pronunciation, and fluency. http://www.scilearn.com/products/reading-assistant/

Bookshare and Learning Ally - Recorded books which allow users to listen to text and in a variety of formats

Intel Reader – optical character recognition that allows a user to scan printed material into a computer or handheld unithttp://www.greatschools.org/special-education/assistive-technology/948-reading-tools.gs

Additional ResourcesGeorgia Project for Assistive Technology

www.gpat.orgAssociation of Assistive Technology

Act Programswww.ataporg.org