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ED505 Technology and Education - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Assistive Technology Explanation
Assistive technology (often abbreviated as AT) is any item, piece of
equipment, software or product system that is used to increase, maintain,
or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.
Assistive technology includes products and services to help people who
have difficulty speaking, typing, writing, remembering, pointing, seeing,
hearing, learning, walking, etc.
Assistive technology includes a broad range of devices from “low tech” (e.g., pencil grips, splints, paper stabilizers) to “high tech” (e.g., computers, voice synthesizers, braille readers).
Assistive Technology Explanation
AT is any device or service that helps a student with a disability to
meet his or her Individualized education program (IEP) goals and to
participate in the general education setting to the greatest possible
extent.
Students can utilize assistive technology to:
• COMMUNICATE
• PERFORM ACADEMIC TASKS• PARTICIPATE IN SOCIAL AND
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
• MOVE OR TRAVEL AROUND THE SCHOOL
• USE PROPER SEATING AND POSITIONING
• ACCESS MATERIALS
Assistive Technology Explanation
2 FORMS OF ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
Devices
Services
These forms go hand-in-hand because success for a student
is dependent on having access to a device as well as on
having the support and services needed to use it effectively.
Assistive Technology Law
Assistive Technology Act of 1998Public Law 105-394 [29 USC 2201]
The Assistive Technology Act, also known as the “Tech Act” provides funds to states to support three types of programs:
the establishment of assistive technology (AT) demonstration centers, information centers, equipment loan facilities, referral services, and other consumer-oriented programs;
protection and advocacy services to help people with disabilities and their families, as they attempt to access the services for which they are eligible;
Federal/state programs to provide low interest loans and other alternative financing options to help people with disabilities purchase needed assistive technology.
Assistive Technology Law
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA ’04) requires IEP teams to consider the assistive technology needs of all children with disabilities. The law requires schools to use
assistive technology devices and services "to maximize accessibility for children with disabilities."
The IEP team makes decisions about assistive technology devices and services based on the child’s unique needs so that he/she can be more confident and independent.
If the IEP team determines that the child needs assistive technology devices and services, the school district is responsible for providing these and cannot use lack of availability or cost as an excuse.
Assistive Technology Law
School personnel must make certain that students have access to needed AT if they are to ensure that all students have access to a free appropriate public education (FAPE).
The IEP team should:
Level of functioning
Strengths
Areas of need
Strategies and accommodations that have been tried, successful or otherwise
Use of AT devices and services
Assistive Technology Law
The team may conclude that: The current interventions are working and nothing new is
needed. The current AT devices or services are appropriate. New AT is required. More information is needed.
Students in the back of the classroom can
miss up to 40% of what's being said in a
classroom, effecting how much they are
able to learn. Voice amplification can solve
this problem by making the teacher's voice
audible in every space in the classroom.
This system can improve communication,
reduce teacher fatigue, and increase
learning. Classroom sound has never been
this smart. With the IR Speaker unit that
combines three speakers with an infrared
sensor, installations take about half the
time of four speaker systems, freeing
installers from hanging each component
separately - less time, lower cost.
ZoomText is a magnification and screen
reading software for the visually
impaired.
There are two versions available
- ZoomText Magnifier, which will enlarge
and enhance everything on your
computer screen with perfect clarity,
making all of your applications easy to
see and use. ZoomText
Magnifier/Reader, which includes all the
great features of ZoomText Magnifier,
and will additionally read aloud anything
on your computer screen.
Talking Word Processor is an easy-to-
use, fully-functional word processor with
text-to-speech capability. It's compatible
with all standard word processor files
including the latest versions of Microsoft
Word, standard text, and Rich Text
Formats (WordPerfect). Included with the
Talking Word Processor are such features
as word prediction, talking grammar
check, Language Model Information
Summarization (LMIS), a 250,000 word
integrated dictionary, and highlight and
extract tools.
Alternative expanded
keyboards have larger keys
placed less closely together. Key
labels are usually bigger and
more clear. This way, the
number of typing errors is
reduced. Expanded keyboards
can help with learning the
alphabet or to use a computer.
They can also be operated using
toes instead of fingers in some
cases.
Works Cited
Assistive Technology. (2015). Retrieved June 10, 2015 from
http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/at/cresource/what-are-the-schools-responsibilities-regarding-assistive-technology/at_04
Assistive Technology Industry Association. (2015). Retrieved June 8, 2015, from http://www.atia.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3859
Educational Children’s Assistance Center- ECOC. (2015). Retrieved June 9, 2015, from
http://ecac- parentcenter.org/userfiles/PTI/Assistive%20Technology/Assistive%20Technology%20Laws.pdf
Keller, Katharin A. and Holt, Roger. (June 8, 2015). Parents, Let’s Unite for Kids (PLUK). Retrieved from http://www.pluk.org/Pubs/PLUK_ATguide_269K.pdf
Pathways to School Improvement. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te7assist.htm
Premier Literacy Reading Made Ez. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.readingmadeez.com/company/OrderingOptions.html
Wright, Peter W. D. and Wright, Pamela D. (June 10, 2015). Wright Law Retrieved from http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/atech.index.htm/#content