Assistive TechnologyCathi Bradford

What is Assistive Technology?

According to the U. S. Department of Education assistive technology can be define as follows:

Assistive technology device.--(A) In general.--The term `assistive technology device' means 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 functional capabilities of a child with a disability.(B) Exception.--The term does not include a medical device that is surgically implanted, or the replacement of such device (U. S. Dept. of Education, 2015).

In Laymen’s Terms…

Assistive technology is technology of some sort made available to a student the provides him/her assistance in school to “increase, improve, or maintain the functioning capabilities of a child” within the classroom (U.S. Dept of Education, 2015).

The overall goal of the use of assistive technology is to increase the student’s self-reliance and independence.

What does Alabama Law Say about Assistive

Technology?Alabama Code of Ethics for educators guides the professional behavior and ethical conduct of all educators.

Standard 4: Teacher/Student Relationship, specifically calls for the teacher to create, support and maintain “a challenging learning environment for ALL students (Alabama Code of Ethics, n.d.).

Alabama’s Assistive Technology Act program (1994) guides all assistive technology decisions under the Assistive Technology Act of 1998, as amended in 2004 (P.L. 108-364).

This resource enables “Alabamians children and adults with disabilities to achieve their maximum potential at school, home, work, and play through improved access to and acquisition of assistive technology devices and services via variety of statewide activities( STAR, Alabama’s Assistive Technology Resource, n.d.).

Assistive Technology for the Hearing Impaired

Assistive Technology for the Hearing Impaired

A personal FM system, like the one pictured on the previous slide, lessons the distance that a student who is hearing impaired has to be able to hear. It is an amplifier of sound for the hearing-impaired student (Using Hearing Assistive Technologies in the Classroom, n.d.). This past year, in my own classroom, I wore a device on a lanyard that amplified my voice for a particular student.

Assistive Technology for the Visually Impaired

Assistive Technology for the Visually Impaired

Braille books are only one option for the visually-impaired student.

Braille display technology provides readable access on a computer.

Braille printers print documents in Braille capable of being read by the visually impaired.

And, Braille notetakers are small, portable devices for notetaking (Braille Technology, n.d.).

Assistive Technology for the Learning Disabled

Assistive Technology for the Learning Disabled

Student who have learning disabilities may benefit from a customizable keyboard. Grouping keys by color and location aids in student comprehension (Assistive Technology for Kids with Learning Disabilities, n.d.).

Assistive Technology for the Physically Impaired

Assistive Technology for the Physically Impaired

The adjustable head pointer, as picture previously, enables students with limited hand use, write, draw, and use a computer thus opening several avenues of independent learning.