ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY

Bethany VenableED 505, Spring 12015

WHAT IS ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY?• Classroom teachers face many challenges when attempting to scaffold instruction for students with special needs. Along with differentiated instruction, teachers and schools may also be required to provide assistive technology to students with disabilities according to their IEPs (Individual Education Plans).

• Assistive technology is defined as a service or device that helps students with disabilities succeed in the classroom. Assistive technology is meant to “[improve] the functional performance of an individual with a disability” so they can participate in classroom activities (The IRIS Center for Training Enhancements, 2010).

• Assistive technology can help students in many areas, including communication, social activities, and access to materials.

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY LAW• When attempting to accommodate a student with special needs who requires an assistive technology, teachers and schools must be careful to adhere to federal guidelines.

• The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA ’04) addresses the use of assistive technology through mandating that schools provide devices AND services in regards to assistive technology when included in a student’s IEP.

The school must provide the device as well as service the device whenever necessary. The school must also provide services in regards to the technology which includes specific

teacher, student, and family training and technical assistance.

• All students with disabilities should be considered for assistive technology, not just those with visual or hearing struggles in order to successfully provide free and public education, or FAPE.

• The IEP team is responsible for deciding how and when AT should be used in the classroom

EXAMPLES OF ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY There are countless examples of assistive technologies available for teacher and student consideration today. The following slides provide examples of assistive technology that teachers and students with disabilities may find useful to success in the classroom.

HEARING IMPAIRED

Students who are hearing impaired may be able to use assistive listening software to enhance their classroom experience. This technology can amplify sounds and eliminate background noise to help the student focus on what he or she is hearing (National Association of the Deaf). (University of Alberta)

VISION IMPAIRED

Students with vision disabilities may find that using a Braille book can help them to read texts. These books provide text in an alternative format that students can feel rather than read on a page, which would allow them to keep up with the texts of their classmates.

(American Foundation for the Blind, 2013)

LEARNING DISABILITIES

The category of learning disabled may span across the needs of many diverse students. One particular assistive technology that may help some students with learning disabilities is a choice making device. This technology narrows down options for students, allowing them to physically choose an option from a select few. Students could use this in making social decisions, or with content.

(Huffer, 2013)

PHYSICAL DISABILITIES

Students with physical disabilities may find valuable technical use for a reacher or grabber. This type of assistive technology can help students grasp materials normally out of their reach if they are restricted to a wheel chair or cannot straighten to reach the material.

(Access Technologies, Inc.)

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, there are countless assistive technology options for teachers and students in existence today. If teachers adhere to the student’s IEP and work closely with an IEP team, the student, and the student’s family to understand and appropriately implement the assistive technology, the student’s academic and personal needs will be better met.

References

Access Technologies, Incorporated. Grabber reacher. Retrieved March 27, 2015 from http://www.accesstechnologiesinc.org/marketplace/product-view/grabber-reacher.

American Foundation for the Blind. (January 2013). Braille roundup: Celebrating the life and work of Louis Braille. Retrieved on March 27, 2015 from http://www.afb.org/blog/afb-blog/braille-roundup-celebrating-the-life-and-work-of-louis-braille/12.

Huffer, Jill. (October 2013). Milwaukee Public Schools assistive technology services: Low to high tech communication supports. Retrieved March 27, 2015 from http://www5.milwaukee.k12.wi.us/dept/at/2013/10/30/low-to-high-tech-communication-supports/.

National Association of the Deaf. Assistive Listening Systems and Devices. Retrieved on March 27, 2015 from http://nad.org/issues/technology/assistive-listening/systems-and-devices.

The IRIS Center for Training Enhancements. (2010). Assistive Technology: An Overview. Retrieved on March 27, 2015 from http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/at/

University of Alberta. Student Success Centre. Retrieved on March 27, 2015 from http://www.ssds.ualberta.ca/en/Services/ServicesforStudentsatEdmontonC/AdaptiveTechnologyandAssistive/AssistiveListeningDevices.aspx.