Assistive Technology

1. Assistive Technology Submitted by Etta Pope

2. Impairment • An impairment is a problem in body function or structure; an activity limitation is a difficulty encountered by an individual in executing a task or action; while a participation restriction is a problem experienced by an individual in involvement in life situations. Such impairments may include physical, sensory, and cognitive or developmental disabilities. • A physical impairment is any disability which limits the physical function of limbs or fine or gross motor ability.

3. Disability • Disability is an umbrella term, covering impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions. • An individual may also qualify as disabled if he/she has had an impairment in the past or is seen as disabled based on a personal or group standard or norm. • Mental disorders (also known as psychiatric or psychosocial disability) and various types of chronic disease may also be considered qualifying disabilities. • Thus disability is a complex phenomenon, reflecting an interaction between features of a person’s body and features of the society in which he or she lives. A disability may occur during a person's lifetime or may be present from birth.

4. Handicap Some people with disabilities do not like the term "handicap" because of a belief that it originally meant someone who could not work and went begging with their cap in hand. Handicap is any physical disability or disadvantage resulting from physical, mental, or social impairment or abnormality.

5. Assistive Technology • According to the Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1988 (Public Law 100-407), an assistive technology 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 individuals with disabilities. • Assistive technology is any service that directly assists an individual with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device(GPAT, 2007).

6. Mainstreaming • Mainstreaming in the context of education is a term that refers to the practice of educating students with special needs in regular classes during specific time periods based on their skills. This means regular education classes are combined with special education classes. Schools that practice mainstreaming believe that special needs students who cannot function in a regular classroom to a certain extent "belong" to the special education environment. • Mainstreaming may imply a more gradual, partial, or part-time process (e.g., a student who is mainstreamed may attend separate classes within a regular school, or may participate in regular gym and lunch programs only). In mainstreamed programs, students are often expected to fit in the regular class in which they want to participate, whereas in an inclusive program the classes are designed to fit all students (DRM Guide, 1997).

7. Inclusion • Inclusion in the context of education is the practice, in which students with special education needs spend most or all of their time with non-disabled students. • Inclusion recognizes every individual's right to be treated equally, and to be accorded the same services and opportunities as everyone else. In a school setting, full inclusion involves educating all children in regular classrooms all of the time, regardless of the degree or severity of a disability. Effective inclusion programs take place in conjunction with a planned system of training and supports. Such programs usually involve the collaboration of a multidisciplinary team which includes regular and special educators (or other personnel) as well as family members and peer (DRM Guide, 1997).

8. Assistive Technology Device Assistive technology devices are identified in the IDEA 2004 as: 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. The term does not include a medical device that is surgically implanted, or the replacement of such device. (Authority 20 U.S.C. 1401(1)) The definition of an assistive technology device is very broad and gives IEP teams the flexibility that they need to make decisions about appropriate assistive technology devices for individual students. Assistive technology includes technology solutions that are generally considered instructional technology tools, if they have been identified as educationally necessary and documented in the student’s IEP(GPAT, 2007).

9. No Tech, Low Tech, and high Tech • "Low" Technology: Visual support strategies which do not involve any type of electronic or battery operated device - typically low cost, and easy to use equipment. Example: dry erase boards, clipboards, 3-ring binders, manila file folders, photo albums, laminated PCS/photographs, highlight tape, etc. • "Mid" Technology: Battery operated devices or "simple" electronic devices requiring limited advancements in technology. Example: tape recorder, Language Master, overhead projector, timers, calculators, and simple voice output devices. • "High" Technology: Complex technological support strategies - typically "high" cost equipment. Example: video cameras, computers and adaptive hardware, complex voice output devices.

10. Alternative Keyboard An alternative keyboard is a keyboard designed to attempt to change the user’s posture. Alternative keyboards have been shown to promote neutral wrist posture. There is no available research that provides conclusive evidence that alternative keyboard reduce the risk of discomfort or injury. www.cdc.gov/niosh

11. FM Amplification FM amplification describes a technology that uses wireless radio frequencies to transmit audio signals directly into hearing aids. Typically, the signal of interest is speech, although other audio sources such as television, music, theater, church, etc., might also be transmitted by the frequency-modulated (FM) system.  Although the hearing aid itself is, of course, the most common means of providing personal amplification for the hearing impaired person, a major drawback is the need for the person speaking to be close by for clarity of amplification. FM amplification represents the best solution to these hearing aid problems.  A wireless microphone is worn near the speaker’s mouth, or placed near the desired audio source, and the desired acoustic signal is transmitted directly into the hearing aid(s) by radio frequency. Handsandvoices.org

12. Joy Stick  A joystick is a hardware device used to play computer games with. With the advent of gamepads in recent years, joysticks are now becoming less popular than in their heyday of the 1970's and 1980's. Joysticks are usually only available for use on PC cdrom games and are usually designed for flight simulation games such as Topgun and Microsoft's flight simulation software. Internetguide.co.uk

13. Readsoft • The OCR part concerns document scanning, document capture and data capture. Thereafter, ReadSoft business solutions interprets and validates the captured data and transfers it into any target system. From document scanning, via OCR/data capture, document capture and text recognition to complete Document Automation. Readsoft.com

14. Screen Reader Software for the visually impaired that reads the contents of a computer screen, converting the text to speech. Screen readers are designed for specific operating systems and generally work with most applications. See text-to-speech and MSAA. computer desk encyclopedia

15. Switch In a telecommunications network, a switch is a device that channels incoming data from any of multiple input ports to the specific output port that will take the data toward its intended destination. In the traditional circuit-switched telephone network, one or more switches are used to set up a dedicated though temporary connection or circuit for an exchange between two or more parties. On an Ethernet local area network (LAN), a switch determines from the physical device (Media Access Control or MAC) address in each incoming message frame which output port to forward it to and out of. In a wide area packet-switched network such as the Internet, a switch determines from the IP address in each packet which output port to use for the next part of its trip to the intended destination. Computer Desk Reference

16. Web Accessibility Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can use the Web. More specifically, Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the Web, and that they can contribute to the Web. Web accessibility also benefits others, including older people with changing abilities due to aging. • Web accessibility encompasses all disabilities that affect access to the Web, including visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, and neurological disabilities. The document "How People with Disabilities Use the Web" describes how different disabilities affect Web use and includes scenarios of people with disabilities using the Web. • Millions of people have disabilities that affect their use of the Web. Currently most Web sites and Web software have accessibility barriers that make it difficult or impossible for many people with disabilities to use the Web. As more accessible Web sites and software become available, people with disabilities are able to use and contribute to the Web more effectively. • Web accessibility also benefits people without disabilities. For example, a key principle of Web accessibility is designing Web sites and software that are flexible to meet different user needs, preferences, and situations. This flexibility also benefits people without disabilities in certain situations, such as people using a slow Internet connection, people with "temporary disabilities" such as a broken arm, and people with changing abilities due to aging. The document "Developing a Web Accessibility Business Case for Your Organization" describes many different benefits of Web accessibility, including benefits for organizations. W3.org

17. ADA • “This law provides funding to develop statewide, consumer-responsive information and training programs designed to meet the assistive technology (AT) needs of individuals with disabilities of all ages.” • This law helps students with disabilities to acquire assistive devices that will help them to better function in the classroom by allotting funding for such purposes.

18. IDEA • “IDEA is a federal law that guarantees all students between the ages of 3 through 21 with disabilities the right to a free appropriate public education designed to meet their individual needs. It also offers protections for the rights of students with disabilities and their parents.” • Students are guaranteed 2 protections: • An Individualized Education Program (IEP) • Due Process Procedures • Under IDEA there are 4 rights for students: • A Free Appropriate Public Education • An Education in the Least Restrictive Environment • Related Services (psychological, speech, OT) • Fair Assessment

19. NCLB • This act was put into place for three purposes: • Create accountability • Close the achievement gap • Put in place teacher qualifications • Under the NCLB, students are required to participate in annual assessments provided by each state. The act began in 2002 and stated that in 2014, 100% of students will be performing on grade level. Also, each year schools must make Adequate Yearly Progress, which is determined by the participation rate and the annual measured objectives for each subgroup.

20. Universal Design for Learning • “Universal design is an approach to designing course instruction, materials, and content to benefit people of all learning styles without adaptation or retrofitting. Universal design provides equal access to learning, not simply equal access to information. Universal Design allows the student to control the method of accessing information while the teacher monitors the learning process and initiates any beneficial methods.” • The three parts of UDL include: • Multiple means of expression • Multiple means of representation • Multiple means of engagement • Using UDL with technology • Make course content available online so that students can review lecture • Allow students to record lectures using personal computers/tape recorders • Provide online videos or podcasts that supplement the lecture/reading

21. Technology Integration Strategies forSpecial Education Students

22. Strategies for ELL students and students with mild cognitive disabilities • Reading skills software • Text-to-speech products • Interactive storybooks • Voice recognition software • Word prediction software • Graphing software • Drills, games, and tutorials • Example: can be used by individual students in centers or during allotted computer time

23. Strategies for students with moderate to severe cognitive disabilities • Functional/Life Skills software • Social and Life Skill videos • Example: can be used to teach and reinforce functional skills and behavior for daily activities

24. Strategies for students with physical disabilities • Alternative keyboard, mouse, and/or monitor • Place assistive/adaptive technologies in the best location for the student • Train the student on how to operate technology • Example: a wireless mouse or clicker can be used with educational software.

25. Strategies for students with sensory disabilities • Screen readers • Text-to-Braille converters • Canes and sensor technologies to assist with movement • Example: can use screen readers so those with low or no vision can hear what is being visually presented

26. Strategies for at-risk students • Engaging websites and software that provide learning and motivating opportunities • Electronic instructional material with immediate performance feedback • Example: a quiz that reports results upon completion

27. Strategies for students with gifts and talents • Challenge them in their appropriate area by locating websites on the content • Provide them with the necessary tools to engage in self-directed research • Example: multimedia presentations, web page design, and electronic portfolios

28. Resource Roblyer, M, & Doering, A. (2010). Summary of technology integration strategies for special education. Retrieved from http://www.education.com/reference/article/technology-strategies-special-education/