2. What is
Assistive Technology?
Assistive Technology, is any device or provision that benefits a
student with a disability to meet his or her individualized education
program goals. The use of assistive technology is to enable students
to participate in the overall education setting.
3. IDEA 2004 Assistive Technology
IDEA, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is a comprehensive
Federal ruling that authorizes each student with a disability to a free
appropriate public education (FAPE). The IDEA, Improvement Act 2004
address some issues from the past 1997 Act. IDEA 2004 includes that
every IEP should “Consider whether the child needs assistive technology
devices and services.”
The IDEA Improvement Act 2004 offers every child with a disability
(IEP) or 504 assistive technology services, devices or both.
4. IDEA, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
* Each school must ensure that assistive technology devices or terms
defined in Sec. Sec. 300.5 and 300.6, are made available to a child with a
disability if required as a part of the child's special education plan under
Sec. 300.36;
* Related services under Sec. 300.34; or supplementary aids and services
under Sec. Sec. 300.38 and 300.114(a)(2)(ii).
* On a case-by-case basis, the use of school-purchased assistive technology
devices in a child's home or in other settings is required if the child's IEP
team determines that the child needs access to those devices in order to
receive (FAPE), free appropriate public education.
5. Hearing Impaired
If a student has been identified as hearing impaired and the IEP or 504
states that an assistive hearing device is necessary for the student to
receive a free appropriate public education the school district is
required to purchase the technology.
FM System
The FM system is prefect for the classroom. It is portable and can go
from class to class with the student. The teacher will wear a small
microphone 5 to 7 inches from her mouth, while the student wears a
receiver. The receiver is very small and can be placed inside a student's
personal hearing aid. The technology amplifies the teachers voice and
can be heard even with her back to the students. The FM system has
proven to be a successful classroom assistive listening device.
7. Seeing Impaired
If a student has been identified as vision impaired and the IEP or 504 states that
an assistive device is necessary for the student to receive a free appropriate
public education the school district is required to purchase the technology.
Braille Lite
Braille Lite is a note taker that allows students to type notes in class using a
specialized keyboard. A Braille display on the front lets students check what
they've written, and an optional speech function reads the text aloud. The device
can attach to a PC and print their notes. Students may also connect to a
standard printer and print in large type, or on an embosser in Braille.
Classroom handouts can be converted into Braille. The teacher may scan pages
into a computer, using software programs such as Duxbury and WinBraille to
convert the text into Braille, and then print it on the embosser.
9. Learning Disability
If a student has been identified with a learning disability and the IEP or 504
states that an assistive device is necessary for the student to receive a free
appropriate public education the school district is required to purchase the
technology.
A speech recognition program aids students with writing disabilities. The
student speaks into a microphone, and the articulated words appear on the
computer screen as text. This can help a student whose verbal skills are
better than writing skills. The program works with a word processor.
10. Students speak into the microphone and words appear as text on the
computer screen.
11. Physically Disabled
Head Wands
If a student has been identified as physically disabled and the IEP or
504 states that an assistive device is necessary for the student to
receive a free appropriate public education the school district is
required to purchase the technology.
There are many different types of head wands available today. Some
include head pointers, head sticks and pointer grippers. The head
wand fits over a individuals head and can support the user with a
large variety of daily task. The wands are useful for individuals who
suffer from cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries, brain injuries or
upper extremities. A person can move their head and make the head
wand pilot the keyboard, turn pages and approach any touchscreen
device.
13. References
Abledata.com Able Data: ProductsAbledata.com,. (2015). Able Data: Products. Retrieved 8 March 2015, from
http://www.abledata.com/abledata.cfm?pageid=19327&top=10827&trail=22,10825
Assistive Technology for Kids with Learning Disabilities: An Overview Reading Rockets,. (2012). Assistive Technology for Kids with
Learning Disabilities: An Overview. Retrieved 8 March 2015, from
http://www.readingrockets.org/article/assistive-technology-kids-learning-disabilities-overview
Californiaearinstitute.com,. (2015). Hearing Device Center * Classroom Assistive Listening Device * California Ear Institute * Ear
Doctors * Palo Alto. Retrieved 8 March 2015, from
http://www.californiaearinstitute.com/hearing-device-center-listening-device-classroom-bay-area.php
IDEA - Building The Legacy of IDEA 2004Idea.ed.gov,. (2015). IDEA - Building The Legacy of IDEA 2004. Retrieved 8 March 2015,
from http://idea.ed.gov/explore/view/p/,root,regs,300,B
Out of Sight: Technology Helps Visually Impaired Students ThriveEdutopia,. (2015). Out of Sight: Technology Helps Visually Impaired
Students Thrive. Retrieved 8 March 2015, from
http://www.edutopia.org/edward-r-murrow-technology-visually-impaired
Tamcec.org,. (2015). Retrieved 8 March 2015, from/
http://tamcec.org/pdf/AssistiveTech%20and%20I
WebAIM: Motor Disabilities - Assistive TechnologiesWebaim.org,. (2012). WebAIM: Motor Disabilities - Assistive Technologies.
Retrieved 8 March 2015, from
http://webaim.org/articles/motor/assistive#mouthstick
