This presentation includes information about assistive technology.

1. D A L I S H A C A R D W E L L
E D 3 0 5
U N I V E R S I T Y O F W E S T A L A B A M A
Assistive Technology

2. What is assistive technology?
 Assistive technology is any kind of technology that
can be used to enhance the functional independence
of a person with a disability.
 Can be anything from a simple (low-tech) device such as a
magnifying glass, to a complex (high-tech) device, such as a
computerized communication system.
 Can be big — an automated van lift for a wheelchair — or small
— a grip attached to a pen or fork by Velcro.
 Assistive technology helps to level the playing field
for individuals with disabilities by providing them a
way to fully engage in life's activities.

3. Law in Regard to Assistive Technology
 The Assistive Technology Act was first passed by Congress and signed by
the President as the Technology-Related Assistance Act of 1988.
 The Tech. Act is intended to promote people’s awareness of, and access to, assistive
technology (AT) devices and services.
 The Act seeks to provide AT to persons with disabilities, so they can more fully participate
in education, employment, and daily activities on a level playing field with other members of
their communities.
 The Act covers people of all ages, with any and all disabilities, and in all environments (early
intervention, K-12, post-secondary, vocational rehabilitation, community living, aging
services, etc.).
 It’s often called the Tech. Act for short and has been reauthorized in 1994, 1998, and 2004.
 The most current version of the Act was reauthorized in 2010.
 In 1997, reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA) instructs that all individualized education plan teams consider
assistive technology resources when planning for a student with a
disability.
 The reauthorization in 2004 simply served to reemphasize, to schools, the importance of
academic achievement by students with disabilities and the need to do whatever it takes to
meet each student’s needs.

4. Hearing Impaired Assistive Technology
Frequency Modulation (FM) Systems
 They allow the child to hear the teacher’s voice at an appropriate and
constant intensity level.
 The sound level is consistent regardless of the distance between the child and the teacher.
 They allow the teacher’s voice to be heard more prominently than
background noise.
 This is true even when the background noise is closer to the child than the teacher’s voice.
 They allow for self-monitoring of the child’s own voice through the
conventional hearing aid microphone.
 They allow for the conventional hearing aid microphone to be turned off.
 This enables the child to concentrate only on the teacher.

5. Seeing Impaired Assistive Technology
Video Magnifier
 Uses a stand-mounted or handheld video camera to project a
magnified image onto a video monitor, a television screen, or a
computer monitor.
 Seeing impaired students will be able to read small text more
easily when it is magnified through this device.

6. Learning Disabled Assistive Technology
Electronic Math Worksheets
 Software programs that can help students organize, align, and work
through math problems on a computer screen.
 Numbers that appear onscreen can also be read aloud via a speech
synthesizer.
 This may be helpful to people who have trouble aligning math problems
with pencil and paper.

7. Physically Disabled Assistive Technology
Trackball Mouse
 An oversized trackball mouse can provide easier
agility for those with motor impairments to control
mouse activity on a computer screen.
 This operates as a switch device and mouse control.

8. References
The Family Center on Technology and Disability. (n.d.). Retrieved
March 22, 2015, from http://www.fctd.info/factsheet/at101
Center for Parent Information and Resources. (n.d.). Retrieved March
25, 2015, from http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/
ata/#purpose
Hearing Assistive Technology (HATS) for Children. (n.d.).
Retrieved March 22, 2015, from http://www.asha.org/public/
hearing/Hearing-Assistive Technology-for-Children/
Video Magnifiers. (n.d.). Retrieved March 22, 2015, from http://
www.afb.org/info/living-with-vision-loss/using-technology/
assistive-technology/video-magnifiers-221/1235
Electronic Math Worksheets. (n.d.). Retrieved March 22, 2015,
from http://www.greatschools.org/special-education/
assistive-technology/952-electronic-math-worksheets.gs
Mouse Alternatives. (n.d.). Retrieved March 22, 2015, from
http://students.depaul.edu/~rwise1/RR_Web/mouse.htm