Matthew Taylor's Assistive Technology Presentation.

2. What is Assistive
Technology?
Assistive technology devices are identified in the
Individuals with Disabilities Education
Improvement Act of 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.

3. Individualized Education
Programs
Students with disabilities may need an IEP
Reasons for IEPs include: ADHD, hearing
impairment, Autism, and various other learning
disabilities
The process of developing IEPs can be complex,
but these programs are effective for positively
shaping the learning process for children with
disabilities

4. Before Implementing An
AT
What type of disability does the student have?
Develop a method for evaluating the success or
failure of the AT
Analyze multiple forms of AT as a team
Then, select the best AT for the case and try it
out

5. Types of ATs for Different
Disabilities
For Mild Disabilities:
Sending class notes to students via email
Translating print-based text to voice using a voice
synthesizer
Videotaping class sessions for students unable to
attend class

6. Types of ATs for Different
Disabilities
For Hearing Impaired:
Personal FM System – listener hears voice of
speaker in their own personal radio headset
Infrared System – transmits sound using infrared
waves
Induction Loop System – converts the sound of a
speaker voice into electromagnetic signal that can
be read by hearing aids

7. Types of ATs for Different
Disabilities
Touchscreen computers
allow students with limited
motor skills to operate
computers without a
mouse
Even young children
understand the basics of
look and point navigation
Touchscreens can
stimulate the attention of
ADHD students

8. Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder
ADHD affects more
students than many
other disabilities
According to the CDC,
ADHD affect 9.5% of
school-aged boys and
5.9% of school-aged girls
Important for educators
to learn to work with
these students

9. Types of ATs for Different
Disabilities
For ADHD:
Electronic math worksheet software like MathPad
and MathTalk allow ADHD students to organize and
work through problems on a computer screen
Talking Calculators – a voice synthesizer converts
the operations typed into spoken words and lets
attention deficit students know whether they typed
the correct information before writing it down on
paper

10. Types of ATs for Different
Disabilities
For ADHD
Audio Books – ADHD
students that struggle
with reading can improve
reading comprehension
and fluency by listening
to books instead of
reading them.

11. The Georgia Project for
Assistive Technology
Funded as part of the Georgia Department of Education
since 1991
The program’s goal is to enhance the educational
environment of students with disabilities and increases
students access to these technologies
You can contact the program manager, Gina Gelinas, by
email at ggelinas@doe.k12.ga.us

12. Resources
Raskind, M., & Stanberry, K. (2011). The best software and
gadgets for adhd students. Retrieved from
http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/6585-3.html
Gromisch, E. (2010, June 14). Adhd and assistive
technology. Retrieved from
http://www.brighthub.com/education/special/articles/7410
8.aspx
The rest of my information came from resources found in
the Module 4 content area in ITEC 7530