VCC Assistive Technology Workshop, presented at 2016 VCC Educational Technology Showcase, Vancouver Community College.

1. Presented by
Amber Inglis & Brian Lau
AT-BC Technology Coordinators
Assistive Technology - British Columbia

2. Assistive Technology - BC (AT-BC) provides assistive
technology resources to make learning and working
environments usable for people with disabilities throughout
British Columbia.
AT-BC offers a wide range of individualized, centrally
coordinated technology services including assessments,
assistive equipment, training, and consultation to enable
persons with disabilities to achieve their educational and
employment goals.
Who is AT-BC?

3. • Students with permanent disabilities who require
assistive technology to minimize disability related
barriers.
• Canada Student Grant (CSG) Program
• Public Postsecondary Loan (PPL) Program
• Staff who require access to technology support in order
to accommodate a student with a permanent disability
on campus.
• Program for Institutional Loans of Assistive
Technology (PILAT) Program
Who at VCC can access AT-BC?

4. • What is assistive technology?
“Assistive technology promotes greater independence by
enabling people to perform tasks that they were formerly unable
to accomplish, or had great difficulty accomplishing, by
providing enhancements to, or changing methods of interacting
with, the technology needed to accomplish such tasks.” –
Wikipedia
• Who can benefit from its use?
o Hearing impairments
o Visual impairments
o Mobility impairments
o Cognitive impairments
Assistive Technology

5. • What academic tasks can be enabled by its use?
o Communication
o Reading
o Writing:
 Taking notes
 Completing assignments
 Writing exams
o Physical Access to writing tools
o Working in computer labs on campus
o Mobility
Assistive Technology

6. • Technology can create time but it can also deplete it
• A person may present with more than one disability, and
how they approach that disability may vary as well
• What someone thinks they need may end up further
hindering them rather than helping
• The benefit(s) of assistive technology may not be
immediate
Important things to note

7. • Telephone- (604)264-8295
• Email – info@at-bc.ca
• Website- http://www.at-bc.ca
• ATBC Tech Support Desk- 1-844-820-2822
Contact Information