Assistive technology refers to any item or equipment that helps individuals with disabilities maintain or improve their functional abilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act defines a disability as a physical or mental impairment that limits major life activities. Examples of disabilities include ADD/ADHD, autism, cerebral palsy, and dyslexia. Inclusion aims to integrate students with special needs into general education classrooms, while accommodations help students with disabilities complete tasks. Assistive technologies such as calculators, magnifiers, and hearing aids provide secondary support to instructional accommodations.

1. Assistive Technology!! By Brandon Jones Assistive technology is 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 individuals with disabilities.

2. Disabilities The Americans with Disabilities Act ( ADA) has a three-part definition of disability. Under ADA, an individual with a disability is a person who: (1) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; OR (2) has a record of such an impairment; OR (3) is regarded as having such an impairment. A physical impairment is defined by ADA as "any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: neurological, musculoskeletal, special sense organs, respiratory (including speech organs), cardiovascular, reproductive, digestive, genitourinary, hemic and lymphatic, skin, and endocrine."

3. Example Disabilities ADD/ADHD Autism Cerebral Palsy Dyslexia/Dysgraphia Asperger Syndrome Dyscalculia Epilepsy ME (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome)

4. Inclusion The act of integrating students with special needs with general education classrooms with peers without disabilities.

5. Accommodations Accommodations can be anything that helps a student with a disability perform a task that they otherwise would not be able to complete on their own. Ex: A student with has trouble reading can be allowed extra time on their test.

6. Assistive Technology*Is secondary to instructional accommodations* Calculators Magnifiers Braille textbooks Hearing aids for the students or microphones for the teacher Online dictionaries Slant boards Pencil grips

7. Georgia Performance Standards Scholastic.com Google Images