ITEC 7530 Module 4

1. ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
J. Anderson
ITEC 7530
Module 4
September 25, 2015

2. WHAT IS ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
 Assistive Technology is a broad term that includes
any technology that can be used to allow an
individual with disabilities to have more
independence.
 In education, assistive technologies are broken into
three categories: low, mid, and high tech.
 Low-tech assistive technology is something adaptive
that does not require electricity or batteries.
 Mid-tech assistive technology is something electronic
that is portable and manipulative (e-dictionary, word
processor, etc.)
 High-tech assistive technology involves computers
and/or tablets with accompanying software.

3. IMPLEMENTING ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
 Assistive technology must be provided to certain
students with disabilities, as mandated by the
Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA).
 Students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs)
must be considered eligible for assistive technology and
their accommodations must be reviewed regularly to
evaluate whether or not an assistive technology must be
provided.
 The goal of assistive technology is to allow everyone to
have a certain level of independence in the learning
process. All individuals can earn, some just need a little
assistance getting past certain barriers.

4. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
The next few slides details resources I found in
addition to the ones provided in our introduction to the
subject of assistive technology.

5. ADDITIONAL RESOURCE 1:
 Tech Matrix is a site maintained by the National Center for
Technology Innovation (NCTI).
 This site provides a database of over 400 assistive products, allows
one to compare similar products from across the database, and
even links to articles on improving education through assistive
technology.
 This is a valuable resource that can match assistive technology
tools with current, relevant literature on “promising practices for the
instruction of reading for students with disabilities.”
 It is organized into the following areas:
 Building Skills and Comprehension
 Convert Text to Speech
 Providing Text in Alternate Formats
 Providing Electronic Resources
 Organizing Ideas and Integrating Literacy Supports.

6. ADDITIONAL RESOURCE 2:
 Access Text describes itself as “a conduit between the
publishing world and colleges and universities across
the country.”
 This electronic database makes it easier for schools to
provide specialized textbooks to students with
reading/print disabilities.
 It was created through a collaboration between the
American Association of Publishers and researchers
at the University of Georgia.
 This site also provides audio note taking and study
solutions for students with particular disabilities.

7. ADDITIONAL
RESOURCE 3:
 No Limits 2 Learning is a blog specializing in “celebrating
human potential through assistive technology.
 The blog is maintained by Lon Thornburg, an assistive
technology specialist and educator.
 Most of the posts deal with the different types of assistive
technology Thornburg has used with learners with a variety
of disabilities.
 The blog searchable by key term and could provide not just
direction but also first hand accounts of how to implement
certain assistive technologies in the classroom.

8. REFERENCES
 http://www.accesstext.org/
 National Center for Technology Innovation and Center
for Implementing Technology in Education. Help for
Young Learners: How To Choose AT? LD Online.
http://www.ldonline.org/article/8088
 http://techmatrix.org/
 Thornburg, Ron. http://nolimitstolearning.blogspot.com/
 Wilbur, Judythe. Ramp Up: An Overview of Assistive
Technology. Accessed at:
http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~wilbur/access/assistive.html