Assistive technology refers to any item, equipment, or product system that maintains or improves the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities. The Technology-Related Assistance Act and reauthorization of IDEA provide funding and require schools to consider assistive technology in IEPs. Examples of assistive technology discussed include cochlear implants for hearing loss, service dogs for visual impairments, apps to help learning disabilities, and power wheelchairs for physical disabilities. The document explores various types of assistive technology and how they help people with different disabilities.

1. Assistive
Technology
By: Elizabeth Cook

2. What is Assistive Technology?
The term “Assistive Technology”
refers to any item, piece of
equipment, or product system,
whether commercially or off the shelf,
modified, or customized, that is used
to maintain, or improve functional
capabilities of one with a disability.
--U.S. Department of Education

3. The Law in Regard to
Assistive Technology
 The Technology-Related Assistance Act for
Individuals with Disabilities (Public Law 100-
407) provides funding for statewide systems
and services to provide assistive
technology devices and services to
individuals with disabilities.
 Reauthorization of the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1997
mandates that every IEP team consider
assistive technology when planning the
educational program of an individual with a
disability.

4. Assistive Technology for
the Hearing Impaired
• A cochlear implant is a device
that provides direct electrical
stimulation to the auditory nerve in
the inner ear. Children and adults
with a severe to profound hearing
loss who cannot be helped with
hearing aids may be helped with
cochlear implants.
Image Source: Google Images

5. Assistive Technology for
the Visually Impaired
Image Source: Google Images
Service Dogs serve as eyes for those
who cannot see. These dogs are
highly trained to guide the visually
impaired. They stay close to their
owners side and guide them where
they need to go. In a school setting,
these dogs help navigate students to
their classrooms, locker, the cafeteria,
gymnasium, and other places
throughout the school with ease.

6. Assistive Technology for
the Learning Disabled
• There’s an App for that! There are
many different learning disabilities
among our diverse group of students. In
the ever changing world of technology,
we have access to many different apps
on iPads or iPods in the classrooms that
can help meet the needs of those
learning disabled students. Whether a
student be dyslexic, autistic, or ADHD,
there are apps to help them learn in
addition to teacher instruction.
Image Source: Google Images

7. Assistive Technology for
the Physically Disabled
Image Source: Google Images
• People with physical
disabilities dace many difficult
challenges. Assistive
technology can assist tem in
living a more independent
lifestyle. An automatic
wheelchair helps this little girl
get around at school just like
her friends do. Automatic
wheelchairs give students the
independence to do more
without the help of others.

8. REFERENCES
 Cochlear Implants. (n.d.). Retrieved November 1, 2014, from
http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/Cochlear-Implant/
 IDEA - Building The Legacy of IDEA 2004. (n.d.). Retrieved November 1,
2014, from http://idea.ed.gov/explore/view/p/,root,statute,I,A,602,1,
 iFixit. (n.d.). Apple iPad repair. [photograph]. Retrieved from
https://www.ifixit.com/Device/iPad
 Ottobock. (n.d.). Children’s power wheelchair. [photograph]. Retrieved
from
http://professionals.ottobockus.com/cps/rde/xchg/ob_us_en/hs.xsl/5146.ht
ml
 Roblyer, M., & Doering, A. (2014). Integrating educational technology into
teaching (6a ed.). Harlow, UK: Pearson.
 Service Dog (n.d.) Assistive technology for people with visual impairments.
[photograph]. Retrieved from http://at4viandb.blogspot.com/2013/03/low-tech-
at.html
 TerpTopics. (n.d.). Cochlear implant. [photograph]. Retrieved from
http://www.terptopics.com/CochlearImplants.htm