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Assistive technology
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- 2. What is assistive technology? Accordingto the South Carolina Assistive Technology Program (2012), Assistive technology, also known as AT, is any device, hardware, software, or product for individuals with disabilities that allows them to do things more quickly, easily and independently.
- 3. It’s the law! TheRehabilitation Act of 1973: This law makes it illegal to discriminate against a qualified person with a disability in programs conducted and funded by federal agencies. (eeoc.gov, n.d.)
- 4. What does TheRehabilitation Act of 1973 mean in education?• School districts must establish a standard procedure for student evaluation who are believed to need special education and/or services before labeling any student. • Students cannot be discriminated against for their disabilities. • School districts must provide a “free appropriate public education”. • Technical assistance will be provided to qualified students. • Related aids and services will be designed and provided to meet the student’s individual educational needs, this allowing the student to be as successful as nondisabled students. • Assistive technology devices will be selected, designed, fitted, customized, adapted, applied, maintained, repaired, or replaced for the individual with the disability. • Training or technical assistance will be provided for the individual with the disability and for professionals, employers, or anyone who provides assistance to the individual with the disability. Information provided from the U.S. Department of Education’s website.
- 5. Hearing Impaired REDMIKE® REDMIKE, isa portable, lightweight microphone that can be comfortably worn around your neck or attached to your shirt. REDMIKE consist of an IR sensor, receiver, amplifier, and speaker all in one device. Students with hearing impairments love that REDMIKE gives them the ability to hear the teacher much clearer and from far a far away distance.
- 6. Seeing Impaired FarView HandheldVideo Magnifier Students with seeing impairments can use this portable video magnifier to view materials up close or far away such as in lectures or presentations. It can store up to 100 images for review. It is handheld and very easy to use.
- 7. Learning Disabled Talking Calculators Talkingcalculators help students with learning disabilities who struggle in math. Talking calculators read aloud functions to which the student presses through the built in speech synthesizer. This helps students with checking the accuracy of keys they are pressing and allows them to check for any errors before writing it down on paper.
- 8. Physically Disabled The AlphaSmart3000 keyboard The AlphaSmart keyboard is an inexpensive electronic writing tool that many students find simple and practical. Some of its features include a spell checker and thesaurus. You can also plug the AlphaSmsart into a computer, and it will upload your text into any application. I have a physically disabled child in my classroom whose muscles grow tiresome from too much writing due to his physical impairment. . The AlphaSmart allows him to keep up with the rest of the class when note taking without becoming sore or tired.
- 9. Reference Page Institute ofDisabilities Temple University (2014) Assistive Technology. Retrieved from http://www.ioddev.org/inventory_detail.php?equip_id=2774 Lightspeed (2010) Lightweight Teacher Microphone. Retrieved from http://www.lightspeedtek.co.uk/redmike.aspx Official Nebraska Government Website (2008) Assistive Technology in Education. Retrieved from http://www.atp.ne.gov/techassistdoc.html South Carolina Assistive Technology Program (2012, October 9) SC Curriculum Access through AT. Retrieved from http://www.sc.edu/scatp/cdrom/atused.html Stanberry, K, Raskind, M, Ph.D. (2010, February) Talking Calculators. Retrieved from http://www.greatschools.org/special-education/assistive-technology/953-talking- calculators.gs U.S. Department of Education (2013, December 19) Protecting Students With Disabilities. Retrieved from http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/504faq.html U.S. Department of Justice (2012, April 9) A Guide to Disability Rights Laws. Retrieved from http://www.ada.gov/cguide.htm#anchor65610 U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (n.d.) Laws Enforced by EEOC. Retrieved from http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/index.cfm Wanderman, R. (2004, July 5) LD Resources: The AlphaSmart Keyboard and Learning Disabilities. Retrieved from http://www.ldresources.org/2004/07/the-alphasmart-keyboard-and- learning-disabilities/