Assistive technology allows children with disabilities to focus on their strengths and succeed in the classroom by reducing barriers to their education. Laws such as the ADA and IDEA govern assistive technology to ensure equality for children with special needs. There are many types of assistive technology that can aid those with physical, sensory, or learning disabilities. Examples include screen magnifiers, hearing aids, speech recognition software, and devices that allow alternative access to computers for those unable to use standard keyboards or mice. When developing IEPs, assistive technology should be considered to help each child achieve.

1. Assistive Technology
By
MeaganJames

2. What is Assistive Technology
Children with disabilities face many barrier to
their being successful in the classroom. Assistive
technology allows children to focus on their
strengths to succeed in their classrooms. The
focus is not on what they can not do but on
how they can utilize the skills they have to be
successful.

3. Assistive Technology(AT) is anything that can be helpful and
useful in our daily life. These tools can be an alternative to
perform an task. These tools can be devices or service oriented.

4. Assistive Technology and the Law
• The laws that govern Assistive technology
ensure that all children have the opportunity
to succeed by removing barriers that may
interfere with their education.
• When the IEP team meets to plan for a child
with special needs, assistive technology
should be an important part of the discussion.

5. • Assistive Technology laws are specific and
define devices and services that may be used
to ensure equality for children.
• Each state receives funds to assist with
providing need technology for children.

6. Assistive Technology and the Law
Assistive Technology is addressed by many laws to
protect the rights of children. Some of these laws
are
• Americans with Disabilities Act ( ADA )
• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA)
• Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act
• Assistive Technology Act of 1998
• Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical
Education Act Amendments of 1998

7. More Laws that govern Assistive Technology
• Fair Housing Act Amendments of 1988
• The Hearing Aid Compatibility Act of 1988
• The Television Decoder Circuitry Act of 1990,
Section 3
• Telecommunications Act of 1996
• Title I - Public Law 104-104 [47 USC 255]
• Title III - Public Law 104-104 [47 USC 613]

8. Assistive Technology for Hearing
Impaired:
• This technology allows the students to be able to
hear what’s being taught in the classroom. It can be
divided into two categories. These two categories
are: Assistive Listening Device (ALD) or personal
amplification.
• ALD: Provides the listener with a direct connection to
the sound source.
• Personal Amplification: based on their level of
hearing.

9. Assistive Learning Devices &
Personal Amplification:
• Assistive listening
Devices:
1. FM
2. Infrared
3. Induction Loop
4. One to one
communication
• Personal
Amplifications:
1. Hearing Aids
2. Cochlear Implant
3. BAHATM – Bone
Anchored Hearing Aid:

10. Infrared and Hearing Aid:
• Hearing Aid: These are usually worn behind the ear to
amplify sound.
• Infrared Systems: This is a new technology that
uses a transmitter to send the sound invisibly to
hearing impaired listeners

11. Assistive Technology for Seeing
Impaired:
• Technology is available for the various stages
of vision impairment.
• Students who are seeing impaired must deal
with access to information, independent
travel, and a lack of meaningful experiences

12. Screen magnifiers:
A screen magnifier is software
that interacts with a computer
to present enlarged screen
content.

13. Other Assistive technology devices for
vision impaired
• Speech recognition software
• Text-to-speech (TTS) software
• Optical character recognition (OCR) software
• Large monitors
• Closed circuit television (CCTV)
• Hand held electronic magnifiers
• Dictation devices and transcription

14. Assistive Technology for
Learning Disabled:
• Assistive technology for learning disabled
students capitalizes on the strengths of the
students and try to minimize the focus on the
weakness.
• Learning disabled students, once asset can
move forward with the correct device.

15. Assistive technology can help with
• Reading
• Listening
• Spelling
• Math
• Organization
• Writing
• Comprehension

16. Graphic Organizer and Learning
Disabilities
• Graphic organizers and outlining programs
help users who have trouble organizing and
outlining information as they begin a writing
project. Students plays information in a
document and then organize into appropriate
categories. It can also be helpful in
mathematics.

17. Other Technology available for
Learning disabled
• Abbreviation expander
• Alternative Keyboards
• Audio books and publications
• Electronic math worksheets
• Freeform Database Software
• Information /data managers
• Optical character recognition
• Personal FM listening systems
• Portable word processors

18. Assistive Technology for
Physically Disabled:
• Physical disabilities sometimes limit
students ability to performing basic
functions.
• Simply gripping objects or having full
range of motion can cause difficult in
the classroom.

19. SmartNav 4:
This AT device allows a student to move the
mouse by moving his head slightly. A virtual
keyboard is on the screen that allows the
student to enter text or navigate on the
Internet. This device is ideal for students with
spinal cord injuries, muscular dystrophy, and
other special needs

20. Other Assistive Technology for
Physically Disabled:
• Mouth stick
• Head wand
• Single-switch access
• Oversized trackball mouse
• Adaptive keyboard
• Eye tracking
• Voice recognition software
• "Sticky Keys"
• "Slow Keys"

21. References
Assistive technology act. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/ata/
Assistive technology devices and services. (06/30/2010). Retrieved from
http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/atech.index.htm
Assistive technology for kids with ld: An overview. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.greatschools.org/special-education/assistive-technology/702-
assistive-technology-for-kids-with-learning-disabilities-an-
overview.gs?page=all
Assistive technologies for people with physical impairments. (n.d.). Retrieved
from http://www.gmc-
uk.org/accessibility/assistive_technologies/physical_impairments.asp
Assistive technology for students with hearing impairments. (n.d.). Retrieved
from http://sped.wikidot.com/assistive-technology-for-students-with-
hearing-impairments

22. Assistive technology in education/physically handicapped. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Assistive_Technology_in_Education/Physically_Handicapped
Assistive technology: visual impairments. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.actionforblindpeople.org.uk/resources/practical-advice/assistive-
technology-resources/types-of-assistive-technology/assistive-technology-visual-
impairments/
Chapter 13 – assistive technology for students who are deaf or hard of hearing .
(n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.wati.org/content/supports/free/pdf/Ch13-
Hearing.pdf
Stanberry, K. (n.d.). Assistive technology for kids with learning disabilities: An
overview. Retrieved from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/assistive-
technology-kids-learning-disabilities-overview
The family center on technology and disability. (n.d.). Retrieved
from http://www.fctd.info/resources/techlaws.php