This document discusses assistive technology and its importance for students with disabilities. It defines assistive technology as any equipment or device that helps people with disabilities complete tasks. Assistive technology can range from simple tools to complex electronic devices. Laws like the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act require schools to consider assistive technologies for students with disabilities. Examples of assistive technologies discussed include hearing aids, braille keyboards, iPad applications, and wheelchairs. The document emphasizes that assistive technologies enable people with disabilities to learn and function.

1. Assistive
Technology
Amanda Buckhaulter

2. Assistive Technology
 Assistive technology is any piece of
equipment, tool, device, or material
that can be used to help a person with
a disability complete a task.
 Assistive technology can be as simple
as a rubber pencil grip or as complex as
a sophisticated audio recorder.
 Assistive technology can help students
succeed in the classroom.

3. Individuals with
Disabilities Act
 IDEA defines assistive
technology as 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
functional capabilities of a child
with a disability. (IDEA Sec.
602(1))

4. Laws on Assistive
Technology
 The Technology-Related Assistance Act for
Individuals with Disabilities (Public Law 100-407),
provides funding so that devices and services will
be provided to individuals with disabilities.
 The federal government acknowledged the
importance of assistive technology by revising the
individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) in 1997 and
in 2004. IDEA states that school districts must
consider assistive technology for any child in
special education.

5. Individualized Education
Plans
 IEP’s are written plans that meet
the unique educational needs of
a child with a disability.
 It is imperative to consider
assistive technology when
planning the IEP.

6. Impairments that Require
Assistive Technology
Hearing Impaired
Visually Impaired
Learning Disabled
Physically Disabled

7. Hearing Impaired
 FM amplification system
 The microphone picks up the teacher’s
voice, and the transmitter sends it directly
to the child’s receiver for amplification in
the hearing aids. This allows students to
focus on understanding what is being said.

8. Visually Impaired
• Braille Lite allows
teachers to convert
classroom handouts
to braille.
• Students are able to
type and then
convert their notes
to braille.

9. Learning Disabled
 IPAD
 Students with learning disabilities can use
an IPAD to play games targeted at their
learning level.

10. Physically Disabled
A wheelchair
accommodates
students with
minimum or no
movement by
enhancing their
ability to move to
their destination.

11. “Many say
technologies make
things easier, for
people with
disabilities
technologies make
things possible.”
Knut Ellingsen, Vice President of the European Federation of Hard of
Hearing (EFHOH)

12. References
Assistive technology basics. (n.d). Retrieved June 8, 2015 from
https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/assistive-technology/assistive-technologies-basics
GARI. Retrieved June 10, 2015 from http://blog.mobileaccessibility.info/2014/03/many-say-technologies-make-things.html
The Individuals with Disabilities Act. Retrieved June 9, 2015 from http://idea.ed.gov
The IRIS Center. Retrieved June 8, 2015 from: http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/at/
Oticon People First. Retrieved June 9, 2015 from
http://www.oticon.com/products/wireless-accessories/amigo-fm/about-amigo.aspx
Roblyer, M., & Doering, A. H. (2013). Integrating Educational Technology Into Teaching. Upper Saddle River: Pearson
Education, Inc.