Advancements in Technology for Disabilities: Impact and Innovations

1. Technology For People With Disabilities And How It Has Improved

2. Introduction • A person may be handicap if the are unable to perform a function, such as walking • A person with a disability is unable to perform an activity, such as not being able to see, hear or speak • Depending on the severity of the handicap or disability, technology may not be available or essential or accessible to the person

3. Laws that support technology for people with disabilities.

4. Technology-Related Assistance Act • In 1988, Technology-Related Assistance Act for individuals with Disabilities was passed • This provided funding for Statewide systems and services to provide assistive technology devices and services with to people with disabilities

5. American Disabilities Act • 1990, expanded the scope of coverage of employers and agencies mandated to provide accessible transportations systems, buildings and programs, and communication systems for people with disabilities

6. IDEA • Each individual education program (IEP) indicates where the student will be most educationally successfully • IDEA also plans the students program including where they will be educated and how (accommodations) • Accommodations include: tape recorders, extra time, separate testing sites, computers to help with spelling and legibility

7. Preparation for Teachers • Universities are requiring to learn the basic software programs that are used everyday (example: Microsoft Office) • Teachers are being exposed to how to use technology for special education students • Teachers today still go to seminars to learn about the latest software and updates to use in their classrooms

8. Problems with Technology with Teachers • Software is advancing so quickly, seminars cannot keep up with today’s technology, which makes our teachers up to date • There is not enough programs that go into great detail to keep the teachers updated in software advances • There are at times not enough computers in a classroom to educate each child

9. Examples of Technology With Specific Disabilities

10. Technology for the Blind • 500,000 people are blind in the United States • Brail is now being used on computer keyboards as well as books • Printers now have the option to print brail or regular text • Canes and sensor technology • OCR (optical character recognition) software. By scanning the text, the software then converts it into sound so the blind person can now listen to the textbook • Screen Readers. A type of software that runs in the background of the computer that reads out loud any text or options that appears on the screen • Soon for the internet will be a speaking web browser

11. Technology for the Deaf • People who are deaf need few modifications to use a computer • FM amplifications systems. The teacher wears a wireless microphone while the deaf student wears the receiver. This is to serve to focus attention. Depending on the severity of damage to the ear this may not work for all students • Movie theatres are now slowly increasingly now having these amplifications systems available. According to one student, there are none in DFW • Cochlear implants are another possibility, but depending on the damage in the ear they may not work • TTD (teletype devise) also know as TTY Technology allows deaf and blind people communicate. A deaf person types a message to an operator, and the operator relates the message to the caller

12. Learning to Reading, Writing and Math • Software programs are now used in classrooms to improve reading, writing and solving problems • Computers help students who have illegible handwriting • Voice recognition software is now becoming more available and popular • Text to speech software helps students who have difficulties reading • Graphing calculators help students who are unable to hand draw graphs

13. Technology for Cerebral Palsy • Alternative Communication System • Entering information into the computer by Morse code. One switch at the side of the persons head controls the dot signal, while another produces the dash signal • Special electrodes can pick up the small electrical signals created by the slightest movement in a muscle. These electrodes are able to detect the electrical currents generated by the moving of the muscle. The electrode connects to another device, which operates a switch that controls inputs into the computer • Story of Isabella Chang

14. Technology is for everyone! • Future outlook on how computers and technology help people with handicaps is welcoming • The computer has opened new doors thanks to software and the internet • People with disabilities can now communicate with other disabled people • As new programs emerge, creators keep in mind that some people may not be able to press to keys at once • Notes, homework assignments and online quizzes are now available to all students online

15. Citations • AT&T Relay Serviceshttp://www.consumer.att.com/relay/index.html • Computers Assisting The Handicapped http://courses.cs.vt.edu/~cs3604/lib/Disabilities/murhpy.AT.html • All images from Destin Florida (Spring break 2004)