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Assistive Technology : A Peek at the Possibilities

Assistive Technology : A Peek at the Possibilities. Today:. What is Assistive Technology Why Assistive Technology The Process AT Tools Augmentative Communication. If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to treat everything like a nail. What is Assistive Tech?.

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Assistive Technology : A Peek at the Possibilities

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  1. Assistive Technology : A Peek at the Possibilities

  2. Today: • What is Assistive Technology • Why Assistive Technology • The Process • AT Tools • Augmentative Communication

  3. If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to treat everything like a nail.

  4. What is Assistive Tech? 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 the functional capabilities of children with disabilities. ODE 581-015-0005

  5. Assistive Technology Service • Any service that directly assists in the selection, acquisition or use of an assistive technology device. Including: • -evaluation Including a functional evaluation of the child in the child's customary environment; • -acquisition selecting, designing, fitting, customizing, retaining or repairing • -coordination therapies, interventions, or services with assistive technology devices, such as those associated with existing education and rehabilitation plans and programs • -training for student & family • -training for all staff ODE 581-015-0005

  6. Why Assistive Technology? The IEP team determines that a student needs a particular device or service in order to receive a free appropriate public education, the IEP team must include a statement to that effect in the student’s IEP. IDEA , 1997

  7. Why Assistive Technology? School districts shall ensure that assistive technology devices or assistive technology services, or both, are made available to a child with a disability if required as a part of the child's special education, related services or supplementary aids and services. ODE 581-015-0560

  8. Application of Assistive Technology • Education of all Handicapped Children Act, 94-142, 1975 • Access to schools • • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, IDEA, 1990 • Access to classrooms • • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Amendments of 1997, IDEA ’97 • Access to the general education curriculum

  9. Application of Assistive Technology • Writing • Reading • Math • Study Skills, Organization • Communication • Daily Living Skills • Recreation and Leisure • Prevocational and Vocational • Seating, Positioning & Mobility • Any other area addressed in the IEP

  10. Consideration of AT • An integral Part of the IDEA Educational Process • Prereferral • Referral • Evaluation IEP Development • Annual Review

  11. The Process

  12. Common Errors • No one on the IEP team is knowledgeable regarding • AT. • Team does not use a consistent process based on data • about the student environments and tasks to make • decisions. • Consideration of AT is limited to those items that are • familiar to team members or are available in the district • Team members fail to consider access to the curriculum • and IEP in determining if AT is required in order for the • student to receive FAPE. • Team does not document the basis of determination of • decisions. • AT is Considered for students with severe disabilities only

  13. Quality Indicators • ATD/S are considered for all students with disabilities • The IEP team has the knowledge and skills in ATD/S to make informed decisions • The IEP team uses critical decision-making processes to make determinations based on data about the student, environments, and tasks • A continuum of ATD/S is explored • Decisions regarding the need for ATD/S are based on access to the gen ed curriculum and the students IEP goals and objectives • Decisions regarding the need for ATD/S and supporting data are documented

  14. Re-Assess

  15. The HOW • Identify the Problem • Clearly Defined • What does the student need to do academically or functionally that he/she is currently unable to do? • Are there barriers to access that the use of AT might help overcome?

  16. The HOW • Analyze the Problem • The Evaluation team must: • Address Student needs • The Environments in which the student works • The Tasks to be accomplished • Then the Tools needed • = SETT Framework

  17. The HOW • Student • What does the student need to do? • What are the students special needs? • What ate the student’s current abilities?

  18. The HOW • Environment • What materials and equipment are currently available in the environment • What is the physical arrangement? Are there special considerations? • What is the instructional arrangement? Are there likely to be changes? • What supports are available to the student? • What resources are available to the people supporting the student?

  19. The HOW • Tasks • What activities take place in the environment • What activities support the student’s curriculum? • What are the critical elements of the activities? • How might the activities be modified to accommodate the student’s needs? • How might AT support the student’s active participation in those activities?

  20. The HOW • Tools • What no tech, low tech and high tech options might be considered when developing a system for a student with these needs and abilities doing these tasks in these environments? • How might these tools be tried with the student within the environments? • What strategies might be used to invite increased performance? • How might these tools be tried with the student within the environments?

  21. Possible Skill Needs • Academics • Functional Academics • Daily Living Skills • Leisure Skills • Prevocational and Vocational Skills • Communication • Cause and Effect Skill building • Receptive Language Skill Building • Organization and Self Monitoring

  22. Tools High Tech Mid Tech Low Tech

  23. Assistive Technology Can: • Provide motivation for learning not otherwise present • Provide computer assisted instruction that breaks skills down into smaller steps with unlimited opportunities for repetition and practice with feedback • Simulate situations in which students can practice social skills , life skills, and vocational skills before transferring the skill to real life settings • Provide INDEPENDENCE and ACCESS Okolo, (2000); Wehmeyer, (1999)

  24. Auditory Reading Supports • Commercially Available Electronic Books • Start to Finish Books: Don Johnston • Books on Tape/CD Rom/DVD/Digital • Text reading software • Digital Readers • Create Your Own Electronic Books • Buildability • Keynote (Mac) • Powerpoint • Intellipics Studio

  25. More Auditory Reading Supports • Talking Word Processors • Write: OutLoud • Intellitalk II • Text to Speech Software • E-reader • Wynn • Kurzweil • Text Help • Text Outloud

  26. Single Word Support • Spell Checkers, Co Writer • Personal Dictionaries • Reading or Dictionary Pens • Talking Text Software: • Wynn • Kurzweil • E reader • Text Help • Talking Word Processors: • Write Out Loud • Intellitalk

  27. Visual Supports • Visual Supports available low tech or in software • Highlighting • Background Color • Enlargement • Masking • Text/Symbol Support for new vocabulary or literacy activities for pre readers • Writing with Symbols • Picture It • Graphic Libraries: Boardmaker • Intellitalk II

  28. Reading Comprehension • Comprehension, Webbing and outlining • Kidspiration • Inspiration • Electronic Study Aids • Wynn • Kurzweil • Text Help

  29. Writing Supports • Portable Tools • Alphasmart and Dana • Word Processing/Talking Word Processors • Write: OutLoud Intellitalk • Speech Recognition Software • Dragon Naturally Speaking • Webbing and Outlining • Kidspiration, Inspiration • Spelling Support • CoWriter: text prediction software • Writing Process • DraftBuilder, Inspiration, Kidspiration

  30. Functional Academics • IntelliTalk • Intellitools Classroom Suite • http://www.intellitools.com/default.html?gclid=CISnh7b92qgCFQU6gwodBEUo_w • Inteillimathics, Intellipics Studio • Intellikeys keyboard, switches • Functional reading software : Edmark • Money and time telling software

  31. Math Supports • Organization, calculation • Mathpad & Mathpad plus • http://www.intellitools.com/programpage_mathpad.html • Hands on manipulatives • IntelliMathics • Upper Level mathematics Scientific Notebook • Low to mid tech: • Calculators, talking calculators, adapted measuring devices

  32. Organization and Self Monitoring • Visual Schedules (a visual is not always a picture) • Individual Picture or Word Schedules • Sequence strips, job strips, mini • schedules • To do lists • Calendar • Choice boards (free time support) • Transition and travel helpers • Mid tech tools • Step pad • PDAs

  33. Daily Living Skills • Adaptive Eating Utensils • Adaptive Dressing Aids • Adaptive Cooking and food prep aids

  34. Leisure Skills • Switch accessible toys • Age appropriate • Computer software adapted to meet access needs • Art software • Music making software

  35. Prevocational/Vocational • Simulated computer activities • Software listed earlier • Organizational aids and electronic prompting devices • Dependent on job requirements

  36. Resources • The Center for Applied Special Technologies (CAST), www.cast.org • Augmentative Communication, Inc., www.augcominc.com • International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC), www.isaac-online.org

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