Assistive Technology

1. Assistive Technology Sara York January 24, 2015

2. Assistive Technology Any device or service that helps a student with a disability achieve their goals located in their individualized education plans (IEP). Assistive technology can aide in any of the following activities: • Communication assistance • Academic performance • Social interaction • Physical mobility • Access of materials (directionservice, 2015)

3. Types of Assistive Technology • Devices Objects that help students learn and achieve their IEP goals Examples: -Portable reader -Handheld recorder -Sticky notes • Services Assistive technology services help students with disabilities to fully utilize an assistive technology device Examples: -Evaluating the need for a device -Acquiring the device -Providing training to utilize the device

4. The iep team • The IEP Team -Parent of a child -General education teacher -representative of the local education agency -the child, if appropriate The Consideration Process Quality Indicators are used to determine the development of an IEP.the Consideration Quality Indictors are specific to the consideration of AT in the development of the IEP as mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). (e.g., 504, ADA). (PHP, 2013)

5. Laws and Policies STAR Alabama’s Assistive Technology Act Program • Administered through Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services (Alabama.gov,1994). • Establishes partnerships with public and private entitites to provide AT resources to child and adults with disablities in educational facilities and workplaces. (Alabama.gov, 2014)

6. Physically Disabled Devices These devices provide an alternative modes of accessibility to physically disabled students IntelliKeys Voice controlled computer SmartNav 4 Head controlled computer

7. Learning Disabled Devices • Assistive technology for learning disabled students involves any device that helps a student compensate or work through a specific learning deficit • This type of AT takes on a variety of equipment depending on the disability. Some can include: • Proofreading programs • Talking caculators • Tape recorders • Talking spell checkers

8. Seeing Impaired Devices • Seeing Impaired • Software that speaks or magnifies text • (Ex.Zoomtext Screen Magnification System) • Electronic book players designed for visually impaired • (Ex. Bookworm is a portable Braille learning device) • Text readers that scan text and turn them into Braille or speech (Cicero Text Scanner) (visualdisabilities, 2012)

9. Seeing Impaired Devices Text Scanner

10. Hearing Impaired Devices • HATS • (Hearing Assistive Technology) • FM Systems allow child to hear teachers voice at constant volume regardless of distance and intensity level Hearing Loss in the Classroom: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBrnvGKLF_Q (HATS, 2014)

11. References • A Guide to Disability Rights Laws. (2015). Retrieved January 24, 2015, from http://www.ada.gov/ cguide.htm • (2013). Retrieved January 23, 2015, from http://www.directionservice.org/cadre/pdf/Parent-IEP Process.pdf • An Educators Guide to Visual Disabilities. (2012). Retrieved January 23, 2015, from http://education.illinois.edu/wp/netfiles.uiuc.edu/ tpearl2/www/visualdisabilities.htm?uniq=scvjye • Hearing Assistive Technology (HATS) for Children. (2014). Retrieved January 23, 2015, fromhttp://www.asha.org/public/hearing/Hearing-Assistive-Technology-for-Children/ • STAR, Alabama's Assistive Technology Resource. (2014). Retrieved January 24, 2015, from http:// www.rehab.alabama.gov/individuals-and-families/star • The IEP: Who is on the Team? | PHP. (2013.). Retrieved January 23, 2015, from http://www.php.com/iep- team-meetings