Assistive Technology are devices that extend the abilities of an individual in ways that provide physical access (i.e. wheelchairs, braces) and sensory access (i.e., Braille, closed captioning).
TYPES OF DISABILITIES AND HOW A TEACHER WOULD USE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY:
Mild Disabilities- Students with mild disabilities have the following characteristics: cognitive, academic, and social-emotional. The main issues for these students are not physical access to assistive technology but reading, writing, memory, and retention of information. In educational planning the teacher will need to use productivity software and other online resources.
Moderate and Severe Disabilities- Students with moderate to severe disabilities need considerable time devoted to teaching them daily living skills such as personal hygiene, shopping, and use of public transportation. Teachers need to be familiar with an array of devices that provide an alternative means for assessing the computer since the typical keyboard may be problematic for many students.
Physical Disabilities- Physical disabilities affect a person's mobility and agility. Assistive technology for individuals with severe physical disabilities may take a form of a power wheelchair operated by a joystick with a handle that moves in all directions. The goal is to identify appropriate tools for access and control that will allow the individual to function across environments.
Sensory Disabilities- Sensory disabilities involve impairments associated with the loss of hearing or vision. For an individual with loss of vision, a teacher could use three types of assistive technology: (1) Canes and sensory technology- Provides the student with mobility and orientation information when navigating various environments. (2) Tools to convert printed information- The teacher can use Optical Character Recognition software to scan, translate, covert to a word-processed file, and speech synthesis. (3) Screen readers- Work as utility software for the computer and reads any text that appears on the screen.
For an individual with loss of hearing can use most technologies without significant modifications.
At Risk Behaviors/Situations- Students who are at risk for school failure are not considered disabled. The use of assistive technology with students with disabilities has helped teachers to understand the types of academic challenges that students face.
Gifts and Talents- Gifted and talented students are those possessing demonstrated or potential abilities that give evidence of high performance capabilities. The primary issue is how to identify the students with these capabilities. Teachers can work with these children by using three strategies: (1) Electronic Communities- Students will communicate with people from different places, languages, and cultures. (2) Research - The students will use global resources to research topics and allow gifted students to explore ideas, events, or tasks in greater depth. (3) Interactive and Multimedia Presentations - This allows students to develop presentations based on their research.
