ASSESTIVE TECHNOLOGY (HND)

I) Introduction
a) Definition of concepts
i) Technology
ii) Assistive technology
iii) Adaptative technology
II) Impacts of assistive technology in education.
Assistive technology in education
a) Low technology
b) Mid technology
c) High technology
d) Differences between high, mid and low assistive technology
III) Impacts of assistive technology
IV) Difference types of impairment and the use of assistive technology
a) Learning disabilities
b) Visual disabilities
c) Hearing impairment
d) Communication disorders
e) Physical disabilities
V) Legal and policy foundation of assistive technology
a) Legislative foundation of assistive technology
b) Current legislative governing assistive technology
c) Multidisciplinary teams and assistive technology
VI) Instruction and assistive technology
a) Impact of computer on instruction
b) Instructional delivery formats
c) Planning for individual needs in software and hardware
VII) Instructional software
a) Computer assisted instruction/computer managed instruction
b) Authoring packages
c) Hypermedia concepts
d) Evaluation of software
VIII) Assistive hardware and software
a) Assistive solutions for visually impaired
b) Assistive solution for hearing impaired
c) Assistive solutions for physically disabled
d) Assistive solutions for academically disable
IX) Current assistive technology issues
a) Financing assistive technology
b) Assistive technology training
c) Family issues dealing with assistive technology
d) Inclusion and assistive technology
 e) Cultural issues and assistive technology.

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY

Technology makes things easier but the disabled it makes things possible.

Students with disabilities requires assistive technology service. The IEP ( INDIVIDUAL
EDUCATION PLAN) team decides based on the strengths and needs in relation to the child’s
education program

 It helps to enhance abilities and remove barriers of achievement. Assistive technology

must be student centered task focused and environmentally useful to be effective.

What is Assistive Technology tool?

Is any item, piece of equipment, or material used to increase, maintain or improve the
functional capabilities of a student with disabilities. An AT tool considers the unique need of
student when assessing curriculum and activities of learning.

 Adaptive equipment is considered to be assistive technology even though not all

assistive technologies adaptive equipment. AT is an umbrella term that includes
assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative tools.
 Assistive technology tools comes in many shapes and sizes and levels of complexity
i.e. high and low technology. An assistive technology can involve no technology
content e.g. (pencil grip) a low technology component, a medium technology
component is a calculator, and Word processing software is a high technology
component.

What is an AT service?

AT service is that which directly assist a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition,
or use an assistive technology tool. These includes;

 Evaluation of a kid with disability in the kids environment.

 Purchasing leasing (items), providing for AT device by kids with disabilities.
 Selecting, designing, fitting, customizing adapting, maintaining, repairing, or
replacing AT devices.
  Coordinating and using other therapies interventions or services with AT devices such
as existing education and rehabilitation plans and programs.
 Training or technology Assistance for a kid with a disability. That is, child’s family.

Why Assistive Technology important

It is important because of some student without Assistive technology the world not have
access to or be able to benefit from their educational program.

When should the Assistive Technology tool or service be considered for a student?

 When the student is demonstrating need in his/her program to access curricula and
activities of learning within the least restrictive environment. The IEP team should
consider Assistive technology device of services.
 When an impairment or disability limits the student from independently accessing,
participating or engaging in the curriculum or other school related activities.
 The IEP will identify areas in which Assistive Technology is currently supporting the
student independence and participation in the least restrictive environment.

What kinds of tools qualify as assistive technology?

 Any item, piece of equip or product that is used to increase, maintain or improve the
functional capabilities of a student with disabilities and which the IEP team specifies
is necessary for the student in the least restrictive environment.

Who is qualified to assess assistive need for Assistive Technology?

 A team of recommended individuals with the best knowledge of a student ability

including one person with a knowledge in Assistive technology, professionals of AT,
occupational therapists, speech and language, pathologists, physical therapists and
special education teaching.

What is the role of the parent to determine student need for assistive technology?

 Parents and students should take part in all aspects of assessment of AT and the
implementation process. This is because they provide meaningful infos and input
about their student learning strengths, interests, and needs. Parent infos is important in
fitting, customizing, and adapting the technology of their child.

How is AT necessary for a student?

 The IEP team determines that AT services is educationally necessary for a student to
benefit from his/her program.
  Considering many factors, benefits and implications in the use of AT tools is dynamic
and must include careful documentation throughout

When is AT considered related service?

 They are considered a related service when the IEP team, determines that the service
is required to assist a student with disability to benefit from his or her special
education program.

What procedures should be followed determining a student need for AT tool?

 Many factors will need to be addressed due to the unique needs of each individual
student.
 If the IEP cannot come into consensus what should occur
 Inform parents and district about refusal
 Advise parents to seek resolution via formal processes.
 The IEP meeting enables parents and school personnel, as a team, to make joint
informed decisions regarding
 The student needs and appropriate goals
 Extent to which the student will be involved in the general curriculum and participate
in regular educational environment
 The services needed to support that involvement and participation and to achieve
agreed upon goals.
 Parents are considered equal partners with school personnel in making these decisions
and the IEP team must consider parents concern and infos regarding their child in
reviewing and revising IEPs.

Who is required to provide assistive technology tools and services?

Once the IEP team has determines the need for AT the school district is obliged to provide or
purchase the AT tool.

Are there options for districts to consider other than purchasing AT tools

Yes: Options include

Students use medical aid funds for purchase with parental approval

 Use private insurance for purchase

 Renting or leasing the tool
 Community service groups may offer financial assistance

What resources are available to assist in obtaining assistive technology tools services?
  There are a number of parents, professional and advocacy organization that offer
assistance regarding assistive technology tools and services.

Who owns an assistive purchased for an individual student

If the school bought it, it belong to the school but if the parent bought or student medical aid
or private insurance, the tool belongs to the student. If the parents and students jointly pay a
written agreement is drawn between the parents and school regarding ownership.

Educational technology is the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving
performance by creating, using and managing appropriate technological processes and
resources.

Educational technology is the use of both physical hardware and educational theoretic.

How important is technology in education

 Technology has the ability to enhance relationships between teachers and students
when teaching effectively integrate technology into subjects areas, teaching grow into
roles of adviser, content expert, and coach.
 Technology helps make teaching and learning more meaningful and fun.
1) Alternative input device this allows student with disabilities to use computers and
related technology easily e.g. touch screen, modified keyboards and joysticks that
direct the cursor via use of body parts like chin, hands, or feet.
2) Speech to text options where main stream wares via the use of popular cell phones
like Android platform. It is a convenience tool for people without disability, speech to
text provides learning advantage for students who have mobility or dexterity problems
or those who are blind. It allows student to speak their thoughts without typing and
even navigate into internet. It can also be "talk back" to student and let them know
about potential errors in their work.
3) Lamp language acquire via motor planning. Lamp connects neurogical and motor in a
way that makes communication easier for students with Autism and related disorders.
It empowers autistic student to effectively communicate and reach higher academic
achievements lamp is present in technology from a specially made computer to
learning apps.
4) Sensory enhancers depending on developing patterns kids may learn different from
their peers. A kid with language delays will benefit from bright pictures and colours
to learning new concepts. Sensory enhancers may include voice analyzers,
Education technologies aims to improve education. Technology should facilitate
learning processes and increase performance of the educational system as regards to
effectiveness and efficiency.
 Augmentative communication tools or speech synthesizer. These basic tools of
assistive technology are very necessary.
5) Screen readers: this technology is slightly different from texts to speech. it simply
informs student of what os on the screen. The visually impaired will benefit from the
audio interface screen readers provide student who otherwise struggle to glean infos
from a computer screen can learning more easily
6) Outdoor / environmental learning. More school are trying to take learning out of the
class
- Using experimental learning so environmental education fits the bill for many
students
- Lessons from the field teach kids an appreciation of the earth
- It also helps science comprehension and gives student practical learning
experience.
7) Mobile learning entails tablets and smart phones in class are no more a matter of if
"but" when" and how quickly
- Administrator and educators can tap into the convenience of mobile technology no
in class and student potentials for learning adaptation.
- School districts should know that the purchase of mobile technology no in class
and student potentials for learning adaptation.
- School districts should know that the purchase of mobile technology devices for
k-10 use is only one piece in learning puzzle.
8) Open content: The rise of moocs has traited down from college learning to k12
education. Open text book resources and curricular are not the only benefit of an open
content push.
 Shared experiences and insights are also valuable teaching tools.

Inclusive Technologies

 Teaching support with diverse abilities and needs, cultural background experiences
and learning styles.
 It must make use of strategies that engage motivational and encourage active
participation and learning by all students.
 These are technology both software or hardware that helps student learning strategies.
 Coding: Child coding is the strongest and dominant trend in the educational media.
Computational thinking will help them develop abstract and logical thinking. It will
teach them how to divide task into smaller parts.
 Coding can boost their interest in technology
2) Augmented and virtual reality. Every student turns into a virtual learner via Google
face book. They can learn by taking part in games. This method is closer to classroom
because apps like Animal farm allows them get closer to animals and planets via laptops
and phones.

3) Gamification in education is an exciting way to grow the interest in a subject among

students via gamification the learner can practically apply the learned material and
strengthen infos retention. Using games while learning provides multiple perspectives on
the problem solving and gives the chance to rehears and polish the skill in the safe
environ.

It can create whole collaborative assignments with interactive questions in apps like set
the quiz context for the class and manage it in quiz.

4) Flipped classroom is conception of studying where learning takes place outside the
classroom while the homework is done in the classroom.

- It can use online education tools and Apps like LSM

- The world is experiencing a book in technology applying them boost student

understanding.