2. What is Assistive Technology?
Assistive Technology (AT) is any device or method
that allows someone greater independence
Can include things like wheelchairs and hearing aids
Does not have to be “high technology” – may not even
use a computer/electronics
Pencil grips can greatly increase legibility
Use of a joystick instead of a traditional mouse can offer
better mobility
("Touchscreens and tablet," )
Accessibility software
AACs (Augmentative and alternative communication)
(“Assistive technology,”)
3. Different Beneficial ATs
Individualized Education Programs
(IEPs)(“Individualized education programs,”
2011)
Augmentative and Alternative
Communication (AACs)
(“Assistive technology,”)
Hearing Assistive Technology (HATs)
("Hearing assistive technology," 2012)
All ATs can also be used with all students and
should increase the teacher’s ability to cater
to different learning styles
("What is assistive," 2012)
4. IEPs
IEPs are Individualized Education Programs
Useful for working with students with a number of
disabilities
Not limited to special classroom settings
Teachers should work WITH parents and counselors
to create the best program and specific strategies
A team should evaluate the student and create a
CEP (comprehensive evaluation report) to advise
program
Annual updates are useful for evaluation
Student’s COMFORT and DIGNITY come first
(“Individualized education programs,” 2011)
5. AACs
Can include pictures, photographs, text-to-speech
programs, or any sort of device or method for a
person to communicate in a “nontraditional”
manner
(“Assistive technology,”)
AACs may not necessarily be developed by
teachers, but they need to know how to use them
Autistic children use notebooks of pictograms in
order to communicate
Teachers can also use notebooks to ask students
to do things
6. HATs
Can include things from hearing aids to
FM systems
One-to-one communicators would allow
students to hear the teacher by requiring
teacher to speak into a microphone that
transmits into a listening device
Could also potentially help ADD/ADHD
students by “tuning into” just the teacher
("Hearing assistive technology," 2012)
7. Areas in Education to Use AT
Organization
Flow-charts, webbing, color coding
Note-taking
Sending class notes/powepoints via email
Writing
Thesaurus programs, spell checkers, word processor versus
handwiting
Academic Productivity
Internet communications, library references, multimedia tools
Access to references/general education materials
E-books, text-to-speech
Cognitive Assistance
Tutorials, drill and practice, problem solving
(Behrmann & Jerome, 2002)
8. Help with Studying
Guided practice
Routine is paramount
Sequential information (First we…, Second
we…, etc.)
Supervised breaks may prove beneficial
Post-its and flags help organization, call
attention to material
Handheld PDAs, iPads, etc., can engage
students and help those with motor skill
disability
("Assistive technology ideas," )
9. What else can we do?
Unique ideas are constantly being pioneered,
such as printers that use special paper to turn
graphs into a braille graph
("Ramp up to," 2000)
Utilize the TAM technology fan developed by
the Council for Exceptional Children to
brainstorm different methods of using AT
(National Center for Technology Innovation and
Center for Implementing Technology in Education,
2006)
Keep a positive attitude!!
10. References
Assistive technology. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assistive_technology
Assistive technology ideas for studying and organization. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://
www.education.com/reference/article/assistive-technology-studying
Behrmann, M., & Jerome, M. (2002). Assistive technology for students with mild disabilities.
Retrieved from http://www.ericdigests.org/2003-1/assistive.htm
Georgia project for assistive technology. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.gpat.org/
Georgia-Project-for-Assistive-Technology/Pages/default.aspx
Hearing assistive technology. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/
treatment/assist_tech.htm
Individualized education programs (ieps). (2011). Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/
parent/positive/learning/iep.html#
National Center for Technology Innovation and Center for Implementing Technology in
Education. (2006). Help for young learners: how to use at?. Retrieved from
http://www.ldonline.org/article/8088
Ramp up to access: Assistive technology. (2000, March 23). Retrieved from http://
uts.cc.utexas.edu/~wilbur/access/assistive.html
Touchscreens and tablet pcs. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://abilitynet.wetpaint.com/page/
Touchscreens+and+Tablet+PCs
What is assistive technology and how is it used in schools?. (2012, March 15). Retrieved from
http://www.sc.edu/scatp/cdrom/atused.html
