Adding Assistive Technology to the Toolkit Christine Tonge

Todays Agenda The Assistive Technology Continuum High Tech Pencil Searching the World Wide Web

What is Assistive Technology? Assistive technology is 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. (Section 300.5)

But what does that really mean? The key terms in the definition suggest that an AT tool can be anything. You can buy it You can make it yourself You can customize some other tool

But doesnt technology mean computers? AT is a continuum of low, mid, and high tech tools and strategies Low and mid tech tools look more regular and students are more apt to use them Low and mid tech tools are easier to train and are usable in more locations

Low Tech Tools Look at low tech options first Involve no electricity Simplest and most often the least expensive tech tools Visual Schedule Magnifying Bar Onion Mountain Technology Pencils and grips

Mid Tech Tools Small, hand held and portable Generally involve battery power AAC device Portable keyboard Talking dictionary/ spell checker Coin-u-lator Time Timer

High Tech Tools Require electricity Include computers and computer operated communication devices Laptop w/ head mouse extreme Springboard Lite Universal Reader text reader

Promises and Perils Assistive technology is incredibly exciting Ideally, the best resources are found in the local school Assistive technology is just a tool and not a cure

Searching the World Wide Web

High Tech Pencil Free plug-in Works with Microsoft Word Reads text Highlights words Talking spell checker

Tar Heel Reader Free Easy to read Has a PowerPoint format Speech enabled when read on the Internet Can be downloaded to a computer without speech support

TumbleBooks Subscription e-book site Picture books Chapter books Puzzles and games Southfield Public Library