Assistive Technologies

Assistive technology is a very important topic in education today. While researching the topic, I was surprised by how much technology is actually available to assist people. Here is some information my group has compiled about some assistive technology available on the market today:

Cognitive disabilities can include learning disabilities in the areas of: reading, writing, and/or math. Below is a table containing a few assistive technologies available for students with cognitive disabilities.

Mild Reading Challenges	There are many technologies available to help students with mild reading challenges. Some of these technologies include; text-to-speech products, which help students learn to read, write, define, and pronounce words. There are also many types of software available to assist students with reading troubles.
Challenges with Math	There are devices available to help students with math troubles, such as a product called Coin-U-Lator. This is a talking device with buttons that are coins and pictures of dollar values. Number pattern lines are also available for these students. Lastly, calculators are always helpful.
Students with Writing Challenges	For students that have writing challenges there are many types of software available that can predict what a student is attempting to type, which can provide a great help to many students.

A physical disability is defiles as something that causes an impairment to a person’s mobility or agility. This impairment can affect a person's fine-motor or gross-motor skills.

There are also many technologies available to help students that have physical disabilities. Two of the most popular assistive technologies are joysticks and switches. A joystick can provide help in a number of ways to students. Joysticks can help a student with the movement of a motorized wheelchair. Joysticks can also be used to help maneuver a cursor on a computer screen. A joystick is defined as a device with a handle that moves in all directions. Switches come in many forms. They are a simple device that when pushed either activates or deactivates an electronic connection. Switches can help student with controlling a very simple computer program. They can also help in activating environmental control systems.

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Sensory Disabilities

•Sensory disabilities involve impairments that are associated with a loss of hearing or loss of vision.

•Some of the technologies available to assist students who are blind include items such as canes and tools that are able to convert printed information into Braille.

•Partially Sighted: Close circuit television

•Partially Hearing: FM amplification systems

At Risk Students

•These students do not meet the federal definition of a student with a disability, but their lack of success in school parallels them to the low performance of students with disabilities.

•Students who have a difficulty reading can be provided with digital text in a text-speech program. http://www.kurzweiledu.com/index.asp

•Students who have a difficulty with math can be provided with an online calculator. http://www.math.com/students/calculators/calculators.html

•Difficulty in written expression- can use a predictive word processor.

•Difficulty remembering things- can use a reminder service. http://www.pcreminder.com/

Gifted and Talented

•Electronic Communities- way of connecting people from different communities to provide new avenues of expression

•Research- Global Resources ex. Internet

•Interactive and multimedia presentations- Provide opportunities to display discoveries.

•Group work on websites and multimedia presentations.

•Roblyer, M.D. (2006). Integrating Education Technology into Teaching. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.

•http://www.synapseadaptive.com/textHELP/RW/read_&_write_5.htm

•http://www.webaim.org/simulations/

•http://www.kurzweiledu.com/index.asp

•http://www.math.com/students/calculators/calculators.html

•http://www.pcreminder.com/