Computer-Based Assistive Technology

"An 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" (1).

Table of Contents

Sub-Sections

Rationale for Computer-Based Assistive Technology

Teachers will increasingly be working with students whose needs require that they make special adaptions to their curriculum and their classroom environment. That is, teachers must deal with the concept of Assistive technology connections: From tasks, to tools, to tips, to triumphs. These readings explore this topic. Teachers should further note that state guidelines require every school district to have an Assistive Technology Coordinator. That is, in whatever district you teach, there is someone to support you, someone who also has the support of the DPI's state director for assistive technology.

Articles from the library of Closing the Gap Magazine

North Carolina Exceptional Children Categories

One of the problems in developing the table below is that there is seldom an exact exclusive match between a particular exceptional category and an appropriate computer technology. Rather, the context of an individual's needs causes the applicable computer technology to vary. A particular technology solution may benefit more than one category. Secondly, the "504" statute of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 applies to children whether categorized exceptional or not. With the help of Western North Carolina (WNC) experts, perhaps we can create the educational opportunities to fill in this table with a rich set of examples from the teachers and administrators of our region. Please send me examples of software and technology in use with special needs children. Two categories are not included in this table: Academically Gifted; Pregnant. Academically gifted was not include here because most of the strategies already covered this semester have direct application. The pregnant category was also not included because the methods and technology previously discussed are also adequate to meeting the needs of these learners. A further limitation of the table below is that many if not most assistive technologies do not require a computer or computer integration. It is not the purpose of this page to address those resources directly. However, the web and book shelf citations below will lead to a wide array of both non-computer and computer based assistive technologies.

Contacts

From time to time educators will need help with a student who meets one or more of these special needs categories. There are many sources of help. Most school buildings in North Carolina have a lead teacher for special needs students. Also, every school district has a position in the central office with a title something like "Director of Exceptional Children" that is responsible for special education situations. This person should also be an early point of contact about any student who you feel may qualify for one these categories or for any student already identified for which you feel you need further information and training. Another organization is the Exceptional Children's Assistant Center (ECAC) which is not a state organization: phone, 704-892-1321; web,  http://ecac-parentcenter.org. ECAC is located in Davidson, NC, and though it encourages teachers to attend its workshops, it primarily supports parents, providing telephone support from Monday through Thursday. There is also a National Council for Exceptional Children: phone at 1-800-CEC-SPED; web, http://www.cec.sped.org.
 
Category Definitions (1) Example of Relevant Computer Technologies Explanation of Technology Integration Experts
Autistic This is a pervasive developmental disability of communication and social behavior. Classic symptoms include significant inability to interact and inter-relate with others. Creature Antics and Creature Capers. Single switch keyboard modification programs designed to improve attention skills and
teach cause and effect, turn-taking, and switch use.		 (see contacts heading above)
Also, TEACCH (UNC agency w. Asheville office) 828-251-6319; http://www.unc.edu/depts/ teacch/teacch.htm
Behaviorally-Emotionally Impaired After receiving special services, they still exhibit patterns of situationally inappropriate interpersonal or intrapersonal behvaior of such intensity to disrupt their own learning. . . (see contacts heading above)
Deaf-Blind Deaf-blind students have both hearing and visual impairments. Helen Keller w. typewriter photo.
 
 
 

Lynx. (FAQ and downloadables).

JAWS, web browser

Connect Outloud

 Still image but page links to more on her life and the home page of the American Foundation for the Blind.

This is where web browsing began, before multimedia integration began in 1992. Move to your Vax Computer and at the $ prompt type lynx. You too have access to lynx. Lynx is a text-only web browser, essential for connecting braille systems to the Internet. Tap the letter G to go to your own web pages. Versions for Windows and Mac systems have recently emerged.

 (see contacts heading above)
Hearing Impaired Those with hearing losses which are disabling educationally and developmentally. www.signingonline.com . (see contacts heading above)
Mentally Handicapped
     
 This refers to significantly subaverage general cognitive functioning and a reduced rate of learning. . . (see contacts heading above)
Multi-handicapped They have a pervasive primary disability that is cognitive and/or behavioral in combination with one or more other disabilities of such severity that they cannot be accommodated by programs serving one area of disability. The Archimedes Project site This project provides computer platform independent access to information systems. (see contacts heading above)
Orthopedically Impaired They have a pervasive primary physical disability.  puff stick video
 
 
 
 
 

Cyberlink site

 The video demonstrates a puff stick sending morse code to complete a homework assignment.

hands-free mouse control using brain wave sensors.

 (see contacts heading above)
Other Health Impaired These students have chronic or acute health problems which cause limited strength, vitality or alertness adversely affecting educational performance. . . (see contacts heading above)
Specific Learning Disability This denotes various processing disorders presumed to be intrinsic to an individual. . . (see contacts heading above)
Speech-Language Impaired These have a disorder in articulation, language, voice and/or fluency. . . (see contacts heading above)
Traumatic Brain Injury This means an acquired open or closed head injury caused by an external physical force that impairs a student's abilities requiring special education. . . (see contacts heading above)
Visually Impaired These children use Braille to read, or use large or regular type with special correction, or are legally blind. classroom braille use video
 
 

MicroTalk software
 

GPS Talk site
 
 
 
 

Touchsense site

Braille+text printers

 Braille: The Basics

 Classroom teacher works with braille technology and student and special educator.

Software program that provides speech synthesis.

Backpack with Global Positioning Satellite sensors allow map CD and points of interest to be read out loud.

tactile feedback mice

Printers can now print braille and standard alphabet text on the same page, making the same sheet useable for both the blind and the sighted.

 (see contacts heading above)
Preschool Delayed/Atypical Three, four or five year olds whose development is so significantly delayed/atypical that special education is required. Video: see Language Sample - 2 for translation. Though the scene does not involve the use of technology, a special feature of quicktime software enables the scrolling translation of the text while the movie plays. This helps teach listening and diagnostic skills for therapist training. (see contacts heading above)
Non-exceptional children's programming
504 Programs. "No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States, as defined in section 706 (8) of this title,
shall, solely by reason of his or her disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance...." Rehab. Act 1973		 . . (see contacts heading above)

(1) Abridged table definitions for exceptional children taken from Procedures Governing Programs and Services for Children with Special Needs, Public Schools of North Carolina, 1996.

WCU Resources

WCU Campus Computer Labs with Adaptive Computer Workstations

NC Resources

Other Resources

Selected specific products (comments by course students)

AlphaSmart keyboard
http://www.ldresources.com/alphasmart.html
"... a better choice for many of the students and adults I work with who have learning disabilities. The most compelling reason to use an  is that it has a simple operating system: you turn it on, do some writing, then turn it off. There is nothing to read on the screen to open or save a file. There is nothing to memorize to operate this computer. You turn it on, use it, then turn it off. For students and adults with learning disabilities, separating writing from the operation of a computer, even an easy one, is a good thing in that it allows for more writing and less concentration on the writing tool."

LINK - keyboard
http://www.assistivetech.com/p-link.htm
"LINK can be used as a standard keyboard, but it does so much more!
Featuring DECtalkTM technology, high-quality speech output, LINK is an
easy-to-use, lightweight, and transportable communication device.
Abbreviation expansion and "Instant Messages" make communication easy
and fast. With LINK, you can also save what you type and transfer the
text files to any Macintosh® or PC computer."

Speak 'n Hear
http://discovertechnology.com/SpeakNHear.htm
"The "Speak 'n Hear" IntraCom is a portable single station high quality
microphone - amplifier -headphone system that feeds back the user's
voice to the user's ears. The high fidelity voice feedback allows the
user to quickly recognize problems or unwanted qualities in his or her
speech or singing and to modify or correct them. Changes in speech and
singing are quickly attained whether the user is a talented speaker or
singer or has a speech handicap."

TypeWell
http://typewell.com/detovrv.htm
"TypeWell is a transcription system that allows you to hire and train
your own transcriber to provide communication access and notetaking
services for students and others who need such support. It is an
effective learning tool for deaf and hard of hearing students and staff,
as well as those with visual, physical or learning difficulties."

HeadMouse
http://www.closingthegap.com/news/archives/5-16-00/pr2.html
"HeadMouse translates the movements of a user's head into directly
proportional movements of the computer mouse pointer. The HeadMouse is a
wireless optical sensor which tracks a tiny and disposable target that
is placed on the user's forehead or glasses."

Relevant Computer Corporations

Web Accessibility Issues

This Page Used in Computers in Education and other courses.

Page Author: RSHoughton@hotmail.com