Transcript Assistive Technology

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
ITC
DEFINITION

Any piece of equipment or product used to:
Increase
 Maintain and/or
 Improve functioning capabilities of a person with a
disability
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WHAT CAN AT DO?

Help a child:
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Communicate
Participate
Play
Move or sit up
See or hear better
With early learning
AT QUESTIONS
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What does the child need to do that is difficult or
impossible because of their disability?
Where and in what situations does the child need
to do these tasks?
What is the child’s present level of development
for that task?
Are there any high or low tech AT devices that
the team feels would help that child do the task?
TYPES OF AT
No Tech – doesn’t involve any types of materials
 Low Tech – does not involve any type of
electronic or battery operated devices
 Mid Tech – Battery operated devices and simple
electronic devices requiring limited
advancements in technology
 High Tech – Complex technological support
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THE IDEA OF LOAD/ EFFORT
 Physical

effort
Muscle strength and control
 Cognitive
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Sensing, remembering, discriminating,
analyzing sequencing, responding
 Linguistic
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effort
effort
symbolic interpretation
 Time
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does it take too long to accomplish the task?
TO TEACH SOMEONE TO USE AN AT
DEVICE:
 Consider
motivation – What does the
person want/need to say the most?
 Start
small – teach AT skills in a logical
sequence
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Cause/effect
Single switch
 Teach
the caregiver about the device.
WHY AT CAN FAIL
 Improper
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match made based on load
Time
Physical
Cognitive
Linguistic
 Caregivers
device.
 Device
not being able to use the
being hard or expensive to
maintain.

http://www.rehabtool.com
NO TECH
Sign language
 Eye gaze
 Gestures
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LOW TECH
Dry erase boards
 Clipboards
 3-ring binders
 Manila folders
 Photo albums
 Photographs
 Highlight tape
 Colored paper
 Certain living aids

http://www.flaghouse.com/
LOW TECH
 Flip
book
 Key chain
 Directions and stories with
pictures
 Printed overlay
 Sentence strip
 T-shirts
MID TECH
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Voice Output Communication Aids
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Slim Talker
Talking Photo Album
Talking Buddy
Big Mack switch
Go Talk
Battery interrupt
 Tape Recorder
 Switches
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http://www.gokeytech.com/bluebir
d_ii.htm
EXAMPLES
Dora the Explorer
 Frog
 Segway
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HIGH TECH
IntelliKeys
 Writing With Symbols
 Touch Window
 Big Keys and Big Keys Plus
 Trackballs
 Software
 Computers and adaptive hardware
 Complex voice output devices
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Dynamic Display
 Eye gaze with a computer
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REFERENCES
Beukelman, D. & Mirenda, P. (2005).
Augmentative and Alternative Communication:
Supporting children and adults with complex
communication needs. Baltimore, MD: Paul H.
Brookes Publishing Co.
 Susanne Oakey
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FOR MORE INFORMATION
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South Carolina Assistive Technology Project:
http://www.sc.edu/scatp/