Assistive Technology

1. Assistive Technology
Amanda Payne
Technology and Education
August,2014

2. Explanation of Assistive Technology
• Assistive technology is a term used to refer to
any piece of equipment or product system
that is utilized to increase, maintain, or
improve the capabilities of individuals with
disabilities.

3. Assistive Technology Legislation
• Before 1988 there were no laws that
mandated the use of assistive technology for
individuals with disabilities. The Tech Act of
1988 provided federal funding to states for the
purpose of training and delivery of assistive
technology devices and service. This act
introduced assistive technology and helped to
promote the availability of assistive
technology devices to all people.

4. Assistive Technology Legislation
Continued
• It was the IDEA or the Individuals with Disabilities
Act that first defined the school districts
responsibility to provide assistive technology to
students with disabilities. This act stated that all
public schools must ensure that assistive
technology is made available to all students with
disabilities. The school district must ensure that
assistive technology devices and services are
provided to any student with an IEP that could
benefit from them.

5. Assistive Technology Legislation
Continued
• In 1997 amendments were made to this law to
enforce the mandatory training of school
personnel in the use of assistive technology
devices.

6. Assistive Technology Legislation
Continued
• In 1998 the Assistive Technology Act was
passed as an amendment to the Tech Act of
1988. This act reaffirmed the need for and
importance of technology in the lives of
individuals with disabilities. This act mandated
increased funding to all 50 states to develop
technology assistance programs.

7. Assistive Technology for the Hearing
Impaired
• Audio loops or hearing loops are often used to
assist individuals with a hearing impairment.
This assistive technology device is a wire that
circles a room and is connected to a sound
system. This loop transmits sound
electromagnetically. This electromagnetic
signal is picked up by telecoil found in hearing
aids or cochlear implants. Activating the
telecoil on the hearing aid allows it to pick up
the sound from the hearing loop device.

8. Assistive Technology for the Hearing
Impaired Continued

9. Assistive Technology for the Visually
Impaired
• Screen reader refers to a technology program
that can be installed on computers and many
hand held devices. This advancement helps
the visually impaired to better use technology
in school or the work field. The screen reader
technology highlights text and reads it aloud
to the user. This enables an other wise visually
disabled person to read and perform
computer operations independently.

10. Assistive Technology for the Visually
Impaired Continued

11. Assistive Technology for the Learning
Disabled
• Speech recognition systems are programs that
help to translate speech into text. This can be
used to speak ideas and have them translated
into text. They can also identify a specific
individuals voice. With specific voice identifier
the user can communicate more effectively
because the system interprets their speech and
helps relay messages that might otherwise be
misunderstood. This is useful for learning
disabled individuals because they can more
readily convey ideas through speech to text
programs.

12. Assistive Technology for the Learning
Disabled Continued

13. Assistive Technology for the Physically
Disabled
• Sip ‘n Puff is an assistive technology device used
by individuals with physical disabilities. The
devise is used by sucking or blowing onto a straw
type apparatus. The user can operate various
devises like computers through the sips and puff
communicate system. The devise is calibrated to
recognize the hard and soft sucking or blowing
action of the user. This can be used to operate
wheelchairs as well as communicate with
computer accessible programs.

14. Assistive Technology for the Physically
Disabled Individual Continued

15. References
Assistive Technology 1
Burgstahler, S . Working with People with Disabilities and Computer Technology. Retrieved from
www.washington.edu
Morris, T (2006) Technology to Improve learning for Visually Impaired Children. Retrieved from
www.inovations.report.com
Sharma, R . Speech recognition and Synthesis Tool: Assistive Technology for Physically Disabled Persons.
Retrieved from www.ijcst.org

16. References
Assistive Technology 2
Fecich, S . Assistive Tech Law. Retrieved from www. slideshare.net
Raskind, M (2013). Assistive Technology . Retrieved from council for learning –disabilities.org
Assistive Technology Law (2005). Retrieved from www.atto.buffalo.edu
Hearing Assistive Technology (2014). Retrieved from http://hearingloss.org

17. References
Assistive Technology 3
Assistive Technology for the Visually Impaired. (2013). Retrievd from
http://www.lowvisiontechnologies.com
Technology and Learning Disabilities (2011). Retrieved from
www.atsolutions.biz/learning_disabilities.htm
Assistive Technology for Physically Disabled(2011). Retrieved from
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/assistive-technology-for-physically-disabled.html