This is a presentation on a few assistive technologies and their benefits.

1. Assistive Technology
By: Rebekah Linton

2. “Assistive technology (often abbreviated as AT) is any item,
piece of equipment, software or product system that is
used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional
capabilities of individuals with disabilities.(ATiA)”
What is Assistive Technology?

3. What assistive technologies are available to you as a teacher?
● Voice Over on the Ipad
● Picture Board
● FM Systems
● Optical Character Recognition
Driving Question

4. Having a great time teaching mom what her deaf/blind
child is learning on the Ipad
This video goes over a software for the Ipad called Voice
Over. This software enables students to hear what they are
trying to do on their Ipad and use minimal gestures to
maneuver around the technology. This software is useful for
students and teachers because the students do not have to
worry about being dependent on someone to help them get
around on an Ipad. Also, projects and lessons could easily be
transferred to the Ipad where a student with disabilities could
have an easier time keeping up.
For a more descriptive overview of what Voice Over can do,
go to https://www.apple.com/accessibility/ios/voiceover/.
Voice Over
Image Source: Cult of Mac

5. Assistive Technology: Picture Board
This video demonstrates the use of a free
application on the Ipad called Picture Board.
This app allows students to touch pictures to
express their feelings, needs, and wants.
There is also a dictionary on the application
for students to search for the word they want
to express rather than searching for the
picture. This would be useful in the
classroom for those students who are
nonverbal or have very little verbal ability.
Picture Board
Image Source: Talking Picture Board

6. ASHA & Personal FM Systems
The first link is to a website that explains what a
personal FM system is. A personal FM system enables
students to hear the teacher through a microphone that
transmits the sound to their ears or hearing aids. This
could be very useful to students who are hard of hearing
by enabling them to block out the outside noise that
could interfere and to give them clear feedback of what
the teacher is saying.
The second link is a video that gives examples of how
well a personal FM system works. The video also
provides a link to another video that explains what a
personal FM system is. I recommend you follow this
link.
FM Systems
Image Source: Personal FM System

7. Optical Character Recognition & ABBYY
FineReader as Assistive Technology (OCR in your
Classroom)
The first link is to a website that explains what Optical
Character Recognition is and gives a few types of OCR
software. Optical Character Recognition gives students the
ability to translate text into a text-to-speech software and
manipulate the text to be easier to read. This is a great
resource for teachers because they can help students who
have problems with reading whether it be because of a
disability or because they are just having a hard time.
The second link is to a video that shows what an OCR
device can do. This is just one type of software among the
many that are out there.
Optical Character Recognition
Image Source: Assistive Technology

8. ● ATiA
● Having a great time teaching mom
what her deaf/blind child is learning
on the Ipad
● https://www.apple.com/accessibility/io
s/voiceover/
● Assistive Technology: Picture Board
● ASHA
● Personal FM Systems
● Optical Character Recognition
● ABBYY FineReader as Assistive
Technology (OCR in your Classroom)
Sources
For a list of additional
technologies:
● Assistive Technology for kids
with Learning Disabilities: An
Overview
● 25 Incredible Assistive
Technologies