What You Need to Know About Assistive Technology Wendy Homlish
Assistive Technology Consultant CLIU 21
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Does your child need a passport to get to the foreign land
called Inclusion? Have you ever traveled to a country with a
foreign language, strange alphabet, and different acceptable
cultural behaviors? Could Assistive Technology BE that
passport??
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Assistive Technology is based on function and need NOT on
diagnosis One size does NOT fit all The goal of Assistive
Technology is to provide ACCESS to..academics, communication,
recreation and leisure, text, and more.. And to do this in the most
INDEPENDENT way possible
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A system of tools which match a persons needs, abilities, and
tasks
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Participation including recreation and leisure Communication
Environmental Control Computer Access Productivity for academics
including writing, reading, math Mobility Vision and hearing
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Which students need assistive technology? Those for whom AT is
necessary to receive FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education) and
to make progress in their educational program What kind of
technology is needed? Determined on a case by case basis Related
directly to what is needed for a student to receive FAPE
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Who is involved in making these decisions? IEP team May also
include others significantly involved in the students education
(medical personnel, IA/para, outside agency personnel)
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What sort of data should the team gather to aid in the
decision-making and recommendation process? Information regarding
the Student, Environments, Tasks, and Tools Information should be
sought in a collaborative process designed to build team
consensus
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Educationally assessment process vs. evaluation IEP
Consideration Customary environment Facilitated by the IU AT
Consultants (in IU 21) Referral process
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Whose input might be included? Student School personnel (SLP,
OT, PT, teacher, IA, Guidance Counselor) Parents Social Services
personnel as appropriate Medical personnel as appropriate
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Primary goal of AT is the enhancement of capacities and removal
of barriers to performance. AT can BE a barrier! AT is related to
function, not disability The least complex intervention needed to
remove barriers to performance should be the first consideration
Assessment and intervention form a continuous, dynamic process
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Competitive Participatory Involved in the same room (the island
in the stream)
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The principle of partial participation Doing part of a task
Real and functional Valued part Results in everyone having valued
input
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Adapted computer access For students who have difficulty using
the standard keyboard and mouse Often related to motor issues
(tone, fatigue, motor planning, sensory)
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Hardware and/or software that allows use of the computer with
or without standard input/output devices (TouchWindow, IntelliKeys,
voice recognition, switches, screen enlargement)
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Plastic or Plexiglass overlay device covering standard or
alternate keyboards with holes cut out for each key avoids
accidental activation of neighboring keys
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Settings for the standard keyboard that facilitate use.
Available in Control Panel (PC) or System Preferences (MAC). They
include: Options for motor needs Options for text Options for
vision Options for hearing
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Monitor or screen placed over the standard monitor which takes
the place of other input methods activated by touch Many classrooms
now using built-in touch monitors
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Any hardware device that replaces or works with the standard
keyboard
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Virtual keyboard on computer screen Can include text to speech
(talks) Can be customized Input thru mouse or other pointing device
Built in on all computers and iDevices
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Memory-resident utility software for keyboard assistance As
user inputs letters the software predicts possible words/phrases
User selects from list text to speech option Statistical weighting
& grammatical knowledge
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Alternate access method that replaces the physical task of
using a mouse May be a different mouse May replace the mouse
entirely
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Reading access to print material Writing Math
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Difference between READING and ACCESS to text and curricular
materials Reading programs Vs. grade level content
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CD/mp3 of text Learning Ally, etc. Highlighting tape (main
idea, etc) Study guides Word banks Adapted material lower reading
level, same basic content Physical access through page fluffers,
etc Symbol Supported material Clicker 5 BoardMaker Writing with
Symbols Other symbol supported materials
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Text to speech In MSWord Bookshare Web based Powerpoint Free
programs Commercial products
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LISTENING EXPLORING OBJECTS, OR PROPS. Listen to someone read
(teacher, volunteer, peer). Listen on a CD or MP3 player. Listen to
a digital book or electronic text. Provide objects connected to
content material to support the reading experience read with your
hands. Use objects to read the text place the objects in order to
tell the story, or give information about the concept being taught.
Take a digital picture to record a snapshot of the event. Use
puppets finger puppets, characters mounted on Popsicle sticks.
Mount symbols, pictures or tactile objects that represent concepts
being taught through a textbook. Provide a fact bag/basket or story
bag a collection of items representing the written material (Dacey,
2002).
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ADAPTED TEXTLOW TECH SOLUTIONS reading an adapted book reading
an adapted book (same content at lower reading level) images.
symbols. by discussing drawing augmentative communication using
sign language Take a book apart and place pages in page protectors.
Add page turners/fluffers as necessary (Dacey, 2003). Add textures
and objects to the pages. Use puff paint to outline graphics or
underline text. Use highlighter or highlighter strip to highlight
words.
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using technology. Create a story or content material with
Microsoft PowerPoint - a talking book.Microsoft PowerPoint
Videotape a story; add captions and audio. Convert digital text to
MP3. Create dynamic displays for communication. Use multi-media
tools to create interactive documents for student use, e.g.
Classroom Suite, BoardMakerBoardMaker Bookshare Digital text plus
audio (text to speech) Bookshare
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text supported with symbols. Read text supported with symbols
and read it on paper or on the computer with audio and
highlighting.Read text supported with symbols Emphasize the text,
reduce the size of the graphic. Eliminate the graphic to reduce the
level of support. text supported with photos. pictures, or sounds.
Make text come alive with the use of photos. Add sound. Add video.
a text-reader. Use digital text and read with a text reader. Read
from the web, or cut and paste text into a text reader. Read from
scanned material. Search for electronic text from non- copyrighted
material. just a few words. Select words from a passage that
students can read, highlight the words. Create material that has a
reduced number of words in simple language. Read words of high
interest. summarized text. Summarize the text use the auto-
summarize feature of the word processor. Write a few sentences from
the focus material.
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Production issues Illegible handwriting Poor mechanics,
including spacing, misspellings, etc. Process Organization
Vocabulary issues Word retrieval
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Pencil grips Slant boards/special writing surfaces Different
writing tools Raised line paper Extra time/reduced work load
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Computer modifications Font, color, size Templates/forms, other
built-in features Templates/forms Specialized software Word
prediction Talking word processor Visual organization
Inspiration/Kidspiration Word processors with symbol support
Keyboarding programs Voice Recognition software Issues and
solutions
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Math is a WRITING task Graph paper Manipulatives Software
solutions MathPad Other software solutions
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iPod iPad iPad Android Based Tablets
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IDEA 97 - Consideration of Special Factors Goals and Objectives
Focus on curriculum, not AT Specially Designed Instruction Naming
AT Addressing Back-up Related Services Provided by IEP team member
(SLP, teacher) Supports for School Personnel
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Consideration of AT, in the context of IEP development, review,
or revision, is intended to be a collaborative process in which
team members determine whether AT devices or services are needed
for the student to access the general education curriculum or meet
IEP goals. Consideration may be brief or extended, and may
necessitate that the IEP team include (or have access to) someone
who has knowledge about AT or who can guide the team in considering
AT in the context of what they know about the student.
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What are possible outcomes to AT consideration? When the team
agrees that AT is not a necessary part of the IEP for the student,
it is appropriate for the team to check no on the IEP document.
When AT that is already in place is considered effective or
sufficient for the student (as specified in IEP), it is appropriate
for the team to check yes on the IEP document. When it is
determined that the team needs more information, particularly if
they are not certain if a student needs AT, or how AT may benefit
the student, it is appropriate to check yes and further specify
steps to be taken in the IEP. The team may decide to obtain AT
consultation or conduct targeted AT assessment. These steps may
introduce well-planned trials of AT for identified curricular
tasks, including data collection to determine effectiveness.
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It is the responsibility of the local educational agency (LEA)
to provide AT as identified within the IEP. It is appropriate for
LEAs to purchase, rent or borrow AT, or to utilize AT that is
acquired through the students insurance. LEA may not require the
family to utilize insurance or any other funding source. In the
event that no alternative funding is available, the LEA remains
responsible for the timely provision of AT needed as specified in
the IEP.
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When AT is provided for a student through a funding source
other than the LEA, the LEA remains responsible for any costs
related to repair, maintenance, or replacement of AT that is
specified in the IEP.
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On a case-by-case basis, the use of school purchased AT devices
in a childs home or in other settings is required if the childs IEP
team determines that the child needs access to those devices in
order to receive FAPE (34 CFR 300.105). This may include providing
AT devices or software when needed for homework, or for functional
skills that are necessary across environments, such as
communication using an augmentative/alternative communication (AAC)
device.