Assistive Technology

Russell Grayson

EDUC 504

Summer 2006

What is Assistive Technology

Assistive Technology (AT) is a term that applies to assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices to help people use technology in their daily lives according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assistive_technology

• AT allows people to accomplish tasks that were previously difficult or not possible independently. Additional technology must be developed to help people with disabilities to use the emerging technology. This is where Assistive Technology comes into play, often becoming the preferred method if not the standard for all users.

Table 1. Number of persons using assistive technology devices by age of person and type of device: United States, 1994

Assistive Device Allages 44 years and under

45-64 years

65 years and over

Number in thousands

Vision devices

Any vision device** 527 123 135 268

Telescopic lenses 158 40 49 70

Braille 59 28 23 8

Readers 68 15 14 39

White cane 130 35 48 47

Computer equipment 34 19 8 7

Other vision technology 277 51 76 151

Figure does not meet standard of reliability or precision.** Numbers do not add to these totals because categories are not mutually exclusive; a person could be counted more than once for any device type.

Software Assistive Technology

assistive technology that is in the form of computer programs and does not require the use of additional peripherals (although some may interact better with additional hardware)

Microsoft

Computers using Windows 95 and onward have free assistive technology already installed; just not utilized, a full list of available resources and directions to access them can be seen at the Microsoft website: http://www.microsoft.com/enable/training/windowsxp/default.aspx

Microsoft continued

If an internet connection is not available; Windows help can be accessed by Start / Help and Support / Accessibility.

Screen readers Screen readers are programs that will use a

voice program to “read” the text to the user Some programs will not only read Word, e-

mail, and web pages, but will translate the selected text into 8 different languages

Others will read CD/DVD programs or assist in writing and balancing a checkbook

Speech to Text

Speech to Text programs will transcribe spoken English (other languages are available) into typed documents, email, and internet

Hardware Assistive Technology

a peripheral for the computer. It may be an external part of the computer that the user interfaces with, or it may be internal equipment such as additional memory or updated circuit boards to accommodate the minimum requirements for software

Trackballs

A type of input device that acts as a mouse. It looks like a mouse that is upside down so the user may move the cursor by manipulating the ball .

Often the buttons are on the sides and are oversized, and can be color coded

Are often sought after by typical users

Touch screens

specialized hardware device that allows the user to touch a clear screen that is over the computer monitor and works like a mouse

User’s finger affects the actions. Especially advantageous for helping people with

cognitive delays (concrete developmental stage) or eye-hand coordination difficulties

Most typical users come to expect touch screens

Text readers

Word readers – scan a word, speak the word and offer definitions of the word

Whole page readers – Operates like a photocopier, whole page is scanned and them dictated via a speaker or headphones.

Depending upon type of equipment, text may be scanned into a computer and imported into Word with an Optical Character Reader

Additional scanning benefits

If using a scanner to import printed text to the computer, images may also be scanned using an image format.

Scanned image

Switches

Oversized buttons that can be configured to do a particular function, and are often set up in multiples to reduce the limiting factor of a single button

Usually switches are used for people with severe physical or cognitive difficulties

Conclusion

Regardless of the student, there is a form of assistive technology that will benefit them. With the evolution of users and availability of these devices, assistive technology will become commonplace and ultimately universal design to help all students

Video Conclusion

Additional Resources

Research Paper Internet Address Book Research Excerpts Audio Introduction Video Scanned OCR document Scanned Image

Questions