Assistive Technology

AutiPlan

Students with autism experience stress when life is not predictable. AutiPlan is a scheduler based on pictures rather than words. This makes it an excellent tool for students with ASD, since they typically learn best visually. This tool can support your student's daily routine by creating visual schedules quickly and easily.

GoTalk Pocket

The GoTalk Pocket is a small, pocket-sized talker. It gives the user the ability to express his or her ideas using pre-recorded words and phrases that are represented by images. This tool is great for ASD students who have delayed speech skills.

Adjustable tables or trays

These can be raised and lowered to assist with positioning and posture, ensuring the user is comfortable.

Head-controlled pointing systems

These use a laser or infrared light to transmit head movements to a mouse pointer on a computer screen for a user with good head control.

Appyautism

This is a website that has a database with a variety of apps for computers, smartphones, and tablets that are specifically designed to assist ASD users. Every month, the database is updated with the latest news and articles on the use of these technologies for people with ASD.

Speech recognition software

This software can convert spoken words into a microphone and then convert the words to a word document or converts text into highly intelligible speech

Tablets

Touch screen tablets can be excellent communication tools for students diagnosed with autism. Tablets are especially a good option for a student who learns well from computer-based educational games or has difficulty using a mouse. The iPad or other kid-friendly tablets, such as the Nabi tablet, have many built-in assistive features and apps that have changed learning fo

National assistance websites

Websites, such as NIMAS (National Instructional Materials Access Standard), will convert any textbook, reading material, newspaper, etc. for any school aged student grades K-12 to a any type of source student-ready file: e-text, digital talking Book, textbook text with turn page options.

Weighted Lap Pad

Weighted Lap PadThe pressure of the lap pad helps students to participate in circle time and stay in their learning space.

document camera

an image-capture device used for whole-class visual presentations. It's similar to an overhead.

There are generally two types of assistive technology used to help deaf students:

assistive listening devices (ALDs) and augmentative and alternative communication devices (AACs)

Personal Digital Organizer

electronic device for storing contact information and scheduling appointments and tasks high tech

telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD)

helps individuals with hearing or speech impairments communicate by telephone over special phone lines that are equipped with the service.

Alternative Keyboard

high tech

Texxt to speech

high tech Allows struggling readers to benefit from literature and other reading material.

Voice recognition software

high tech Allows students to dictate ideas instead of writing.

Book on CD

high tech Allows visually impaired students to engage in reading.

Word Prediction Software (ex. Co-Writer)

high tech Assists students in the writing process.

variable speech control recoreders

high tech These special recorders can be used to slow down or speed up audio recordings without losing the proper pronunciation or sounds of the words being said. This is beneficial for students who have a hard time focusing on content delivery and need to hear things more than once for comprehension.

Powered Wheelchair

high tech - Allows a disabled student to move around the classroom with little help.

clicker

is a response system used by students to provide instant feedback to teachers.

Adaptive technology

is a type of assistive technology where existing tools are adapted for use by individuals with disabilities. For example, someone without full use of their arms or hands can use a speech recognition system or a special camera that follows the user's eye movement instead of a computer keyboard. Other examples include modified driving controls for vehicles and special telephone devices for the deaf. Some technologies are purely assistive, but many are both adaptive and assistive.

Behavior Charts

low tech Behavior charts allow students to visually track their behavior changes by having them move their name to the type of behavior they are exhibiting. For example, a student would move his name to green for good behavior, yellow for questionable behavior, or red for inappropriate behavior.

Vision Boards

low tech Have students create vision boards to pinpoint the success they hope to achieve in class. This allows students to visually track their goals and provides positive reminders for the appropriate behavior that must be exhibited.

Incentive Charts

low tech Implement incentive charts where students earn points for positive choices and behaviors they exhibit in class. These charts not only allow student to track their achievements, but also reinforce the positive choices they are making.

higher teach aids for visually impaired

magnifiers audio books Screen readers and text to speech devices tactile keyboarding portable not takers

Web accessibility

means that the site is equally accessible for all users. Many tools have been designed to aid in this effort. For the visually-impaired, screen readers are a major tool. They provide either speech or Braille. JAWS (Job Access With Speech) is a famous screen reader program.

Talklights

mid tech High noise levels in classrooms can be very distracting to students, especially those struggling with emotional or behavioral disorders. The Talklight is a traffic light-style device that will flash red, yellow, or green according to the noise level in the room. The aim is to help students learn to monitor their noise levels.

Reminder Devices

mid tech These devices are used to help students to refocus their attention on tasks or their behaviors. Useful tools in this category would be vibrating or timed watches that are not likely to distract others.

Cueing Devices

mid tech These devices provide speech, visual, and/or auditory prompts in relation to student behavior or academic tasks, rules, and so forth. This helps keep students focused and on target in terms of self-monitoring.

FM system

most common typ of ALD As the teacher, you'd speak into a small transmitter microphone worn around your neck or clipped to your clothing. Your student would have the receiver (either a headset or a hearing aid) that transmits the sound directly to his or her ears. FM systems are great tools for classrooms because they are simple, convenient, and effective for deaf students.

low tech examples

pencil grip large print bbooks post-it nots timers weighted lap pad highlighter tape recorded lectures spell check carbon copy paper file folders

OneNote

used for adhd a feature in Microsoft Office, will allow the student to type notes on a computer, synchronize with an audio recording, and reorganize then annotate later.

interactive whiteboards

which are computer-based pieces of presentation technology that allow interactive videos, presentations, and other digital content projected onto a large screen at the front of the classroom, among other types of equipment that a teacher or student can use to supplement learning.

Augmentative & Alternative Communication Devices

- face to face interactions

speech-generating device

- picture words or phrases students choose are translated into voice output

touch screen

- programmed for needs and bilities - can display pictures with text

hearing loop or induction loop system

. the sound source, such as a microphone; 2. an amplifier in the area; 3. a special loop wire run throughout the classroom or under the carpet; 4. a headset or receiver worn by the student who is hard of hearing. This is great assistive technology because the sound is picked up directly by the receiver either within a hearing aid or by a headset, so the quality is extremely good.

When selecting technology, here are five factors to consider:

1. Who - Who will be trained to use the technology? Who will set it up and provide troubleshooting? 2. What - What is the goal of the technology? Can the goal be measured? 3. Where - Where will the technology be available? Can it be accessed from home? Where will training take place? Will travel be necessary? 4. When - What is the timeframe for acquiring the technology? 5. How - How will the technology be funded? Will the school district be responsible or will government funding be used? Will grants need to be written?

AT for communication disorders

A hearing aid to help students with minor hearing loss hear A TTY machine that allows students and/or parents to have phone conversations with teachers or other students. Vibrating pagers that let students know when they have been called in class Apps for a tablet that can provide the same images as the three-ring binder or voice output software Voice output communication aids that speak what is typed Tape recorders for students to listen to lectures once again in a quiet area

Tactile maps

A map of the environment created with embossed or raised symbol indicators identifying areas of interest: school floorplan, classrooms, office areas, restrooms, etc. A tactile map helps the user orient themselves around their environment, soon memorizing their space

Assistive Listening Devices

ALDs are often used to amplify sound for deaf individuals in larger situations, such as whole-class instruction. There are primarily three different types that are appropriate and effective within the classroom, all of which can usually be paired with the technology in today's hearing aids and cochlear implants.

Carbon Copy Paper

Allows students to listen during a lecture and then receive notes from a classmate

Highlighter Tape

Allows teachers and students to highlight important words in a text or problem.

assistive technology

Assistive technology is any tool that helps an individual with disabilities maintain or improve their functioning. In 1990, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was created and the term assistive technology was born.

Post-It Notes

Assists students to organize ideas during the pre-writing process.

Bluebee Pals

Bluebee Pals are talking stuffed animals that are excellent socialization tools. The plush animal's mouth moves while your students read storybooks, engage in learning apps, or sing songs. Bluebee Pals are used with Android or Apple devices. There are a variety of learning apps available for Bluebee Pals.

Braille

Braille is a wonderful example of both a low-tech and high-tech resource. Over 200 years ago, Louis Braille designed the raised-dot Braille system

Structural adaptations

Building and schools can make structural adaptations such as installing ramps, automatic door openers, and wider doorways. Simple adjustments also can implemented such as adding a block under table legs or cut tennis balls to the bottom of chair legs to keep a chair from sliding on a slippery floor.

Educational technology

Educational technology is a term that refers to technological tools used in instructional settings. The range of these tools is wide, from machines such as computers to media devices like iPhones.

Sensory Equipment

Hearing and vision impairments are common.

Electronic Organizers

Helps students keep track of assignments and schedules. Students can set reminders to help them stay organized and on task. high tech

Assistive Listening Devices (ex. hearing aids and voice amplifiers such FM systems)

High tech

Infared systems

In this technology, a special transmitter converts sound waves into an infrared signal and beams that signal to a receiver worn by the student.

Trackballs

Instead of a mouse, trackballs can be an alternative. Some trackballs have additional features such as click and hold, double-click, and voice commands. There are even trackballs that can be manipulated via foot control.

visual impariments low tech aids

Large print books, calendars, worksheets, vocabulary cards, and so on Markers with various size tips for writing larger fonts on white boards and paper Nite writer pens with built-in lights for illuminating study material Thick-line paper and raised-line paper for tactile cues An abacus for teaching basic math computation skills Variable intensity study lamps for illuminating material more effectively Colored transparency or acetate film over text to provide less page glare Full page writing guides placed over paper to help stay within the writing space

picture board

PECS - younger student