Adaptive+and+Assistive+Technology

Assistive/Adaptive Technology (AT) Britany Miller

Any item, piece of equipment or product system, whether aquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of children with disabilities. (Section 300.5)
 * Legal Definition: **

Tools, ether made or purchased, (or service) used to increase, maintain, or improve a person with a disability's functional capabilities.
 * Simple Definition: **


 * Assistive Technology is Functional, not Instructional. **

-It //helps // or does something for a student like read, write, talk, spell, or solve a problem.

 -It does not //teach// a child how to do something like read, write, talk, spell, or solve a problem.


 *  IDEA Facts: **

-Schools are required to provide AT at no cost to the parents if it is needed for a student to recieve FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education under Section 504).

 -The IEP team determines what FAPE means for the individual student

 -AT device remains the owner of the public agency and the State law decides whether parents are held responsible for lost or damaged items

 -IDEA requires the IEP team to consider AT needs during the IEP development.


 * So WHAT is Assistive Technology? **

<span style="color: #464e54; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">-It can be something very simple, like a pencil grip. This would be the lowest level of AT.

<span style="color: #464e54; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> -It can be a spelling/definition battery operated machine. This is mid range level AT.

<span style="color: #464e54; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> -It can be a computer with Word publishing, speech recognition software, etc. This is high level AT.

<span style="color: #464e54; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">-It can be something like environmental control

<span style="color: #464e54; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> -And much more! <span style="color: #464e54; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> If it does something for the student that they cannot do by themselves, then it is Assistive Technology!


 * Here are some resources about Assistive/Adaptive Technology... **

Enable Mart: This is a website where you can purchase different assistive technologies. These include technologies for students who have low vision, blindness, hearing disabilities, communication disabilities, learning disabilities, and issues with computer access.

What is Adaptive Technology?: This is an article written for the University of Washington by Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph.D. It give a really good list of things that are considered Adaptive Technology and can aid with computer access.

Family Guide to Assistive Technology: This is a really nice resource designed for parents, but I think it would be great thing to have on hand to give to other teachers or your student's parents. It talks about how to evaluate an assistive technology and how to bring assistive technology into a child's life. It also gives really good resources for parents for every state. It is rather lengthy, but I found it very informative and easy to understand.

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