Serving Diverse Needs With Assistive Technology

 

Serving Diverse Needs with Assistive Technology

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires public schools to provide special education and related services to eligible students. For some children to be eligible for services, their school performance would be identified as “adversely affected” by a disability in one of the 13 categories listed below:  

1.       Specific learning disability (SLD)

Dyslexia

Dyscalculia

Dysgraphia)

2.      Other health impairment

The “other health impairment” category covers conditions that limit a child’s strength, energy, or alertness, ADHD, which impacts attention and function.

3.      Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

4.      Emotional disturbance

5.      Speech or language impairment

6.      Visual impairment, including blindness

7.      Deafness

8.      Hearing impairment

9.      Deaf-blindness

10.  Orthopedic impairment where a child or adult lacks function or ability in the body and impairments such as cerebral palsy.  

11.    Intellectual disability where a child or adult has below-average intellectual ability, poor communication, self-care, and social skills. Down syndrome is a condition that involves an intellectual disability.

12.   Traumatic brain injury is a brain injury caused by an accident or physical force.

13.   Multiple disabilities - where a child or adult has more than one condition covered by IDEA. Multiple issues create educational needs that can’t be met in a program designed for any disability.

In any one or all of the IDEA list of disabilities, children and adults with disabilities may need Assistive Technology to help assist them in having a need met depending on what their disability is. Depending on the device available in each location, many devices can be provided in a classroom, resource center, and library.  The library centers and Disabled student services can provide these devices.  

Assistive Technology Equipment refers to different items to assist a person’s learning, eating, and bathing needs.  These items include self-help devices, specialized toys, switches, listening devices, and talking devices. They are available to children and adults with a particular need to promote their education in developing and learning, eating, and daily hygiene routine.  

1.       Self-Help Devices - Assist with self-help skills and functional abilities related to bathing, eating, drinking, and dressing.  

2.      Toys and Switches - Allow children and/or adults to activate a toy that will support engagement in developmental learning through play.  

3.      Assistive Listening Devices - Helps with auditory processing.  These devices include hearing aid and FM Systems.  It will assist anyone and also the sight impaired. 

4.      Augmentative Communication – a device, system, or method that improves the ability of a child to communicate effectively.  For young children, it is essential to include gestures and pictures.  Equipment may include photographs, object communication boards, symbol systems, and voice output devices.  When a child pushes a button on the device to say a pre-recorded word or message, the controls are labeled with pictures or symbols to show the recorded message.

Communication boards are created using software with a library of picture symbols to create boards of any shape or size.  This helps a child access a wide range of vocabulary.  Individual characters or panels can be placed around a room for access during activities.    

5.      Mobility and Positioning devices promote and enhance access to and functioning in a child's natural environments.  Equipment may include ankle foot splints, car seats, floor mobility and positioning devices, feeder seats, walkers, and standers.  The walker will assist with balance and mobility, and the scooter board will assist in moving in all directions with four switches and a joystick that will impact the board in whatever order it is directed.  

I consider Assistive Technology Devices a great help to all in need.  It helps when there is support from the classroom, resource center, and libraries with Media Access to those needing hearing and touching devices. 

References:

IDEA Disability Categories | Understood - For learning and thinking differencesLinks to an external site.

Technology Access and Assistive Technology | Advocacy, Legislation & Issues (ala.org)

“Technology Access and Assistive Technology.” Advocacy, Legislation & Issues, American Library Association, 5 May 2023, www.ala.org/advocacy/diversity/accessibility/techology-access.