Assistive/Adaptive Technology for Students With Disabilities

I watched the video clip, Enabling Dreams, and was quite impressed with the extent that technology has been developed to assist physically challenged students be as mobile and communicative as possible given their individual limitations. There are so many new developments in technology that there is no excuse for the physically challenged student not to be able to function or to be empowered with some control over their lives. There is no limit to the technology that has and can be developed to meet the needs of students with disabilities.

If the right tools and technology are made available to meet the needs of the students with disabilities, there is no need to add to the activities for inclusion of AAT. There are all kinds of devices that range from simple technology such as a pencil that is modified for the hands of a student with mobility challenges to devices programed by computers to read the thoughts and speak for a student who is speech impaired. With the right assistive device, student should be able to participate in some way in the same activities as the other students in the class such as in the case of Adrian who is unable to walk speak or use his limbs. The use of augmentive communication devices such as electronic speech synthesizers and speech output devises like computers equipped with text- to- speech features can impact a student with speech impairment. These types of devices allow students who may have, in the past, been limited to their home communities to participate in the classroom setting.

Experienced educators know that students with disabilities seldom come to school with clear-cut needs that fit exactly into the system. It is therefore necessary to extensively collaborate with people in different fields and agencies so that students can benefit from the array of assistive devices available. It is also necessary for the school administration, the special education team, and parents to work together to make sure that the students are placed in the right programs and the right placements so that they meet the student's need for high-quality educational opportunities as all other students are provided.

Because of their special needs, lesson plans have to be revised to ensure that all students are given opportunities to participate. The student's IEP which specifies what accommodations and modifications are necessary must be followed. Some accommodations could be extra time to complete assignments and tests. Environmental accommodations could include desk placement, modification of work space, lighting, noise reduction, and accessiblity to classroom materials. Modifications in lesson plans could include small group work, simplified instructions, reduceing the number of tasks, large print or braille worksheets, and frequent breaks.

With regard to instruction, the use of visuals, audio materials, and the integratiion of other instructional methodologies that address the learning needs of all students is necessary. An example would be the inclusion of art, drama, and music to reach students in ways that they are not otherwise being reached. Students with learning disabilities may be unable to communicate their thoughts and feelings verbally. The visual arts such as painting, drawing, music and computer graphics can give them a non-verbal way to express themselves and interact with others.