Putting Assistive Technology to Use

While there is more technology available in schools now than there was several years ago, it is critical that this technology is actually used to help all students in their learning. One example of technology that is being harnessed more in schools is Assistive Technology. Assistive technology employs numerous tools  in an effort to improve the learning process for a variety of disabled students. As described in WikiBooks (2010a), "Assistive technology, or AT, is a field that is changing as fast or faster than the rest of technology used in teaching and learning." 

1.  Students with hearing impairments often have difficulty in classes that are primarily lecture or discussion-based. Speech recognition technology could be used to record and convert the audio input of the teacher or a classmate to text that they can read. For students with severe hearing impairments, an FM system may be a good form of assistive technology to use. An FM system is a wireless, portable device that uses radio transmissions to send auditory signals. As the teacher, I would wear a small microphone. The student with the hearing impairment wears a receiver that is either clipped to their clothing or connected to their hearing aid (Adaptive Technology Center for New Jersey Colleges, 2010). I would also be sure to include a lot of visual aids in my class that would also assist not only the hearing impaired students, but also any visual learners in the class.

2. Low vision is a severe visual impairment, but usually does not mean blindness. An example of a person with low vision is someone who is unable to read a book or newspaper at a normal viewing distance, even with the assistance of eyeglasses or contact lenses (National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities, 2004). Low vision individuals benefit from adaptations in lighting and/or print size. This is where the e-reader can be useful. For students with low vision, e-readers offer a variety of text sizes as well as several levels of gray. There are several other features of many e-readers that can be considered assistive technology (e.g. convert text-to-speech and read aloud newspaper and books); however, it is important to note that often times the menu choices for such options are difficult to read and the keyboards on e-readers are very small making it difficult for students lacking dexterity (WikiBooks, 2010b). 

Another option for students with low vision is DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System). DAISY was designed to be an accessible audio format that could be used by individuals who are unable to read print as easily and efficiently as a person who has full use of their sight. Some of the features of the DAISY system are image files, video playback, and support for standard files such as .wav and .jpeg. Essentially, DAISY is a "talking book" that functions much more effectively and dynamically than books on tape (WikiBooks, 2009).

3. Students with physical limitations, whether it be temporary or permanent, can benefit from assistive technology as well. Speech recognition software allows students with limited or no motor skill in their arms and hands to produce typed documents, manage software, and perform research with a computer, just like other non-disabled students (WikiBook, 2011b). 

There are two different kinds of speech recognition. Speech recognition converts spoken words to text. Broadly speaking, speech recognition means it can recognize almost anybody's speech and convert it to text. On the other hand, voice recognition refers to speech recognition that is trained to work for a particular speaker. This technology works by recognizing speech based on the individual's unique vocal sound. 

4. Students with non-communicative Autism can benefit from the use of assistive technologies as well. Traditionally, students with non-communicative Autism used a picture board, which was essentially a laminated sheet of paper with pictures that have Velcro glued to the back. As you can imagine, there are a limited number of pictures that can be used, thus limiting what the student is able to "say." This is where AT comes in. More traditional assistive technology is software that turns a computer into a talking picture board. This software often includes capabilities for the user to write text and the computer will translate it to spoken word (text-to-speech).

However, recent advances have harnessed this technology into smaller, portable devices. Students with non-communicative autism no longer have to stay at a desk computer or carry around a special device, thus reducing the stigma that these students often feel. The invention of iPods and iPhones have revolutionized speech generating devices (SGD). The iPod touch or iPhone have many applications that benefit non-communicative Autistic children. For example, many times non-communicative Austisic students are engaged through the use of symbols (e.g. photographs, line drawings and written words). iConverse, Look2Learn, Voice4U, MyTalk, and Proloquo2Go are all iPhone apps that come with pre-installed symbols with messages that allow the user to add pictures and messages. Some use text-to-speech and others use recorded audio. This is just one example of using the power of iPhones to assist students with non-communicative Autism (WikiBooks, 2011a). Another advantage to iPhones and iPods is that they are much more affordable for schools than traditional portable devices. 

iPod/iPhone Apps for AAC and Autism 

App Name	Characteristics
TapSpeak Button & TapSpeak Picture	Simple switch activation. Allows recorded messages associated with a button. Picture version can be customized with pictures for buttons.
iConverse, Look2Learn, Voice4U, MyTalk, and Proloquo2Go	These AAC apps come with pre-installed symbols with messages and allow the user to add pictures and messages. Some use text to speech and others use recorded audio. The amount of preinstalled symbols varies from 6 to 7000. The customization options vary greatly between apps as do the fees charged for the app.
NeoPaul, NeoKate and NeoJulie	Male and female voice text to speech programs
iCommunicate	A storyboard program that allows the user to create picture storyboards with audio accompaniment
Behavior Tracker Pro	Enables behavioral patterns in those with autism to be tracked and graphed
Autism newsreader	Grabs top stories from various autism health news and information sites allowing you to keep up with autism issues and developments in one place.

(WikiBooks, 2011a)

References

Adaptive Technology Center for New Jersey Colleges. (2010). Assistive technology for college students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Retrieved from http://adaptivetech.tcnj.edu/resheet/deaf.htm. 

 National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities. (2004). Blindness/visual impairment. Retrieved from http://nichcy.org/idisability/specific/visualimpairment. 

WikiBooks. (2010a). Assistive technology in the classroom. Retrieved from http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Assistive_Technology_in_Education. 

WikiBooks. (2011a). Assistive technology in the classroom/autism. Retrieved from http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Assistive_Technology_in_Education/Autistic. 

WikiBooks. (2009). Assistive technology in education/DAISY. Retrieved from http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Assistive_Technology_in_Education/DAISY.

WikiBooks. (2010b). Assistive technology in education/eBook. Retrieved from http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Assistive_Technology_in_Education/eBook.

WikiBooks. (2011b). Assistive technology in education/speech recognition software. Retrieved from http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Assistive_Technology_in_Education/Speech_Recognition_Software.