User:Amrutha1994/Sandbox

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY

Assistive technology,abbreviated as AT is any item,piece of equipment, software or product system that is used to increase,maintain or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.Assistive technology includes products and services to help people who have difficulty speaking,ty ping,remembering, writing,pointing,seeing,hearing,learning,walking etc.           AT can be high tech such as special purpose computers,hardware such as       prosthetics,attachment devices,computer hardware such as special switches,key boards and pointing devices,communication softwares,wheel chairs,power lifts, pencil holders etc.Different disabilities require different assistive technol ogy.It includes specialised devices like typing telephones for people who are deaf and motorized wheel chairs for those who can't walk.AT can be "low tech" which are very simple and low cost like pencil grip or "high tech" something that is sophisticated as computer. The Federal government recognised the importantance of assistive techn ology for students when it revised the Individual with Disabilities Education act(IDEA) Iin 1994 and again in 2004.IDEA states that school district must co     nsider assistive technology for any child in special education.That means for any child receiving special education services,the educational team must ask if there is a device that will increase,maintain or improve functional capabi lities of that child.If the answer is yes,the school district must provide ce     rtain services. Some assistive technologies that can be used in the classroom are, *Screen readers:for visually impired students to read the contents on the com puter screen with a speach synthesizer. *Word talk *Word prediction *Video magnifiers *close captioning and subtitling *Face mouse *Sip and puff systems Assistive technology helps to level the playing field to allow both learning and physically challenged student to succeed in the mainstream world creating normalcy and preserving self esteem.

ASSISTIVE DEVICES FOR VIUALLY IMPIRED: Computer screen magnification,Descriptive video services,Screen readers,Bra ille scanning software,Auodio devices.

ASSISTIVE DEVICES FOR HEARING IMPIRED: Personal freequency modulation,Infrared systems,text telephones.

ASSISTIVE DEVICES FOR SPEECH IMPIRED: First words,Augmentation and alternative communication,Picture exchange co       mmunication system.

ASSISTIVE DEVICES FOR CHILDREN HAVING LEARNING DISABILITY: Paper based computer pen,Electronic math worksheets,Free form database so       ftware.