Using Assistive Technology For Disabled People

Text to speech software- Text to speech software is used with a computer or tablet and assists students with reading deficiencies. The software will read the text to the student, and the student who may not be able to read independently, can complete the assignment individually.

ICT is used by higher level teaching assistant (HLTA) to support children with special needs, such as children with hearing impairments to help them communicate with others and participate in activities in classrooms. ACE Centre Advisory Trust, (1999) said “Students with special educational needs are able to accomplish tasks working at their own pace” with assistive technology. Hearing aids and ICT are used to support those with hearing lost to enhance hearing

In current years technology has advanced extremely quickly and has taken the world by storm. Technology has a range of positive contributions to the world but advanced technology has impacted the deaf community in a variety of ways: it has allowed people to connect regularly through different communication devices, improve access and receive and look for information and work to improve the safety in and around the household with everyday appliances.

An assistive technology device can be an item, software system, or piece of equipment used to increase, improve, or maintain the functional capabilities of a student with disabilities. It can help a person with a disability complete tasks they need to perform on a daily basis. Assistive technology services serve to directly assist students with disabilities in the selection or use of an assistive technology device. For some students with disabilities, assistive technology is important because they would not be able to benefit form their educational program. Assistive technology is a part of the Individualized Education Plan for each student. The educational team for the student must ask if there is a device that will improve their functional capabilities. If the educational team discovers that the child could benefit from a device that fits that description, the school district is required to provide the service along with training to use the device (Lewis, 1998).

The advance of the internet has had an effect on the use of TTYs with wide availability of e-mail, and real time chat programs. An internet relay service is also available, and toll-free; it connects internet ‘callers’ with voice telephone parties. With a relay service the operator types what is spoken and also speaks what is types to the appropriate party. While there are members of the deaf community that must rely on these devises in whole, others may prefer to use voice carryover, or VCO. With VCO users read the message on their TTY but then speak their response to the other party into a microphone. This is a time saving option for those members of the community that may no be able to hear, but that can speak clearly. When it comes to alarm clocks, doorbells, phone calls, and safety systems lighting is often key.

This technology includes voice amplifiers, wheelchair software, and other computing software to assist learning for those with a disabilities. The technology used is high tech especially in the wheelchair software. If the system was to fail it could lead to potential distress or harm of the individual in the wheelchair. In addition, staff must be properly trained so they are capable of carrying out the software

Assistive technology positively affects parenting and family members. They help disabled children feel more acknowledge and free to do things they couldn't do. I love how technology was made to help parents who have special need children. This helps them know that their is help and their will always be a way. Even if the way might be difficult, there is a way. Never give up. There are opportunities in this world. Dreams do come true. Even if its a special or unique way to do something in life, it will happen.

With new technology comes new ways to let disabilied people use more items. An example is, voice recognition screen readers can help peole who are blind. For instance, eye-tracking programs can make using computers simple for people who can´t move their hands.

Assistive technology was defined in the Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act (Tech Act of 1988). Assistive technology was defined as being any piece of equipment that is used to improve the life of an individual with a disability. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 provided guidelines for accessibility, usability and compatibility of telecommunications equipment. The most recent law is the Assistive Technology Act of 2004. This act focused on providing funding to individuals with disabilities (Carpenter, 2015).

This technology allows people who are deaf to participate in both the deaf and hearing world. It

In America, there are more than 28 million deaf people but there are many different services available to meet their needs. A hearing person can have a casual conversation without even realizing the difficulties that 202,613 (5.58%) hard of hearing people might face in the world (Stat. on Deafness). It doesn’t have to be so difficult for a deaf/hard of hearing person to have a conversation even if the person they are talking to is in another state. With popular services such as Maryland Relay, the TTY and various telecommunications relay services- it is now possible for deaf people to have a phone conversation.

In the Overview of Assistive Technology and Implementation Video by Margina Busby, she gives a lecture on what assistive technology is and how it can be used in the classroom. I learned that assistive technology is “any item, piece of equipment or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized that is used to increase, maintain, or improve capabilities of individuals with disabilities.” Some examples of assisted technology are calculators, pencil grips, pocket dictionaries, communication systems (with or without voice output), adapted textbooks, and modified utensils. It is interesting to see all of the different forms of assistive technology that can be used in the classroom. I am currently taking a class

Living and learning with assistive technologies (AT) for disabled people is allowing them to lead virtually normal lives. Assistive technology in action videos I have recently watched introduced me to 3 people who are being assisted by this cutting edge technology.

Individuals with sight problems can adjust color and brightness to assist them in viewing programs. Children with hearing problems can adjust volume controls and replace noise commands with visual commands. For example, if a child clicks on a program that is unable to open, they can program the computer to respond with a verbal message informing them of the inaccessible program, as opposed to the usual noise response. “Laptop computers can provide high-tech tools for note taking because of their mobility”(Barfield, 2003, p. 1). Customized computers also offer many different options for individuals depending on their needs. Touch screens, and touch pads enable an individual to use a computer by simply touching a screen or pad with his/her finger. “This often allows students who have fine motor problems, inaccurate keyboard skills, or problems with spelling to complete programs without frustration (Olson, 2000, p. 344). Voice activated computers allow students to use a microphone to enter information into the computer. Positions of buttons and switches can also be changed to accommodate an individuals certain needs. Other parts of the computer can also be altered to aid an individual with special needs. For example, individuals with limited motor control often use a key guard. “A keyguard is a keyboard overlay with holes positioned over each key. This assists in stabilization of finger, hand, or stick movement (Ray, 1995, p.

The item I decided to do for my paper is the TTY. A TTY is a special device that lets people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech-impaired use the telephone to communicate, by allowing them to type messages back and forth to one another instead of talking and listening. This device was built in 1964 by Robert Weitbrecht. He was a deaf scientist who was born on April 11, 1920 in California. He loved science since his teacher use to take them to factories and he started to be interested in factories. He was taught how to read lips and talk from his mother but he also went to school with other deaf kids.