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As many people have mentioned, AT impacts a variety of people in numerous ways daily. If you think about it even phone or laptop cases can be considered low-tech AT devices for those of us who are clumsy. In my school we also have an AT library of sorts where teachers can check out different devices, toys, or supports to try in their classroom. Having this available has really broadened my view on how AT can seamlessly fit into the classroom but can also vary per person. There have been many times I have checked out a particular tactile cause and effect device for a student of mine with a visual impairment, however it supported two other students as well to learn cause and effect.

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AT can impact not only for students, but also in everyone's life. For example, we use laptop to help us during learning. This is a kind of assistive technology. For teacher, to use assistive can give them more ideas in how to teach in an effective way.

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AT can impact not only school life, but the student's life outside of school.  Having the extra assistance outside of school can help the student's overall living, which is great! - Kandece

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I have never personally had to use an assistive device but a student in one of my classes did. He used a tablet to take all of his notes and used a special projector when he took his math exams. I'm sure these devices had a great impact on his life. The student was able to be independent and complete the assignments in a way that was comfortable for him.

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Assistive Technology has a substantial impact on everyday life as many of us use it daily, even if we don't realize it at the time. AT like automatic doors, calculators, and apps are examples of such that I, for one, use regularly. Since I don't have a disability, these are simply tools that speed up and/or facilitate certain tasks for me. The same kinds of AT, however, would have a more profound impact on individuals with disabilities. Automatic doors enable those confined to wheel chairs to pass through as they may not be able to open a door manually, calculators help students with learning disabilities complete daily math tasks, and apps of all kinds exist to assist a wide range of needs.

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AT has a great impact on everyday life. Maybe using technology on a daily routine would increase fluency in using the technology...ultimately making the technology more useful.

Question: How do you think AT would impact everyday life if the technology is negatively affected like electricity is out, internet is down, incompatability, etc?

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With the wide variety of AT that is in the world, it is easy to say that the impact on everyday life is significant. AT devices range from low-tech, which are inexpensive and do not have an electronic component, to high-tech, which are expensive and sophisticated pieces of technology. Below is a video of the impact that AT can have on someone's everyday life.

Dell, A.G., Newton, D.A., & Petroff, J.G. (2017). Assistive Technology in the Classroom: Enhancing the School Experiences of Students with Disabilities. Boston: Pearson

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Assistive Technology in Action - Meet Jared

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Technology has been called “the great equalizer” for people with disabilities because it offers “better opportunities to communicate, learn, participate, and achieve greater overall levels of independence.

Dell, Amy G.; Newton, Deborah A.; Petroff, Jerry G.. Assistive Technology in the Classroom: Enhancing the School Experiences of Students with Disabilities (What's New in Special Education) (Page 13). Pearson Education.

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Hi Melissa!
Based off of some of your responses I have read you posted, it is cool to see that we work very similar jobs.
I currently work in a clinic where we offer Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA--which is what I do), Speech, and Occupational therapy services.
As I said, I am an ABA Therapist, where I provide behavioral therapy to children with autism. I have a couple of clients who are non-verbal, and them we use ATs--such as ios and Android capable devices. Installed will be an app that has been chosen for them after deciding which would help them best (I have  worked with TouchChat and LAMP) to communicate their words and thoughts to us. I started off with a client who was non-verbal, but did not have a device yet. For her, we adjusted her programs to Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) board to show her what and where we could be doing. Now with her device, we have the ability to expand on her vocabulary and give her more independence to use "her voice" instead of me reading her choice. It is truly amazing what the use of your day to day devices can do!
The text asks the question as to why have these mobile devices become so popular. The answers that I appreciate the most in my experience is that, "the mobile devices are fast. You touch a button and the device immediately begins to work. There is no need to spend time waiting while the device “'boots up'” or a program opens [and] mobile devices are lightweight and portable, easily carried in a backpack or purse [and] mobile devices are versatile and flexible. They come with many functions built in, and hundreds of thousands of apps are available that enable users to perform a multitude of tasks."

Dell, Amy G.; Newton, Deborah A.; Petroff, Jerry G.. (2017). Introduction to Assistive Technology. In Assistive Technology in the Classroom: Enhancing the School Experiences of Students with Disabilities (pp. 11). Pearson Education.

These devices speak in real time for my client, and can be carried easily in their hand like a briefcase or attached with a strap to place around their body, and are installed with their communication app or many apps for fun or other resources. The possibilities are endless!

I have gotten formal training on LAMP and also use TouchChat, with the assistance and training from our SLPs. Knowing how these "words" work in the minds of my clients has helped me realize how our options to communicate are always available and no one person should feel like they cannot express themselves!

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Assistive Technology: History and Benefits

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Assistive Technology: History and Benefits

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Asssitive Technology (AT) has been around for decades. Manual typewriters are one of the first known Assistive devices in History(Dell, Newton, & Petroff, 2017, p.9). The manual typewriter was created in 1808, and it gave people with disabilities the tool to write legibly, and learn to read  (Dell, Newton, & Petroff, 2017, p.9). As the need grew for these Assitive devices in schools, laws were created, in which all students were able to get the resources they needed to succeed in the classroom. IDEA 1997/2004, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act(1973), Americans with Disabilites Act specify that if needed, Assistive Technology would be considered and if necessary, implemented(Dell et al,. 2017, p.4-8).  Working with children who are on the spectrum, allows me to witness the advancements in Assitive Technology, and how much people with disabilities can benefit from having an assistive device. Low- Tech devices such as, pencil grips, can help students work on their pincer grasp when writing. Whereas, high-tech tools such as an iPad, can help a nonverbal student communicate to parents and teachers through the use of a talking app(Dell et al., 2017, p.5).

Dell, A. G., Newton, D. A., & Petroff, J. G. (2017). Assistive technology in the classroom: enhancing the school experiences of children with disabilites (Third Edition). Pearson Education.

Question for discussion: Did you ever have to use an Assistive Device, or know anyone who has or does? If so, talk about the affect it has had on their/ your life, and where you/ they would be without it.

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Personal Experience with AT Devices/Services

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Personal Experience with AT Devices/Services

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Hi Melissa! I never personally benefitted from any AT devices or services when I was in school. I’ve used fidgets since I got out of high school to help with my anxiety. They help a lot more than I initially believed they would. But that’s about the extent of my personal use of AT devices. I do, though, have a cousin that uses an iPad to help him communicate. It’s helped him become a lot more confident in his communication, as well as helped his family and friends understand his needs and wants.

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Hi Melissa, my name is Ariana Vasquez.
While creating my own wall I came across an interesting and remarkable story about a young man named Reo Kobayash. Reo was born with cerebral palsy and lives with very limited physical abilities which created many obstacles in learning. However with the help of AT Reo was able to successfully finish high school and has recently accepted his admission to USC. This is a great example of how AT and a supportive team of educators can be beneficial for students with disabilities.

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Reo Kobayashi, front left. with other graduating students from USC Hybrid High who are planning to attend USC this fall (Photo/Courtesy of Miyuki Kobayashi)

Reo Kobayashi and his mother, Miyuki, were in a daze on Admitted Students Day. They screamed and cried when they opened the online portal to find an acceptance letter congratulating the teen on getting into USC, but it still didn't feel real.

Time and again his mother had heard that, due to Kobayashi's cerebral palsy, he did not have the learning capabilities to get a high school degree, and now he was on the campus of his favorite university as a prospective student.

Kellie Graham, a USC admissions counselor, spotted his wheelchair and went over to ask if he was "The Speaker," a reference to his public speaking ability, one area unaffected by the brain damage he suffered before or at birth.

"When she came over, I knew this wasn't a dream," Miyuki said. "Eighteen years of hard work for my son's education - everything had paid off."

The personalized learning Kobayashi got at USC Hybrid High School, from which he will graduate on June 10, changed his trajectory.

"I was told my whole life that I wouldn't be able to do this, that I wouldn't be able to do that, that I would never get a diploma, that I would never get anything done," he said. "What really makes this school unique is they look at every child from a diamond perspective. What I mean is they take a student like me and they turn you into a diamond."

Fighting for a future

Kobayashi was born two months premature with cerebral palsy on Mother's Day, 1999. His movement is severely limited, he cannot see well, cannot type or read a textbook, and damage to the left hemisphere of his brain affects his math calculations.

The disability created challenges for his learning, but his mother refused to accept that her son couldn't have the level of education afforded other children. She could see that he was smart. He could think, he could talk and he could listen.

In Tokyo, where he was born, she was told that he had to go to a special education school. So she came to the United States in the hope of finding better educational opportunities.

Even in the U.S., she continually had to fight for her son's future. In the fourth, sixth and eighth grades, school administrators said he needed to be put on a special education track that led to a certificate rather than a high school diploma.

"They thought there was no way to teach him," Miyuki said.

She hired a lawyer to help keep her son in a general classroom setting.

In her exhaustive research into educational opportunities, Miyuki heard about schools that blend technology adapted to a student's needs with traditional learning. She thought that, with proper assisted technology, her son could find academic success.

Then, in 2013, she saw that USC Hybrid High had just opened in downtown Los Angeles. Miyuki went to her first meeting with the school's administrators armed with a lawyer and a stack of materials prepared to defend why her son should be admitted.

There was no need. At the time, USC Hybrid was accepting every student who applied (now with a waiting list, students are chosen by a lottery). As long as he met the high expectations for school culture and was committed to working hard and getting into college, they would get him there.

"You can tell she had to learn to fight for what Reo needed," said Oliver Sicat, CEO of Ednovate, the charter management organization founded by the USC Rossier School of Education, which operates the school. "She came in with a lot of assumptions from her past experiences. The need to fight quickly died down because of the way we approach how to serve every kid. I think the mom was shocked, but happy."

Education for everybody

Ednovate did a full-on assistive technological assessment and took a holistic approach to aid Kobayashi's physical condition as well as his access to learning. The school provided him with a computer, monitor, medical equipment and software that performed functions such as speech-to-text for him to do assignments.

"Everyone at USC Hybrid High was so kind and wonderful," Miyuki said. "I'm really appreciative to USC Rossier for building this school. This system is education for everybody."

Kobayashi also was provided a one-on-one aide, David Hernandez, who pushed him to expect more from himself.

[His aide] Mr. Hernandez was the first person who pushed me to try harder. He knew I was smart even before I knew how smart I was.

Reo Kobayashi

"When you're told our whole life that you're not going to be able to learn, it's very hard to think that you are smart," Kobayashi said. "Mr. Hernandez was the first person who pushed me to try harder. He was not just my aide; he was my coach. He knew I was smart even before I knew how smart I was."

Kobayashi intends to study communication and journalism at USC. One day he would like to conduct interviews like his idol, Barbara Walters.

"Let me tell you, if I didn't go to USC Hybrid High School, I would never have gotten into USC," he said. "It's hard to put into words how thankful I am."

Said Sicat: "We have great teachers and professional teams who customized the learning experience to fit his needs. This, for us, is everything we stand for. So that's why we like to share his story - it's our mission in action."

More stories about: Education

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Hard work and dedication leads to USC for a student with special needs

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Reo Kobayashi and his mother, Miyuki, were in a daze on Admitted Students Day. They screamed and cried when they opened the online portal to find an acceptance letter congratulating the teen on getting into USC, but it still didn't feel real.