Assistive Technology

1. Assistive Technology The University of Texas at Brownsville Educational Technology EDTC6341- Team 5 Oscar Castillo Daniel Runnels Celinda Tanguma Luis Troncoso

2. Overview • Introduction • Definitions • Descriptions of Various Types of Assistive Technologies • Legal Requirements, Laws and Historical Background • Eligibility Requirements • Roles of School Districts • Teachers Roles • Responsibilities of MTTs • Assistive Technology Resources for MTTs

3. What is Assistive Technology? Assistive technology is technology used by individuals with disabilities in order to perform function that might otherwise be difficult or impossible -U. of Washington Oscar Castillo

4. Assistive Technology Services A service that directly assists a child with a disability to select, get or use an assistive technology device.

5. Section 504 • States: • “no qualified individual with a disability in the United States shall be excluded from, denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination” by any Federally funded program or activity

6. Some Types of Disabilities • Vision • Hearing • Communication • Learning • Access Oscar Castillo

7. AT: Vision/Hearing Impaired • Screen readers • text and graphics on the computer screen by voice output, enlarged text, and/or with a refreshable braille display • Speech synthesizers • Convert text to synthetic speech • Voice Recognition Software • Software using voice command to convert speech to text

8. AT: Vision/Hearing Impaired • Reading Machines and scanners • Scans text and creates synthesized voice of text • Braille • Refreshable Braille display • Quickly converts text on screen to Braille • Braille Monitor

9. AT: Pointing Devices • “Camera Mouse™” • Controls the mouse pointer on your computer screen by moving your head • Designed to help a person who cannot use their hand to control the mouse but who can voluntarily move their head • “Eyegaze Edge™” • Uses eye movement to type and “speech” • Footmice • Computer mouse moved by foot

10. AT: Access • Mouth stick to press keys on keyboard • Adapted mouse • Computer access modification hardware or software • T-bar to assist with typing • Arm support • Touch screen capabilities

11. AT: Learning • iPods for audio recording • Software for organizing and storing data • Electronic organizers • Portable word processing hardware to type instead of type • Calculators

12. AT:  Legal Requirements • The Department of Education has made a commitment to support its obligation under Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, to ensure the accessibility of its programs and activities to individuals with disabilities. The Assistive Technology Program provides assistive technology solutions to disabled employees at the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and also ensures that the agency’s electronic and information systems are accessible to employees and members of the public with disabilities ("Assistive ," 2009). • Section 508 requires that Federal agencies' electronic and information technology is accessible to people with disabilities • ("A Guide," 2009)

13. AT:  Legal Requirements • As the result of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), first enacted in 1975, and the subsequent re-authorizations of the Act, including the most recent in 2004, assistive technology has a major impact on the education of students with disabilities.Section 508 requires that Federal agencies' electronic and information technology is accessible to people with disabilities. • Assistive technology must be considered as a part of the Individual Education Program (IEP) process for every student. ("A Guide," 2009)

14. ("A Guide," 2009) ("What," 2009)

15. AT:  Federal Laws Impacting Industry • Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 794) • Hearing Aid Compatibility Act of 1988 (P.L. 100-394) • The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) • Television Decoder Circuitry Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-431) • Telecommunications Act of 1996 (47 U.S.C. 255,251(a)(2)) • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.) • Assistive Technology Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-394) • Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act ("Assistive ," 2009) ("Assistive ," 2009)

16. AT:  Major Impacts of IDEA Policy • Under IDEA All children with disabilities who are eligible for special education have a legal right to technology to assist them with learning. • Both the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) and the Individualized Education Program (IEP) which are required by tthe Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) are potentially powerful tools for incorporating assistive technology into the education of students with disabilities. • The IDEA also lists the services a school district may need to provide in order to ensure that assistive technology is useful to a student in the school setting. ("A Guide," 2009)

17. AT:  Major Impacts of IDEA Policy • The least restrictive environment (LRE) provisions of IDEA require that students be educated with peers who do not have disabilities, to the maximum extent appropriate, to meet the needs of the student with a disability. • IDEA requires that related services be provided when necessary to assist a student with a disability to benefit from special education. • The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act states that school districts are required to ensure that “aids, services, and other supports are provided in regular education classes or other education-related settings to enable children with disabilities to be educated with non-disabled children to the maximum extent appropriate.” ("A Guide," 2009)

18. AT:  Major Impacts of ADA Policy • ADA requires public entities to provide auxiliary aids and services, when necessary, to eliminate discrimination against individuals with disabilities, unless an undue burden would result. • Title II of the ADA states that physical barriers in existing facilities must be removed, if removal is readily achievable. If not, alternative methods of providing the services must be offered, if they are readily achievable. • Office of Civil rights concludes that districts must provide the necessary equipment to enable the student with a disability to use a computer without assistance. ("A Guide," 2009)

19. AT:  Key Legal Terms • Assistive technology device means 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 the functional capabilities of a child with a disability. • Assistive technology service means any service that directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device. ("A Guide," 2009)

20. School District Roles in Educational Technology • Provide Funding • Planning Serious Professional Development • Provide Equipment and Infrastructure • Monitor Efficiency of Technology Integration

21. Funding for Technology Integration • Plan and work with a • budget • Apply for State or • Federal grants • Take action http://www.pugetsoundcenter.org/ngcp/florida/enews/girlsgetit-newsletter_April08_files/109.jpg

22. Planning for Professional Development • Serious Trainings with Accountability • Multiple Trainings • (3-5 per school year) http://www.pitman-kingston.co.uk/library/ILT%20Session%201.jpg

23. Provide Equipment, Support and Infrastructure • Provide up to date • Technology Resources • (software/hardware) • Efficient and On Time Support to Teachers • Plan according to State & Federal Guidelines http://www.webmediastudio.com.ar/imagenes/estudio-multimedia.jpg http://www.flickr.com/photos/37418570@N03/3715669366/ http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/teks/

24. Efficiency of Technology IntegrationAre we Meeting Objectives? • Classroom Visits • Lesson Plans demonstrating Technology Integration • Teacher Feedback http://www.flickr.com/photos/37418570@N03/3714874415/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/37418570@N03/3715661750/24

25. Role of MTT in Technology Integration • Have Initiative and Motivation to Model and Implement • Mentor to Administration, Staff, Students, and the Community • Develop Constructive and Student Centered Lessons

26. MTT Must Have Initiative and Motivation to Model and Implement • Attend trainings and Ask Questions • We are in it for the Kids • Willingness to Collaborate • Take Action and Do It http://www.flickr.com/photos/37418570@N03/3715672786/ I Can Do This!! http://www.flickr.com/photos/37418570@N03/3715681162/

27. Role of MTT as a Mentor to All Administration Teachers Teachers • Provides Student-Centered Instruction, Performance Objectives and Tasks (Rousseau 1998) • Supports -- a Resource of Wisdom and Experience (Rousseau 1998) • Encourager -- Assists Learners in Preparing and Implementing Technology (Rousseau 1998) Students Students MTT Students Students http://www.flickr.com/photos/37418570@N03/3715667010/ Community

28. MTT provides Constructive and Student Centered Lessons • Focus is on Students • Form a Collaborative process between Teacher and Student • Provide Student with feedback for Opportunity Enhancement http://www.northshorecity.govt.nz/images/Environmental_education/students_presenting.jpg

29. MTT Roles & Resources

30. Technology Recommendations • Based on technology and instructional experiences the MTT can make recommendations which may assist a special needs students; however it would remain the committee’s decision to implement, accept or reject any of the MTT recommendations.

31. Technology Recommendations (cont.) • The role of an MTT is to make recommendations to the Admission, Review and Dismiss (ARD) Committee. • The ARD Committee will decide what assistive technology the student needs.

32. Resources • Special Education Links from Discover School's Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educatorshttp://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/edspec.htm • Assistive Technology from Education World http://www.educationworld.com/special_ed/assistive/index.shtml • Family Guide to Assistive Technologyhttp://www.pluk.org/AT1.html

33. Resources (cont.) • Tools for Life: Taking the Mystery out of Assistive Technologyhttp://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/technology/tfl_mystery.html • Closing the Gap: Computer Technology in Special Educationhttp://www.closingthegap.com/

34. ReferencesSlides 3-11 • [1] A Guide to Disability Rights. (2005). Retrieved July 16, 2009 from ada.gov, ADA Homepage: http://www.ada.gov/ cguide.htm • [2] Assistive Technology to Meet K–12 Student Needs. (2003). Retrieved July 16, 2009 from ncrel.org, Learning Point: http://www.ncrel.org/ sdrs/ areas/ issues/ methods/ technlgy/ te7assist.htm . • [3] Converting Digital Information Into Braille. (2001). Retrieved July 16, 2009 from nist.gov, National Institute of Standards and Technology: http://www.nist.gov/ public_affairs/ gallery/ braille.htm . • [4]Camera Mouse. (2009). Retrieved July 16, 2009 from cameramouse.org, Camera Mouse: http://www.cameramouse.org/ . • [5] Glossary of Early Intervention Terms. (2001). Retrieved July 16, 2009 from utahbabywatch.org, Utah Department of Health: http://www.utahbabywatch.org/ forparents/ glossary.htm . • [6] Sec. 300.6 Assistive technology service. (2004). Retrieved July 16, 2009 from idea.ed.gov, Building the Legacy: IDEA 2004: http://idea.ed.gov/ explore/ view/ p/,root,regs,300,a,300%252e6,. • [7] What is a disability? (1999). Retrieved July 16, 2009 from disabled-world.com, Disabled World: http://www.disabled-world.com/ disability/ types/ . • [8] What is assistive technology? (2002). Retrieved July 19, 2009 from www.washington.edu, DO-IT Factsheet: http://www.washington.edu/ accessit/ print.html?id=1109.

35. ReferencesSlides 12-19 • What is Assistive Technology?. Retrieved July 20, 2009, from Access IT The National Center on Accessible Information Technology in Education Web site: http://www.washington.edu/accessit/articles?109 • A Guide for the Delivery of. Retrieved July 21, 2009, from Assistive Technology in Educaiton Web site: http://www.atp.ne.gov/techassistdoc.html • Assistive Technology. Retrieved July 19, 2009, from US Department of Education Web site:  http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/assistivetech.html. • Family Guide to Assistive Technology.  Retrieved July19, 2009, from The Federation for Children with Special Needs Web site:  http://www.pluk.org/AT1.html • Assistive Technology. Retrieved July 19, 2009, from Standards.gov Web site:  http://standards.gov/standards_gov/assistiveTechnology.cfm.

36. ReferencesSlides 20-28 • Estes, C. A. (2004). Promoting student-centered learning in experiential education. Journal of Experiential Education, 27(2), 141–160. • Rousseau, J. (1998). Role of the Teacher as a Manager. Retrieved July 22, 2009 from Arp ISD: http://www.arp.sprnet.org/ admin/ supt/ page2.htm.

37. ImagesSlides 3-11 • http://www.cornwall.ac.uk/images/duchy2008/disabilities.jpg • http://www.mtnhomesd.org/images/sp_ed_kids.gif • http://www.abledata.com/product_images/images/01A0790.jpg • www.cameranouse.org • http://www.business-computers.com/images/touchScreen.jpg • http://www.bytesizescience.com/images/blog/8203859/ipod-family.jpg

38. ImagesSlides 20-28 • http://www.pugetsoundcenter.org/ngcp/florida/enews/girlsgetit-newsletter_April08_files/109.jpg • http://www.pitman-kingston.co.uk/library/ILT%20Session%201.jpg • http://www.webmediastudio.com.ar/imagenes/estudio-multimedia.jpg • http://www.flickr.com/photos/37418570@N03/3715669366/ • http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/teks/ • http://www.flickr.com/photos/37418570@N03/3714874415/ • http://www.flickr.com/photos/37418570@N03/3715661750/ • http://www.flickr.com/photos/37418570@N03/3715672786/ • http://www.flickr.com/photos/37418570@N03/3715681162/ • http://www.flickr.com/photos/37418570@N03/3715667010/ • http://www.northshorecity.govt.nz/images/Environmental_education/students_presenting.jpg