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Assistive technology

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Assistive technology

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If your child has learning and attention issues, you’ll want to know about a variety of accommodation to boost his learning. Assistive technology (AT) can be an effective accommodation. We are living in a "technology age," so there is always hope that some new device or piece of equipment will be designed to make our daily lives a little easier.

If you break your leg, a remote control for the TV can be assistive technology. If someone has poor eyesight, a pair of glasses or a magnifier is assistive technology.

Assistive technology (AT) is any device, piece of equipment or system that helps a person with a disability work around his challenges so he can

learn, communicate or simply function better. Technology can be high tech or low tech. Examples of low tech are ramps, switches, switch-operated toys, communication boards, car door openers. Some hightech examples include computers, software, extended keyboards, electronic communication devices, power wheelchairs, and van lifts for wheelchairs.

What Assistive Technology Can Do

It’s important to keep in mind that AT’s role is to assist your child’s learning. It doesn’t replace good teaching, but it can be used in addition to well-designed instruction. It can help your child be more self-confident and work more independently. It also can help your child: == ===

• Work more quickly and more accurately

• Navigate classroom routines

• Set and meet high goals

  Examples of assistive technology and adaptive tools

1. Audio players and recorders

If the child struggles with writing or taking notes, an audio recorder can capture what the teacher says in the class so your child can listen to it again at home. Nowadays many e-books have audio files, and smartphones come with text to speech software that can read aloud anything.

2. Reading guides

Reading guides are good tools for kids who have trouble with visual tracking or who need help staying focused on the page. The plastic strip highlights one line of text while blocking out surrounding words that might be distracting. The strip is also easy to move down the page as your child reads.

3. FM Listening Systems

Frequency modulation (FM) systems can reduce background noise in the classroom and amplify what the teacher says. This can help with auditory processing issues as well as attention issues. The teacher wears a microphone that broadcasts either to speakers around the room or to a personal receiver worn by the student. FM systems are also used to help kids with hearing impairment, autism spectrum disorder and language-processing issues.

4. Calculators

Depending on your child’s math issues, it might be appropriate for him to use a basic calculator in class. There are also large-display calculators and even talking calculators. A talking calculator has built-in speech output to reads the numbers, symbols and operation keys aloud. It can help your child confirm that he has pressed the correct keys.

5. Writing Supports

If your child has trouble with writing, try using plastic pencil grips or a computer. Basic word processing programs come with features that can help with spelling and grammar issues. For students whose thoughts race ahead of their ability to write them down, different kinds of software can help. With word prediction software, your child types the first few letters and then the software gives word choices that begin with that letter. Speech recognition software allows your child to speak and have the text appear on the screen.

6. Graphic Organizers

There are many different designs you can print out that can help your child organize his thoughts for a writing assignment. There are also more sophisticated tools such as organizing programs that can help him map out his thoughts.

Assistive technology will not make the disability go away; it can only lessen the impact of the disability. Hopefully assistive technology will

increase independence and improve an individual's outlook on life. Assistive technology can’t “cure” learning and attention issues, but it can help kids work around their challenges.

Assistive technology can help students access their education, as well as enable adults to secure a job. Individuals with disabilities'can become an integral part or their community - from education to leisure activities to work - with the appropriate

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