Assistive Technology in Education

All children have the right to a free public education.  Sometimes, due to special needs, some students might be at a disadvantage.  In fact, according to most statistics, over 6 million kids receive some form of special education.  In some of these situations, students may need something to help them along.  In order to accomplish scholastic tasks, assistive technology devices have been created to meet these special needs.  Assistive technology comes in all types, from low tech, to super high tech.  


So what is assistive technology?  The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997 defines assistive technology device as "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" (IDEA, 1997, 20, USC, Ch. 33, Sec. 1401 [25] US) (www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te7assist.htm).  While the list is too long to go over, assistive devices can mean anything from a simple pair of headphones to something as complicated as a braille note-taker/printer.  The main point is that as long as the device is determined suitable for the child's needs, it is considered an assistive device, and allowed to be used in the classroom.  


So, how is a device considered "suitable"?  While rules vary slightly from state to state, a decision must be handed down from the student's IEP team that the device is necessary for the student's success.  These decisions are made based on need, disability, and whether or not an assistive device would actually help the situation.  These devices are provided free by the school district for use in the school.  Once again, while rules vary amongst states, if the device is purchased by the school district, the device stays with the district once the child leaves.

One device that I found particularly interesting was the braille note-taker/printer.  Portable and small, Braille note-taking devices allow students to take notes during lectures and also to complete word-processing tasks. With a Braille note-taking device, students can store a class's notes just as other students would store notes in a traditional notebook (www.ehow.com/list_ 6001006_examples-assistive-technology-school.html).   This machine is able to help blind students take notes and refer back to them at a later time.  It also acts like a translation device, converting braille into text so that the assignment can be turned in for the teacher to read.  I like this device because I have always been interested in Braille, and the process that people go through to write it.  The integration possibilities are endless, and I think it could be a tremendous asset in a classroom that deals with visually impaired students.