Assistive Technology: What is it and who needs to know?

If you are a teacher or a parent with a disabled child, it is important that you know about assistive technology.  According to IDEA 2004, 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 the functional capabilities of children with disabilities."  As a father to a child with physical disabilities, I know first hand
how important technology can be in helping those with disabilities live as independently as possible.  When I think back on my own daughter's life, I can recall how important her power chair was in allowing her to be mobile.  Then I can see her using her iPhone and iPad mini to communicate in ways she might not have done without them.  Her laptop brought learning into the home as she was home bound and visited by teachers throughout the day.  Without access to assistive technology, she would have struggled to be as productive and independent as she was.
For those parents and teachers who aren't aware of assistive technology (AT), we have included a page on our site that can be accessed by clicking here.  For parents, the section on AT Services offers some great places to start when trying to figure out what sorts of AT devices are available and how they might help your child.  In Louisiana, I recently visited Louisiana Assistive Technology

Access Network (LATAN).  Like many, I did not realize this resource existed. I spent an hour touring the facility and learning about the thousands of devices available to assist the disabled.  I suggest taking a tour. LATAN offers hands on access in the office.  They also offer a loaner program for those who would like to try out the devices before making a costly purchase.  For those families or individuals who need help with the funding, LATAN also offers grants and loan programs to help. 

As an educator who has taught in paperless classrooms for several years, I have found that Google and their web browser Chrome is a fantastic tool for finding assistive technology at little or no charge that work right on your computer.  You can find the list of tools on the page I linked earlier.  Google offers extensions and apps that magnify the screen, speak text, turn speech to text, and much more.  This is a fantastic way to add tools without expense and without leaving home.