Assistive Technology and Life Skills Education Emerging Landscape

Dr. Dheeraj Mehrotra (National Awardee)

VP (Academics) NEXT Education India Pvt. Ltd. Hyderabad

TECHNOLOGY MAKES LIFE EASIER FOR PEOPLE For Persons with Disabilities Technology Makes Life Possible

What is Assistive Technology?

"Any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized,

increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals

that is used to with disabilities. AT service is directly assisting an individual with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device."
Source: The US technology-related assistance for individuals with disabilities act of 1988, Section 3.1. Public Law 100-407, August 9, 1988 (renewed in 1998 in the Clinton Assistive Technology Act) - http://section508.gov/docs/AT1998.html#3

AT Cycle
Bridging skills with goals is what

Assistive

Technology and related services provide.

There also needs to be an on-going cycle of evaluating and recommending, maintenance of the technology, reviews of emerging needs, and upgrading of the equipment when necessary.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1990 included AT services in its definition, as well as AT itself.

What types of learning problems does assistive technology address?

AT can address many types of learning difficulties. A student who has difficulty writing can compose a school report by dictating it and having it converted to text by special software. A child who struggles with math can use a hand-held calculator to keep score while playing a game with a friend. And a teenager with dyslexia may benefit from AT that will read aloud his employer's online training manual. There are AT tools to help students who struggle with: Listening Math Organization and memory Reading Writing

What kinds of assistive technology tools are available?

The term has usually been applied to computer hardware and software and electronic devices.

"assistive technology"

AT Tools (On Demand):

Abbreviation expanders Alternative keyboards Audio books and publications Electronic math work sheets Freeform database software Graphic organizers and outlining Information/data managers Optical character recognition Personal FM listening systems Portable word processors Proofreading programs Speech-recognition programs Speech synthesizers/screen readers Talking calculators Talking spell checkers and electronic dictionaries Variable-speed tape recorders Word-prediction programs

A good replacement for AT in classrooms:

OUR CHILDREN NEED TO BE TAUGHT CONFIDENCE CLUBBED WITH INTELLIGENCE

Engage the

CHILD or
the

ENRAGE

Child ! ! !

The Choice is ours !

Initiatives
Of all the initiatives a school can begin, integrating technology into the classroom may require the most professional development.

Importance of Active Learning at par with Assertive Technology

Active learning constitutes learning that helps students to think critically, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information, work efficiently and effectively in groups, and solve problems within a variety of different disciplines.

Life skills have been defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as abilities for adaptive and positive behavior that enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life.

LIFE SKILLS INITIATIVES

Google..Grrrrr!
We should not to be afraid of Google, we should be afraid of teachers who can't catch on with the technology to improve the teaching-learning process.

Power of Words