609 #1 AT and AC

Tammie Zentgraf

There are many different types of Assistive Technology (AT) and Augmentative

Communication (AC) to help people with disabilities become more independent and

accomplished in life tasks. Simply put, AT and AC resources can be in the form of a device or a

service to aid in the achievement of social, academic, physical or emotional progress in the

school setting.

When a student with a disability(ies) is part of a school system, identified either under 504 IDEA

or Special Education, an IEP will be completed to determine the schools and students roles in

the students educational experience. This IEP will include the use of any AT or AG devices or

services. This information will be included in the IEP Special Factors section of the IEP with a

description of what and when a device or service is need.

These devices can assist with such challenges as being visually impaired, auditorily impaired,

physically limited, learning disabled, behaviorally disabled or challenged in some other way

where a service or device can improve their ability to learn and function in an educational

setting. Any necessary device or service should be explained in the IEP as to what is needed,

how it will impact the student and how the service or device will be provided to the student.
Examples of services could be as simple as conversational language instruction for the English

Language Learners. Physical therapy for the child who has minimal fine motor skills so they can

hold a writing implement. Speech therapy for the child with a speech impediment.

In addition to services, there are a plethora of devices that can provide different assistance to

students. As taken from http://rerc-aac.psu.edu/:

Examples of Assistive Technology

Aids for Daily Living: Self help aids for use in activities such as eating, bathing, cooking,

dressing, toileting, home maintenance, etc. Examples include modified eating utensils, adapted

books, pencil holders, page turners, dressing aids, adapted personal hygiene aids.

Aids for Hearing Impaired: Aids for specific populations including assistive listening devices

(infrared, FM loop systems), hearing aids, TTYs, visual and tactile alerting systems, etc.

Aids for Vision Impaired: Aids for specific populations including magnifiers, Braille or speech

output devices, large print screens, closed circuit television for magnifying documents, etc.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC): Electronic and non-electronic devices

that help persons with speech and/or hearing disabilities communicate: communication boards,

speech synthesizers, modified typewriters, head pointers, text to voice software.

Computer Access Aids: Headsticks, light pointers, modified or alternate keyboards, switches

activated by pressure, sound or voice, touch screens, special software, voice to text software that

enable persons with disabilities to use a computer. This category includes speech recognition

software.
Environmental Controls: Electronic systems that help people control various appliances,

switches for telephone, TV, or other appliances which are activated by pressure, eyebrows or

breath.

Home/Workplace Modifications: Structural adaptations that remove or reduce physical

barriers: ramps, lifts, bathroom changes, automatic door openers, expanded doorways.

Mobility Aids: Devices that help people move within their environments: electric or manual

wheelchairs, modifications of vehicles for travel, scooters, crutches, canes and walkers.

Prosthetics and Orthotics: Replacement or augmentation of body parts with artificial limbs or

other orthotic aids such as splints or braces. There are also prosthetics to assist with cognitive

limitations or deficits, including audio tapes or pagers (that function as prompts or reminders).

Recreation: Devices to enable participation in sports, social, cultural events. Examples include

audio description for movies, adaptive controls for video games, adaptive fishing rods, cuffs for

grasping paddles or racquets, seating systems for boats.

Seating and Positioning: Adapted seating, cushions, standing tables, positioning belts, braces,

cushions and wedges to maintain posture, and devices that provide body support to help people

perform a range of daily tasks.

While this list is extensive, it certainly does not exhaust the wide range of both devices and

services that have been designed to assist students with special needs. As the adage goes,

necessity is the mother of all inventions, I expect there are many adjustments that have made

significant differences for students that come in the simple things too, like a tripod pencil grip

that helps positions a students hand properly for writing. Devices come in the most simple
design and use to more complex than one might imagine. It all has a time and place within the

realm of improving the educational experience for our special needs students.