Thursday, April 9, 2009
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
More Information on Assistive Technology
Assistive Technology helps many different people of many different ages. AT can help disabled individuals and their families. The people that AT can help can be children and adults, but a person does not necessarily have to have a disability to be helped. Some older adults may be experiencing issues performing everyday activities, and they can be helped by AT's, such as walkers and wheel chairs.
As a teacher, I know I will come in contact with AT. They are great resources for students who might not otherwise be able to do something, and I will need to know more about the device to understand it. When it comes to choosing an assistive technology, not just any device can be chosen for a person. The device must in fact be appropriate for the individual or else it will not be useful. Also, it will not help solve any issues that have been occuring. It is easy to see why Assistive Technology is so important!
As a teacher, I know I will come in contact with AT. They are great resources for students who might not otherwise be able to do something, and I will need to know more about the device to understand it. When it comes to choosing an assistive technology, not just any device can be chosen for a person. The device must in fact be appropriate for the individual or else it will not be useful. Also, it will not help solve any issues that have been occuring. It is easy to see why Assistive Technology is so important!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) is a small section of Assistive Technology that helps individuals with extremely limited oral communication skills. AAC methods are not intended to replace communication but instead are meant to supplement or provide alternative means of communication. It may seem a bit confusing, but overall, it is not.
There are three types of AAC: gestural-unaided, gestural-assisted and neuro-assisted. Gestural-unaided can be thought of as non-verbal actions that a person does not need any help performing, such as American Sign Language, finger spelling and blinking. Gestrual-assisted is almost the exact opposite of gestural-unaided. It requires there to be something such as a picture board or message board an individual can use to communicate. Neuro-assisted AAC is very sophisticated in that it uses bioelectrical signals from muscle impulses and the brain. With the bioelectrical signals, a computer monitor is activated. This type of AAC is used with children who cannot use message boards and switching devices. In my special education class last year, we learn all about Augmentative and Alternative Communication and the three different types of it. I feel it would be very beneficial for everyone to learn about AAC and it benefits.
There are three types of AAC: gestural-unaided, gestural-assisted and neuro-assisted. Gestural-unaided can be thought of as non-verbal actions that a person does not need any help performing, such as American Sign Language, finger spelling and blinking. Gestrual-assisted is almost the exact opposite of gestural-unaided. It requires there to be something such as a picture board or message board an individual can use to communicate. Neuro-assisted AAC is very sophisticated in that it uses bioelectrical signals from muscle impulses and the brain. With the bioelectrical signals, a computer monitor is activated. This type of AAC is used with children who cannot use message boards and switching devices. In my special education class last year, we learn all about Augmentative and Alternative Communication and the three different types of it. I feel it would be very beneficial for everyone to learn about AAC and it benefits.
What is Assistive Technology?
Accroding to wikipedia.com, assistive technology is a "generic term that includes assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices for people with disabilities and includes the process used in selecting, locating, and using them." Overall, this term is very broad. In some cases assistive technology can help people with disabilities do things they might not otherwise be able to do. In other cases, though, AT's help people perform tasks they had problems performing before. Just as the term is very broad, there are a wide range of devices that can help people. Some examples are walkers, wheelchairs and other hardware/software that can help individuals on the computer. The most important thing to remember is that there is a variety of assistive technology available.
http://assistivetechnologies.com/ is an interesting website I stumbled upon while I was looking for information on assistive technology. On the left hand side, there are products for many different kinds of disabilities that deal with communication, learning, mobility and vision. The technologies help people with mild to severe disabilities. One of the products I noticed is called the Say It! Sam Communicator, and it helps individuals with communication disabilities. During one of my observations last year, I noticed a woman was using one; it was great to see her smiling and being happy that there was not a communication block anymore. She enjoyed using it, and it helped her a lot!
http://assistivetechnologies.com/ is an interesting website I stumbled upon while I was looking for information on assistive technology. On the left hand side, there are products for many different kinds of disabilities that deal with communication, learning, mobility and vision. The technologies help people with mild to severe disabilities. One of the products I noticed is called the Say It! Sam Communicator, and it helps individuals with communication disabilities. During one of my observations last year, I noticed a woman was using one; it was great to see her smiling and being happy that there was not a communication block anymore. She enjoyed using it, and it helped her a lot!
How to Leave a Comment
Welcome to my blog! To leave a comment, click on comment under any section of the blog and then type your comment. After you have finished typing your comment, click on post comment and use the verification word to post your comment.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
