Kisling: Assistive Technology

Assistive Technology
Lisa Kisling
Cleveland State University
ETE 501

Kisling: Assistive Technology

Assistive Technology, or AT, is a term that many educators will come across within their
career. The use of Assistive Technology is very familiar for educational Intervention Specialists,
and with the continuous growth, many more general educators will become acquainted with the
use of Assistive Technology in the classroom. According to the Individuals with Disabilities Act
of 2004, the definition of 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 a child with a disability. The term does not include a medical
device that is surgically implanted, or the replacement of that device.
The Assistive Technology Act of 2004 defines Assistive Technology services as, any
service that directly assists an individual with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of
an assistive technology device. The Assistive Technology Act further defines AT services as,
service consisting of expanding the availability of access to technology and information to
individuals with disabilities
The use of Assistive Technology is largely present within the public school system.
Students with disabilities need assistance to access the general education curriculum, and an
appropriate Assistive Technology device can help. With the growing number of students in the
public school systems that are on an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), the number of students
with an AT device additionally increases. According to Ohio Coalition for the Education of
Children with Disabilities, in 2011, there were over 263,000 Ohio students on an IEP. Many
students with an IEP have some type of Assistive Technology device that helps them in various
areas of academic, social or behavioral performance, and one can assume there is at least
250,000 Ohio students that use AT. Because an IEP is for an individual, the AT device is also
specifically assigned and designed for the individuals need. Therefore, the AT device must be
specified within the students IEP.
It is important when developing a students IEP that the IEP team discusses types of AT
that may benefit the student. The Assistive Technology Act of 2004 requires that persons with
disabilities have access to Assistive Technology. Therefore, as educators, we must accurately
assess our students to determine the need for AT. Furthermore, Alper and Raharinirina state:
Despite the increased attention to and awareness of the potential of AT to help
individuals with disabilities access the general curriculum and acquire transitional
skills, as reflected in the federal legislation, several barriers remain. accessible
technology is unavailable to many students with disabilities and their families (Alper &
Raharinirina, 2006, p. 48).
For this reason, it is important that administrators and educators become advocates for
students and their families. Many families may not know how to access Assistive Technology,

Kisling: Assistive Technology

(Alper & Raharinirina, 2006) and it is the schools responsibility to make sure that students who
need Assistive Technology receive it. However, there are questions to be assessed before
assigning a student with AT. The Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI) list four
questions that must be answered before a child can receive Assistive Technology. These four
questions are:
1. Is the provision of an AT device or service essential for the student to receive free and
appropriate public education?
2. Is the AT device or service necessary for the student to be educated within the least
restricted environment?
3. Are the AT devices and/or services a necessary related service?
4. Given AT devices and/or services, will the student have access to school programs
and activities?
If the answer to any of these questions is yes, the AT is legally required, and is the
responsibility of the school district. (OCALI Assistive Technology Resource Guide, 2013, p.
32).
Once it is decided, through assessments and data collection, that a student would benefit
from the use of Assistive Technology, the AT must be included in the IEP. The IEP is a law
binding contract and everything listed in the IEP must be implemented. Assistive
Technology must be documented within the IEP as well the environment in which the AT
will be used. For example, if the student only uses the specified AT during Reading
instruction, this must be explained within the IEP. Once the AT is added to the IEP, and the
IEP is implemented, the school district must provide the Assistive Technology to the
student. (OCALI Assistive Technology Resource Guide, 2013, p. 28) The school may
purchase or lease the required Assistive Technology, and the school is required to assume
the cost for assessments, therapies, and related services needed to implement the use of
AT (OCALI Assistive Technology Resource Guide, 2013, p. 29). In addition, the school
personnel or instructor must customize the AT to fit the students needs. This may require
altering various specifications of the AT device (OCALI Assistive Technology Resource Guide,
2013).
If the IEP team does not know what AT device is appropriate, the team must gather data
to determine what devices would be most beneficial to meeting the students educational needs.
The team must consider the students Present Level of Performance and analyze the students
weaknesses to adequately identify in which areas a student may benefit from Assistive
Technology (OCALI Assistive Technology Resource Guide, 2013). The team chooses the best
AT device depending on the students IEP goals and objectives, the students needs, and physical
abilities. The Ohio Center for Autism and Low incidence provide a document within the 2013
Assistive Technology Resource Guide. The document, or checklist, guides instructors in
choosing the most suitable AT device. The checklist covers areas in Academics,

Kisling: Assistive Technology

Communication, Access, Environmental Control, Activities of Daily Living, Social Behavior,
Vision, and Hearing. The IEP team must assess if the student has difficulty conducting any
activities in these areas independently. There are additional questions the IEP team must
consider to further help determine which device is most appropriate. These questions call also be
found within the OCALI Assistive Technology Resource Guide of 2013.
When discussing Assistive Technology in the classroom, AT should not be confused with
instructional technology. According to Smaldino et al., instructional technology refers to the
tools and electronics that the instructor uses to implement lessons or instruction. Contrasting,
Assistive Technology includes the tools, devices, programs, etc. that an individual student uses
based on his or her disability and to better access the curriculum.
Examples of Assistive Technology include: voice recognition programs, book holders,
communication devices, wheelchairs, and tablets with specialized software. With the evergrowing exploration in technology, companies are creating software and devices that can vastly
assist in student academic performance, as well as social performance for those with physical or
cognitive disabilities.
There is high and low Assistive Technology that students may receive. The type of AT
device depends on the students needs. When identifying high and low AT, we are comparing
the technical difficulty of the device and the level of training the user must complete to use the
device (OCALI Assistive Technology Resource Guide, 2013). Low tech does not use
electricitydoes not require batteries. (Smaldino et al., 2008, p 5). Low technology are
generally very easy to use and do not require a lot of training. Low technology could be as
simple as modifications to a lesson or accommodations. Examples of low technology include: a
magnifying glass to enlarge print, pencil grips, timers, or stress balls.
High Assistive Technology requires electricity and the use of computers or software. The
range of high technology could include an electric wheel chair, an interactive communication
board, a hearing aid, calculators, and voice recognition software. High AT usually requires some
training to use as well. The amount of training depends on the AT and the students current
capabilities. In addition, high AT may require frequent updating of software and maintenance
(OCALI Assistive Technology Resource Guide, 2013).
Assistive Technology not only can assist a student academically, but also can be used to
monitor student behavior. For example, sometimes students with sensory processing disorders,
or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), tend to behave poorly in class if they
cannot fulfill their sensory needs or if they are not stimulated enough. There is Assistive
Technology that will accommodate these students and help them stay on task. Some students
may require low tech accommodations such as pin cushions to sit on during instruction, or large
rubber straps attached to the legs of their desk to bounce their feet on. These allow students with
ADHD, as well as other disabilities, to move about while still sitting in their seat. This
movement allows the student to expel energy and fulfill their sensory needs without distracting
other classmates or impeding on his or her own learning. Oftentimes, these types of Assistive

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Technology devices are implemented by school Occupational Therapists that work with the
student.
Another way to use AT to help manage behavior is the use of timers within the
classroom. Students may become anxious if they do not know how long they have to work on a
task or listen to instruction. Explaining the schedule for the day as well as using timers to
announce the ending of a task or lesson keeps a student focused and less anxious or frustrated.
The main goal when using this Assistive Technology in this manner is to identify the antecedent
before the negative behavior occurs. For example, if a student acts out when given a worksheet
or assignment, the instructor can use a timer to manage or eliminate this behavior. The instructor
would establish an appropriate amount of time the student will use to work on the task and
explain to the student the rewards and consequences for not staying on task during that time
period. The timer serves as a reminder to the student to stay on task. It also allows them to
manage their own time on task and encourages them to keep working to receive their reward.
Within the current classroom I am working in, we use timers, pin cushions and movable
dividers to manage behavior. These low tech Assistive Technology devices have helped students
not only stay on task but better understand the rules and expectations of the classroom. The large
movable dividers, or screens, serve as blinders. We use these mostly during our small group
center rotation activities. When placed in the correct spot, these screens do not allow students to
look around the room and become distracted by what other students are doing. In addition, we
use these screens during test taking time so students are not enticed to look on another students
paper. For our more distracted students, we may make a corral out of these screens to ensure that
the student is not over stimulated or distracted.
The use of Assistive Technology is very crucial for students with disabilities. The ability
to access such technology in order to participate in the least restrictive environment and access
the curriculum is not only required by law, but a service that all teachers must keep ensuring. As
an educator, it is important to know these rules and regulations associated with Assistive
Technology and continuously improve upon educational practices to better the students learning
outcome.

Kisling: Assistive Technology

References
Alper, S., & Raharinirina, S. (2006). Assistive technology for individuals with disabilities: A
review and synthesis of the literature. Journal of Special Education Technology, 21(2),
47.
IDEA. (2004). Part A, Definitions, 300.5; Operating Standards for Ohio Educational Agencies
Serving Children With Disabilities, 2008, 3301-51-01 (B)(2).
Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence Assistive Technology Resource Guide, (2013).
Retrieved from: http://www.ocali.org/up_doc/AT_Resource_Guide.pdf
Ohio Special Education Profile. (2011). Retrieved from:
http://www.ocecd.org/h_docs/Spec_Educ_Report_1-7-2011.pdf
Parette Jr, H. P., Crowley, E. P., & Wojcik, B. W. (2007). Reducing overload in students with
learning and behavioral disorders: The role of assistive technology. Teaching
Exceptional Children Plus, 4(1), 1.