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Assistive Technology for Students with Learning Disabilities

Prepared by: Gabrielle Young, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Jeffrey MacCormack, M.Ed., Doctoral Student, Queen’s University

Published on:  June 10th, 2014

 

Assistive technology refers to the devices and services that are used to increase, maintain, or improve the capabilities of a student with a disability (Dell, Newton, & Petroff, 2012). While the phrase assistive technology may make us think of computers and computerized devices, assistive technology can also be very low-tech. For example, pencil-grips (the molded plastic grips that slip over a pencil) are considered assistive technology. Assistive technology that helps students with learning disabilities includes computer programs and tablet applications that provide text-to-speech (e.g., Kurzweil 3000), speech-to-text (e.g., Dragon Naturally Speaking), word prediction capabilities (e.g., WordQ), and graphic organizers (e.g., Inspiration).

In comparison to other interventions, assistive technology may have a significant effect in helping students with disabilities progress towards the goals outlined on their Individual Education Plans (Watson, Ito, Smith, & Andersen, 2010). Assistive technology helps in two ways: it can help the student learn how to complete the task and it can help to bypass an area of difficulty. For example, when a student decides to listen to a digital version of a book, they are bypassing an area of difficulty. However, if the student focuses on the computer screen as highlighted words are read aloud, they can learn unfamiliar words.

To read more go to; http://ldatschool.ca/technology/assistive-technology/

 

Category: Communication Smart AT General

Added by Ash-Lee Hall · 9 years ago

Telemedicine clinics and mobile health screening services for Indigenous children

Author: The Centre for Online Health (COH)

Published By: The University of Australia 

Published:  2016


HealtheScreen4KIDS is a service by the Centre for Online Health 

Since 2005, staff at the Centre for Online Health (COH) have been exploring the use of telemedicine to support Indigenous children in rural communities. In 2009, a mobile telemedicine-enabled health screening service was established in Cherbourg, a remote Aboriginal community in central Queensland.The service, designed to complement and extend existing community-based service, provides routine assessment of children at high risk of ear disease and potential hearing impairment. The screening service comprises a custom-designed screening van with the necessary telemedicine equipment on board. 

 To read more information go to;

  http://www.uq.edu.au/coh/health-e-screen-4-kids

 

Category: ATSI Service Delivery Hearing Rural & Remote Service Delivery

Added by Ash-Lee Hall · 9 years ago

Implementing Smart Assistive Technologies: Organisational Perspectives

Author: Lilian Lazarevic and Darren Button 

Published By: Health Outcomes Australia

Published On: May 2014

This paper presents the key organisational influencers of successful smart assistive technology implementations in a disability service setting.

Category: Policy & Funding Quality & Standards Research

Added by Ash-Lee Hall · 9 years ago

The Smart House for Older Persons and Persons With Physical Disabilities: Structure, Technology Arrangements, and Perspectives

 Smart houses are considered a good alternative for the independent life of older persons and persons with disabilities. Numerous intelligent devices, embedded into the home environment, can provide the resident with both movement assistance and 24-h health monitoring. Modern home-installed systems tend to be not only physically versatile in functionality but also emotionally human-friendly, i.e., they may be able to perform their functions without disturbing the user and without causing him/her any pain, inconvenience, or movement restriction, instead possibly providing him/her with comfort and pleasure. Through an extensive survey, this paper analyzes the building blocks of smart houses, with particular attention paid to the health monitoring subsystem as an important component, by addressing the basic requirements of various sensors implemented from both research and clinical perspectives. The paper will then discuss some important issues of the future development of an intelligent residential space with a human-friendly health monitoring functional system.

Category: Operational Technology Smart Homes & Environmental Controls

Added by Ash-Lee Hall · 9 years ago

The Social and Psychological Aspects of Smart Home Technology within the Care Sector

Author: Guy Dewsbury 

Published By: Scottish Centre of Environmental Design Research (SEARCH)

Published On: August 2005


The observations within this paper stem from undertaking a number of workshops and consultations on the use of Smart Home Technology within the social care field. Within these consultations, certain common themes evolved from the discussions that the author attempts to address herein. Most frequently, the issues centered on the relationship between technology and the person with disabilities.

Category: Operational Technology Smart Homes & Environmental Controls

Added by Ash-Lee Hall · 9 years ago

Technology to Care- Implementation Plan to embed electronic assistive technology (eAT) in Social Care

 Contributors: Diane Buddery, Skills for Care, England, Linda Currin, Skills for Care and Development , Audrey Cund, University of the West of Scotland , Ian Fricker, Scottish Social Services Council , Meta Keenan, Northern Ireland Social Services Council , Mared Llwyd, Care Council for Wales, Sheila Lyons, Care Council for Wales, Rebecca Nancarrow, Leonard Cheshire Disability, Annie O’Reilly, Social Care in Partnership (Western Bay), Wales, Oliver Stykuc-Dean, Buckinghamshire County, England , Trevor Taylor, The Cedar Foundation, Northern Ireland, Diane Webb, Quarriers, Scotland.

Published by: Technology to Care

This implementation plan should be read in conjunction with Technology to Care: A Workforce Learning Strategy to Embed Electronic Assistive Technology (eAT) in Social Care 1. The recommendations set out in the strategy form the basis of the implementation plan, which sets out a series of operational objectives with related actions or activities for different stakeholders.



Category: International Perspectives Smart AT General

Added by Elizabeth Dodd · 9 years ago

Case Study - Medication Management

Author: Jeannine Harrington

Published By: CCSATC

Published On: 8 September 2015

Contributed by Jeannine Harrington - Expert Reference Group Member

The importance of implementing a testing procedure before introducing smart assistive technology into a consumers home was highlighted by the experience of a case manager introducing an automated medication dispenser for use by consumer in early stages of dementia.

Family members had been very proactive in researching a tool to assist with medication management for their mother.  The case manager contacted the distributor and a dispenser was dispatched.  However, finding a Pharmacist familiar with the technology was a bit of a challenge.  The first approach to a pharmacist who had assured the case manager they knew how to load the dispenser resulted in a broken lock and the timing wrong resulting in all compartments opening at once.

By trailing in the office before placing in the home the malfunction was identified and an opportunity to remedy reducing the risk to the consumer.

Category: Case Studies Medication Management

Added by Elizabeth Dodd · 9 years ago

CommDoc app

CommDoc has been developed by Northern Territory General Practice Education (NTGPE) in consultation with clinics, communities, doctors, cultural educators and interpretive services.

CommDoc is a language tool developed for GP Registrars and other health professionals working in communities across the Northern Territory, to culturally enhance interactions with Aboriginal patients

 To find out more go to:

http://ntgpe.org/commdoc/#about

 

 

Category: ATSI Service Delivery

Added by Ash-Lee Hall · 9 years ago

Integrating Assistive technology into an outcome-driven model of service delivery

Author: Toby Long, Larke Huang, Michelle Woodbridge, Maria Woolverton, Jean Minkel

Published By: Infants and Young Children Vol. 16, No. 4, pp.272-283, Lippincott Williams & Wilkin 

Published: 2003

Infants and toddlers with disabilities and special health care needs (SHCN) have complex habilitative and health care needs requiring multiple services throughout their lives. Providers of services to children underutilize assistive technology (AT) and AT services. This underutilization has a significant impact on how w^ell and how easily the children are integrated in home, school, and community activities. The literature indicates that AT is appropriate when the device (a) is related to specific and clearly defined goals that are meaningful to the child and family; (b) takes into consideration practical constraints, such as the environment and funding resources; and (c) results in the child achieving desired outcomes. Using an outcome-driven model this article outlines a 10-step framework that can be used by service providers to guide them in determining the fit between the child s needs and AT and/or AT services. Components of the framework and critical information needed for decision-making at each step will be discussed. A family entered, interdisciplinary team philosophy is promoted.

Please follow the link below to access the full journal article: 

https://depts.washington.edu/isei/iyc/long_16_4.pdf

Category: International Perspectives Policy & Funding Quality & Standards

Added by Tony Shaw · 9 years ago

Smart homes – Current Features and Future Perspectives

In an ageing world, maintaining good health and independence for as long as possible is essential. Instead of hospitalization or institutionalization, the elderly and disabled can be assisted in their own environment 24 h a day with numerous ‘smart’ devices. The concept of the smart home is a promising and cost-effective way of improving home care for the elderly and the disabled in a non-obtrusive way, allowing greater independence, maintaining good health and preventing social isolation. Smart homes are equipped with sensors, actuators, and/or biomedical monitors. The devices operate in a network connected to a remote centre for data collection and processing. The remote centre diagnoses the ongoing situation and initiates assistance procedures as required. The technology can be extended to wearable and in vivo implantable devices to monitor people 24 h a day both inside and outside the house. This review describes a selection of projects in developed countries on smart homes examining the various technologies available. Advantages and disadvantages, as well as the impact on modern society, are discussed. Finally, future perspectives on smart homes as part of a home-based health care network are presented.

Category: Smart Homes & Environmental Controls

Added by Tony Shaw · 9 years ago