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ASSISTIVE
DEVICES
Introduction
The Assistive Devices section of LIL
invites you to explore the various online resources that introduce you to the
types of assistive devices that are useful for people with a variety of
disabilities. Information is given for disabilities in general and for specific
types of disabilities. This information is useful for literacy practitioners,
for facilitators at disability and community organizations, for people with
disabilities and for their community-at-large.
Assistive devices are low and high
tech tools that can be used to increase, maintain or improve the functional
capabilities of people with a variety of disabilities. Other terms that are
used are assistive technology, assistive technology products, assisted living
products, and adaptive technology. Assistive devices can be cross-used - some
that are "intended" for a person with one type of disability can be useful for
people with other types of disabilities.
Dialogue on Assistive
Technology by Flo Brokop and Roger Moore, Learning Support Services,
Norquest College, 24 March
2003:
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"Assistive technology (AT) is
any device, piece of equipment, product or system that is provided to increase,
maintain or improve the functional capabilities of an individual with
disabilities and that includes training and strategies for proper AT
application. For many adults, assistive technologies have allowed access to
learning that had, until now, been unattainable. |
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When assessing the
appropriateness of assistive devices for an adult learner, we must consider
the: |
- Setting - physical space,
access, noise, security
- Person - abilities,
personality, needs, education level, learning style
- Outcomes - what the
individual wants to be able to do in their learning and life after they can use
the AT
- Tools - the best assistive
device for this person
- no tech such as
overlays, mirrors, highlighting, learning strategies, mapping,
etc…
- low tech such as word
processor, laptops, screen enlargements, colors, talking calculators,
etc
- high tech such as
screen readers, document readers, scanner to voice, word prediction, voice
recognition, etc…
Learners need to be
comfortable with a combination of levels of technology (no-tech, low-tech and
high-tech) to accomplish the same learning task so that they can function when
one level of technology is not available. Providers need to be flexible and
innovative to explore how assistive devices can be adapted to the individual's
needs and used creatively across disabilities. Assistive devices can open up a
new world of opportunities for adult learners." |
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