Empowering Rural Students with Disabilities Through Assistive Technology
Defining Assistive Technology
The term assistive technology usually brings to mind high-tech devices, but federal legislation defines assistive technology as "any item, piece of equipment, or product system . . . that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capacities of individuals with disabilities." A low-tech device such as a pencil with tape wrapped around it to make it easier to hold for a student who has impaired muscle control in her hands is included in the federal definition of assistive technology, as is a robotic device that manipulates equipment in a science laboratory for a blind chemistry student. The range of devices available for people with disabilities is so broad that discussing all the various types would be impractical here. Adaptive devices have been designed for persons with virtually all identified disabilities, although fewer devices are available for cognitive impairments than for the areas of sensory or mobility impairments. What follows is a broad and somewhat selective overview of devices commonly being introduced into school settings.
Augmentative Communication
Augmentative communication devices help individuals in producing and/or understanding speech. The technology can range from a board with pictures representing a student's daily needs to sophisticated electronic speech synthesizers. Speech output devices may be simply devices for storing and playing back prerecorded speech or may be true speech synthesizers that use segments of words, called diphones, to produce words. Computers can be equipped with speech synthesizers, and there are portable electronic devices that can produce speech. The impact of an augmentative communication device on a person with a speech impairment can be dramatic. Until two years ago, 15-year-old Bobby Hussion of Austin, Texas, who has cerebral palsy and no speech, had been diagnosed at a one-year-old level of functioning. He was in a self-contained program in middle school. Recently he obtained a computer with text-to-speech capability and a touch screen through Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS), a Texas Department of Human Services program designed to help students like Bobby stay in their home communities rather than live in an institution. Today he is writing short sentences and playing games on the computer. His new-found ability to communicate his needs has done much to reduce his frustrations with daily living. His mother finds that people talk to Bobby instead of around him like they used to. She says, "I think everybody has a totally different view of where he's at and how appropriate he is for his age and how much he really understands." Bobby entered his home high school this year, and his individualized educational program has been changed to include academic objectives and inclusion in two regular classes.
Adaptive Computing
Students with physical or sensory disabilities may not be able to make use of a computer because of their impairments. Students with mobility impairments may have no problem reading a computer screen but may not be able to type or input information without adaptive hardware. Such devices include expanded keyboards, where the keys are larger and further apart, joysticks in place of a mouse, keyboards adapted for use with just one hand, and input through blinking an eye or blowing on a switch. For students who are blind, Braille input and output devices are available. Since text-only computer output would be a barrier for a blind student, text-to-speech software can be used. Earphones for students using voice output can eliminate distractions for others. Students with milder vision impairments may benefit from computer software that can enlarge portions of the screen.
Assistive Technology for Students with Learning Disabilities
Recent advances in computer technology have much to offer students with learning disabilities, both as tools for instruction in school and as tools for life that can be used to compensate for specific impairments. For years, teachers of the learning disabled have searched for means to help students compensate for their inability to master certain skills. Despite adequate cognitive ability, learning disabled students' difficulties with basic skills such as reading and writing can prevent full participation in the classroom and later in critical adult life activities. Computer technology provides the answer for many of these students. A student with dysgraphia (i.e., inability to produce legible handwriting) can use a computer with a word-processing program to alleviate much of this problem. Students with severe problems in spelling can functionally compensate using spell checkers and on-line thesauruses. Word prediction programs that can anticipate words from a few letters can increase both accuracy and speed of input. Students who have severe reading problems can use a computer in much the same way students with visual impairment do-through enlarged print size or voice synthesis. Computer technology can provide the kind of drill and practice that many students with learning disabilities need to help them develop fluency in such areas as mathematics facts and reading decoding. Additionally, software programs provide the multisensory and interactive experiences that can be so important for students who are easily distracted. Another kind of software that can help a student who has writing problems is organizational software. These programs help users through processes such as outlining and concept mapping. Although not necessarily developed for students with learning disabilities, the programs can be very helpful for students who have difficulty organizing and synthesizing information.
Assistive Technology in Action
As most experienced educators know, students, including students with disabilities, seldom come to school with clear-cut needs that fit concisely into certain categories. Many students with disabilities will benefit from an array of assistive devices, which will require extensive collaboration among people from different fields and agencies. However, the rewards can be great for the student and all of the other individuals involved. Bryan Ayres of the Arkansas Easter Seal Outreach program describes six-year-old Jonathan Duckworth, who is in a regular classroom in the small rural community of Hoxie in northeast Arkansas. Jonathan is a bright, inquisitive student who has cerebral palsy and uses a number of assistive devices, including an augmentative communication device (a TouchTalker), several kinds of mobility equipment, and adaptive utensils for eating and drinking. When Jonathan was old enough for school, his parents wanted him to be able to participate in public school classes and to be able to interact effectively with his peers. Hoxie Elementary School had never served a student using the variety of assistive devices that Jonathan needed. Rhonda Smith, the school's principal, and Rita Branch, the assistant principal, both had concerns about adequately meeting the needs of both Jonathan and his peers in the same school setting. However, after two years in an inclusive setting, everyone who is involved agrees that he is in the right program and the right placement. With the cooperation of a committed special-education support team and excellent support from the Duckworth family, Jonathan's goal of an integrated, high-quality public education became a reality.
Next page: The Legal Mandate: What is the School's Responsibility?
