Sensory Assistive Technology

Sensory assisive technology devices can be as simple as an abacus.

The blind, visually impaired or hearing impaired use sensory assistive technology to process information, perform daily tasks and communicate. Sensory assistive technology devices are provided according to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) amendments of 1997 and are used to help people with disabilities function at the school, home and workplace.

Considerations

IDEA provides than any child with a disability must be provided with the necessary assistive technology devices necessary to access the general curriculum. According to the University of Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professionals website, there are many factors to consider when choosing the appropriate device for a student with a disability. It recommends the SETT model, considering the student, environment, task and tools needed by the student to accomplish the task.

Classroom

In the classroom, the students primarily use assistive technology to perform tasks as independently and similarly to the general population as possible. A tactile globe would assist students with a visual impairment in using their sense of touch to understand geography concepts. Likewise, a tactile clock helps students understand telling time when they cannot see an ordinary clock. Other examples include a page magnifier, hearing aid or FM system or a sign language dictionary that provides access to the curriculum.

Home

Many devices assist people with disabilities in performing daily living tasks such as personal grooming, cooking and cleaning, while many common household items have been modified such as color-coded measuring spoons, jar grips or tactile kitchen timers. There also modified brooms and dustpans, Braille dominoes and pill organizers.

Workplace

Computers have become a vital part of everyday life, and to be successful in the workplace, people with disabilities must be able to access computer systems. Office equipment has been modified such as phones that flash instead of ring, modified keyboards and scanners that convert pages into special computer programs for people with disabilities. These programs include speech recognition systems, text and screen magnifiers and Braille translators.

Trends

There are several trends in sensory assessment technology. According to the University of Buffalo website, one trend is the feeling that the assessment for an assistive technology device should occur in the environment in which it is going to be used. A second trend is that the family should play a vital role in choosing the device that is most suitable for their child. A third trend is that of "universal design," which attempts to develop commercial devices that can work for almost any student without the need for customization.

References

• University of Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professionals
• University of Texas Assistive Technology Lab

Resources

• Attainment Company
• Alliance for Technology Access
• Closing the Gap