Trackball Mouse

Oversized trackball mouse

A trackball mouse is not necessarily an assistive technology—some people without disabilities simply prefer it to the standard mouse—but it is often easier for a person with a motor disability to operate than a standard mouse. Someone may, for example, use a trackball mouse in conjunction with a head wand or mouth stick. It is relatively easy to manipulate a trackball with these devices and much harder to manipulate a standard mouse. Someone with tremors in the hands may also find this kind of mouse more useful because once the person moves the mouse cursor to the right location, there is less danger of accidentally moving the cursor while trying to click on the mouse button. A person with tremors in the hands could also manipulate the trackball mouse with a foot, if there is enough motor control in the feet.

 

Orion 18 Braille Tablet - powered by Android

Orion's 18 Braille Tablet created by LevelStar, and developed in partnership with American Printing House for the Blind, has a 18 cell Braille display with router keys, and natural Ivona text-to-speech. This Braille tablet is the world's first notetaker for the blind powered by Android. Orion's 18 Braille Tablet has the following features: braille notetaker, access email, camera, ( which allows the user to take a photo of a printed page, and then convert the image to text) GPS, wi-fi, digital compass, 3G, 32 GB of internal memory, SD card slot, full size USB port, accelorometer, built-in stereo speakers, connected headphones, or a wireless Bluetooth headset.
The tablet comes with a home screen to make it easier to navigate around the system. It has a book reader that supports some of the specialized eBooks formats and a word processor tht can handle Braille documents. The tablet is also equipped with Adobe to bring DRM-protected eBooks to the device.

JAWS Screen Reader for the Blind

JAWS (Job Access for Windows and Speech) is a user-friendly screen reading program, and is designed to work with a speech synthesizer which increases a blind student's proficiency through reorganizing keyboard functions and automating commands. Students are able to add the power of JAWS to their computers at schoool and home without purchasing an additional synthesizer. JAWS also provides support for seven different languages.

http://www.freedomscientific.com/

Students with ADHD Challenges - Reading Software

Students with ADHD sometimes struggle with reading. I have found some tools that improve their reading comprehension and fluency. Audio books and reading software - Recorded books allow students to listen to text, and they are available in a variety of formats. Special playbook units allow users to search and  bookmark pages and chapters. 

Natural Reader

Optical character recognition (OCR) allows a student to scan printed material into a computer or handheld unit. Then the scanned text  is read aloud by a speech synthesis/screen reading system. OCR units are available in stand-alone units, as software, and as portable, pocket-sized devices that display words on an easy-to-read screen. Scanning pens are a big help and are perfect for library research and other reading that doesn't involve a computer.    

                                                                 

Natural Reader Ultimate

Free downloads:  http://www.naturalreaders.com/download.php

Students with ADHD Challenges

Math Software
                                                          

ADHD challenged students are assisted by electronic worksheet software that enables them to recoganize and work through problems on a computer screen. Numbers that appear onscreen can be read aloud by a speech synthesizer. Some excellent AssistiveTechnology Tools to consider are MathTalk. (math level - addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) For students computing decimals and fractions, MathPad Plus is a wonderful tool to assist students with this level of math.

 

Head Wand + Touch Screen= Success!

For people who have manual dexterity disabilities, a touch screen and head wand is a winning combination.

Foot Mouse with Programmable Pedal

The foot mouse and programmable pedal can help people with hand, arm, shoulder, or more generally, upper body stresses, and in some severe cases, such as amputation and/or stroke, by allowing the them

to do all PC entries by foot. It consists of a two-part device: one for cursor control (slipper) and the

 other for mouse clicks and shortcuts (the pedal). The pedal has a two-level design which prevents the user from stepping on the wrong buttons. The buttons not only mimic all "hand" mouse clicks, but also allow people to program their own customized shortcuts. (up to 10 shortcuts for each program)

                         

Assistive technology for Students with Math Disabilities

         

Dyscalculia is a condition that has recently been discovered. Dyscalculic learners have difficulties understanding simple number concepts, and procedures. Dyscalculia Screener is an innovative computer-based assessment tool designed to help you identify students ages 6-14 with learning difficulties in math.

                                                  

This computer-based tool is simple to administer and fun for students to take. The screener takes about 30 minutes to administer and determines between students with a poor ability in math and those with this specific learning difficulty. Using standardized data, the program immediately produces an individual diagnostic report and student profile to help you build an individual program for your students.

                                 Assistive Technology used for individual programs:

Dynamo Maths is a Three Stage on-line intervention and remedial program for learners with dyscalculia and low math achievers. It supports learning difficulties with math, working memory and dyscalculia symptoms.

                                              

 

Zoomtext Magnifier & Video Magnifier

Magnifier/Reader

ZoomText Magnifier is equipped with a powerful set of reading tools for students with low vision problems. ZoomText Magnifier/Reader provides the total computer access solution. Students can see and hear what they are doing in all of their applications, and give their eyes a rest while ZoomText reads their text documents and web pages.

Persuasive Example: "Super Duper Tires"

Persuasive Example: "Super Duper Tires"

Irlen Syndrome or Scotopic Sensitivity System

  

 AT for Irlen Syndrome, also known as Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome

Irlen Syndrome is a type of visual perceptual dysfunction. It is not an optical problem. It is a problem with how the nervous system encodes and decodes visual information. Academic and work performance, behaviour, attention, ability to sit still and concentration can all be affected.
Individuals with Irlen syndrome see the printed page differently. Irlen syndrome prevents many students from reading effectively and efficiently.
Until recently it has baffled educators and medical scientists because it has been undetected by standard visual and educational tests. Irlen has a patented treatment method using specially formulated colored overlays, or spectral filters worn as glasses or contact lenses, to reduce or eliminate perception difficulties.

Don Johnson's Assistive Technology Tools for Reading

In 2009 as part of their $32 million U.S. Department of Education OSEP award, Bookshare chose Read:OutLoud by Don Johnston Incorporated as the text reader that would best achieve the goal of providing access to reading materials and enabling students to read texts with comprehension. It is available for free to all Bookshare members.

If you are a Bookshare member you can download Read:OutLoud Bookshare Edition

                                              

This app is equipped with so many amazing features. It has a language feature that allows students to speak in a foreign language and look at the corresponding foreign translation of words. This would benefit beginning EL students. Additionally, this app has lots of other possibilities for the classroom. The teacher can give an oral assignment to several students at once, without having to go one-on-one. Students with dysgraphia or students who are resistant writers would be able to speak their assignments, then edit using the keyboard option. Another idea would be to use this app to publish student essays, which would save time for both the teacher and students.

It all started with a course in assistive technology. So for me, it justs makes sense to write about the amazing world of assistive technology.
My blog is going to concentrate on the multitute of assistive technology tools for all students. From my teaching experience, I have discovered that not two students are alike, they come in different shapes, sizes and types. The ways in which they acquire knowledge is also unique. Fortunately, for most students in an ordinary classroom, teaching can be designed to accomodate different learning needs. However, when it comes to students who need that extra boost to keep up with their classmates, assistive technology is an amazing tool that assists them in learning, understanding and social participation in the regular classroom. Well, I am going to open the treasure chest of assistive technology tools and see what I discover!

Wow, I have discovered a treasure chest full of valuable assistive technology tools for my classroom!

Students who are unable to use their hands or other related dissabilities to operate a computer are assisted by voice command assistive technology. Petrana Assistive Technologies has created voice commands for DVD software,which allows a person to successfully control and operate a computer by speech-recognition, which allows greater freedom and management.