Reflections of Assistive Technologies

List and explain the disabilities demonstrated in the videos and tell how the technologies supported the students.

Suzanna Martini has cerebral palsy and without her motorized chair, computer, speech recognition and voice activated software, laptop, height adjusting desk, or headphones she would not be the same productive part of society as she is today. Each of these devices lend a helping hand to help her with everyday tasks. The same is true for Vishal Saraiya and Carlos who also have cerebral palsy in their attempts to navigate this world from their small chair adapted environments. Each of these children have different varying forms of this debilitating disease. The first task for any assistive technology device adaptation is to determine how to best improve their lives by matching up abilities with capabilities. What specific capabilities does a special child have that will match up with the accommodating technology? Using just the movement of an eyebrow to function in daily life is close to a miracle for some children. The use of touch pads to speak to classmates opens up a world of communication to a young mind. Even the joy of playing an instrument as exhibited by Lukas Bratcher with a limb disease can be enhanced to improve his life and future.

The second video shows Josh, a child of an estimated 1 in 88 autism related disorders in the United States (http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/data.html) alone. Josh exhibited isolated and nonverbal behaviors coupled with toe-walking and hand-flapping, therefore, when frustrated he would pitch tantrums. He is mentally and emotionally handicapped not physically handicapped. But his detailed observant kindergarten teacher saw that he liked cause and effect toys. She made use of the able net super talker that made it possible for Josh to eliminate the social interaction barriers and communicate with a voice backup system. Then she combined the able net book worm device with Josh's desires to read and interact with books. Josh defied the norm and developed eye contact and confidence to communicate with teacher and classmates. Adaptability is the key in any assistive device instance. Now he can read without the help of the able net reader device.

In my experiences in the classroom I too was able to see the great accomplishments that assistive technologies can provide children. My two students were Daryl and Susie. Daryl was afflicted with cerebral palsy and was in an wheelchair adapted to his needs and body shape. He could only make sounds and facial expressions. He had a touch pad device to help him communicate. He had some limited control movement in his right hand. My class was an art class so we were able to include him in all the activities, even when his aide did most of the artwork, you could see joy in his face. Susie on the other hand was severely learning disabled and functioned only with a point and click computer we had put into the classroom for her. At this time of my teaching career, these two students were isolated in the special education room and only came out for art and physical education. The support gained with the use of assistive technologies is unlimited in the advances that a child can receive with the monitoring of caring education professionals.