Adaptive Technologies

Assistive Technology provides equitable access to a variety of written and other various formats. It is a dynamic area of need. It could be described as “a tool to assist in the accomplishment of tasks that would be difficult or impossible to complete without assistance, using only the available resources in the available time."

Assistive Technology can be defined as "any item, piece of equipment, or product system whether acquired commercially of the shelf, modified or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities." (Individuals with Disabilities Education ACT (IDEA) 20, USC, Ch 33, Section 1401 (25) US)

It opens many possibilities for what assistive technology can be. A definition does not imply that assistive technology must include computers, or that it must be expensive, or that it can only be prescribed. The definition permits assistive technology to only be restricted by our own creativity and imagination. Over the years, innovation by individuals having to meet specific needs due to lack of funds, emerging or changing technologies and remoteness has witnessed technologies that have challenged the mainstream. The potential application of assistive technology has been greatly enhanced through a strong foundation of knowledge coupled with creativity and problem-solving strategies.

New assistive technology can play a vital role in supporting the ways in which older or disabled people can maintain or regain their independence. It also has the potential to modernize the way in which many aspects of health and social care are currently delivered to the benefit of users, carers, service providers and community in general.

The client, student or consumer would certainly include the individual user and possibly family members. The range of professionals involved considering AT may include; Teachers, Teacher Assistants, Educational Consultants, IT Consultants, AT Consultants, Learning Disability (LD) Specialists, Speech Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Early Interventionists, Employment Counsellors, Rehabilitation Counsellors, Psychologists, Rehabilitation Technologists, Disability Specialists, Support Workers and Advocates.

The benefits of assistive technology cross age, disability and or health challenges. A person may face a range of possible physical and/or cognitive challenges. Some examples are: a Learning Disability (LD), Blindness or Low Vision, Hearing loss, Speech Impairments, Mobility Impairments, Muscular Dystrophy, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Cerebral Palsy (CP), a Developmental Disability, Autism, ADHD, ADD and Acquired Brain Injury.

As a rule of thumb, any technology that enables someone to do something they otherwise would find difficult or impossible can be termed as "Assistive Technology", facilitating access and achieving previously unreachable goals. Individuals challenged by a disability can benefit from technology in many facets of their personal life; education, employment, recreation and social. Assistive Technology (AT) can help individuals increase their independence, build self confidence and self esteem, improve the quality of life and break barriers when providing the tools for possible employment and educational opportunities.

Assistive Technology as applied to persons with disabilities can often be referred to as "adaptive technology", usually in the context of computer related accessibility. However, computer access can be referred to as "Access Technology". While "access technology" and "adaptive technology" essentially have the same implied meaning, adaptive technology functions to provide access to computer systems. Assistive technology, in a broader sense, is a technology that helps someone participate in his or her environment through adaptation and accessibility whether it is computers, environmental access and control ("electronic aid") or Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).

Broad categories of Assistive Technology may include:

  • Alternative Keyboards
  • Alternative Mouse Systems
  • Communication Systems
  • Optical Character Recognition
  • Personal Data Assistants
  • Refreshable Braille Displays
  • Screen Magnifiers
  • Screen Readers
  • Text-to-Speech Systems
  • Voice Recognition Systems
  • Word Prediction