Assistive Technology

We are now looking at assistive technology. This is of particular interest to because I have a child with autism who is nonverbal. She has learned some words, but she does not initiate verbal communication on her own. Over the years I have looked at different methods for her to communicate from low tech to high tech alternatives. I really hope to learn about more types hardware and software assistive technologies. I would also like to look at the ways educators determine which type of assistive technology to use and the newest forms of assistive technology.

I also hope to share with fellow classmates that may not be very familiar with the parent perspective of assistive technology. With any assistive technology, there must be a reason and a plan for use. Not only does the child have to learn to use the technology, but anyone who works with the child including peers must be familiar with it, not just how to use it, but also how to program and adapt its usage for the student in a classroom setting. This is not as easy as it seems. There can be a lot of work involved with using the technology especially on a consistent basis. The child is not always going to catch on quickly. The parents, teachers and others have to help the student learn to use the technology through modeling and sometimes even "hand-over-hand" implementation is needed. Depending upon the function of the assistive technology, the ultimate goal is to get the child to use it as independently as possible. This takes time, patience and consistency. Every person's experience varies, but I hope I can at least share my experiences with my child and assistive technology. I also hope to become re energized by this exploration.