Assistive Technology

There are three different kinds of technology used in these videos. One for a girl with Cerebral Palsy, another for a boy who was visually impaired, and the last for a high school boy who did not have good use of his arms and legs.

The girl, Elle, used a Dynavox. This machine uses a censor on her forehead to connect to an electronic screen. It works similarly to a Wii remote and the T.V. sensor. She could then look at pictures and put together sentences by selecting multiple pictures. It does take some time, but it is amazing to have a form of communication for people who have not had that chance before. They can show that they are intelligent, and they can participate in class activities and school. This technology helps show that even severe physical disorders do not imply that the person is also mentally incapable. The Dynavox helps even the playing field of learning.

In the second video, Mason used a braille typewriter. Mason a six year old boy who has blindness in one eye, and severely lowered vision in the other. He can see large print, but braille is something that will serve him better in the future. His typewriter has a button per finger, and different combinations make certain letters. When he types a letter, the typewriter says the letter back to him so he knows what he typed. This allows Mason to take notes and do writing assignments along with the class. He also enjoys using the SmartBoard, which has large enough font that he can participate in interactive lessons through this device. His favorite at home learning tool is the iPad, which also has a large font in a variety of applications that will help teach him how to read and spell.

The last video features a high school student named Lukas. Lukas is in marching band, concert band, and jazz band. Lukas also has a physical disorder that has left him with limbs that do not function properly. He does not have the strength to push in the pegs of a normal instrument, so one has been modified for him with a joystick that attaches to his wheelchair. The joystick controls which notes he plays, while he blows into the instrument. Unfortunately, this instrument was stolen from him. The community then decided to gather together, and they raised another $4,000 dollars to modify a new instrument for Lukas so he could keep doing what he loves. Lukas wants to become a musician. New technology such as this is allowing physically impaired students to reach new heights and chase their dreams.