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Assistive Technology
Use of assistive technology is required by many students with disabilities so that they can access their educational environment and information.
Assistive technology can assist students with a learning disability to access print materials, improve spelling, grammar and writing style. However, since the effects of the disability can vary according to the type of disability, it is important that an assessment be made as to the most appropriate choice of assistive technology for each individual student.
The following is a list of some of the assistive technology which can be useful for students with learning disabilities. The list is not designed to be prescriptive.
Some of this technology could also be helpful for student for non-English speaking backgrounds and students with mental health issues having difficulty with reading and writing.
- Screen readers - allow text on a computer screen to be spoken by a synthetic voice. Software such as Write Out Loud allows the student to hear the text as they type it on the computer screen and review and edit it. Read and Write is designed specifically to assist students with a learning disability by providing auditory feedback as well as comprehensive spelling and grammar checking and predictive text completion.
- Text-to-speech software - for students who have difficulty reading on screen. Some of this software is free, such as ReadPlease.
- Optical Character Recognition (OCR) - uses a scanner and relevant software to recognize printed text and convert it to text in a computer. This can then be accessed by other assistive technology such as a Screen reader, screen enlarger or other programs such as Read and Write Gold and WYNN. The text can then be read by the student in either audio or enlarged text form and manipulated within a word processor.
- Spell-checker and thesaurus - checks the spelling of particular words or for alternative words and meanings. There is also a speaking dictionary and thesaurus called the Language Master.
- Word prediction - works in conjunction with a word processor. It can assist students who have problems with spelling or grammar. The first letter of a word is typed by the student and the program offers a list of possible words beginning with that letter. If the desired word appears, it can be chosen by keyboard or mouse, and the word is inserted into the sentence. If not, the computer continues to offer a word until one is found.
- Voice recognition software - allows the student to dictate information into the computer through a microphone and to have some control over the computer by voice. Continuous voice recognition needs to be trained to recognize individual voices, and to develop specialised vocabularies.
- Math technologies - such as Talking Calculator. Metroplex produces a range of voice operated mathematics programs.
- Palm pilots - help with organisation of due dates for assignments, calendar, diary etc.
For further information about Assistive technology:
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