Did you know that technology is greatly benefitting people with disabilities? Without a doubt, technology is coming to the rescue in many ways. This is particularly true in the case of individuals with combined or multiple disabilities.
How is technology helping people with multiple disabilities?
Adaptive Computer Technology is helping people with multiple disabilities by making communication easier than ever. It accomplishes this through a variety of mediums. Here are just a few:
– Screen Readers – These are “software programs that provide either speech or Braille output.”
– Optical Character Recognition (OCR) – OCR software scans written materials into a computer. This is ideal software for someone with multiple disabilities, as it “accommodates many types of disabilities.”
– Magnification Software - This type of software can make graphics and text large enough to be seen by the PC user who is visually impaired.
These as well as other technology mediums can be mixed, matched, and personalized for each individual. This personalization depends on an individual’s disability mix.
While technology has many tools through which it accomplishes ease of communication, perhaps none is more efficient that the handheld computer. The iPad is proving to be particularly efficient.
The iPad can be a vital tool for people with more than one disability.
iPads and other handheld computers are becoming more and more common in Learning Disability/Special Needs classrooms. Why is this? Because “the personal computer (PC) can be the backbone of independence for millions of individuals with sensory, physical, and learning disabilities.”
The handheld PC literally puts this independence at a person’s fingertips.
The iPad appears to be an ideal piece of technology for people with combined disabilities due to its unique capabilities, functions, and applications.
The iPad is great for people with multiple disabilities because of its many functions enabled via applications. “Text to speech applications” on the iPad, for example, can literally “give voice” to those who are unable to speak.
Other iPad applications can teach children with autism basic self-care skills. New iPad applications such as “Ariadne GPS” and “Color ID Free” are giving new levels of independence to those who are visually impaired.
The fact that the iPad is highly portable makes it even more accessible to those with numerous disabilities.
Learn more about technology as it relates to disability.
Interested in learning more about technology’s positive effects upon persons with combined disabilities? Visit http://teachinglearnerswithmultipleneeds.blogspot.com/ to see a helpful blog about assistive technology.
Sources:
http://www.disabledworld.com/assistivedevices/computer/voice.php
http://www.disabled-world.com/assistivedevices/computer/
http://faculty.washington.edu/wobbrock/pubs/assets-02.pdf
http://teachinglearnerswithmultipleneeds.blogspot.com/
Image made available by liewcf on Flickr through Creative Commons License.
*Please note: All research for this article is compiled from direct and third party sources. Mention of programs, organizations and companies does not imply support of The National Benefit Authority. Pictures are for creative purposes only; they are not intended to sell or promote products for the NBA and belong to the accredited individual, organization or company.
Let’s Talk About It
What are some other forms of technology that are beneficial to people with multiple disabilities?
What piece of technology has been most helpful to you?
