Mobility By: Valerie Asa

What is mobility? Many students with disabilities need assistive technology in order to be able to participate and benefit from their education. There are a variety of ways that technology helps support a student’s performance, achievement, and independence by: academics and learning aids, aids to daily living, assistive listening and environmental aids for the hearing impaired and deaf, augmentative communication, computer access, leisure and recreation, seating, positioning, mobility, and vision. Students that have access to the appropriate assistive technology solution, are more likely to be successful in their educational programs.

Types of mobility Some people that have a physical disability that affects their movement ability, can use: mobility aids, such as wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, canes, crutches, prosthetic devices, and orthotic devices, to help benefit their mobility capabilities. Hearing aids - improve hearing ability in person that has hearing problems. Cognitive assistance - can help people function after they have suffered from a brain injury. Computer software and hardware - such as: voice recognition programs, screen readers, and screen enlargement applications, these help people with their mobility and sensory impairments.

Types of mobility cont. In the classroom - such as: automatic page-turners, book holders, and adapted pencil grips, these devices allow people with disabilities to participate in educational activities. Closed captioning - allows people with hearing impairments to enjoy movies and television programs. There are many types of devices that can help people with disabilities be able to perform everyday tasks such as: cooking, and dressing.

Use and benefits of mobility There are many students that have a disability and use assistive technology. Assistive technology can enhance the student’s participation and how well they achievement with their education. There are many different varieties of assistive technology solutions that correspond with every student’s individual need for all academic areas (reading, writing and spelling, math, and study and organization).

Mobility devices Students with disabilities use mobility devices to improve their participation and achievement with their education. There are many different types of mobility devices to meet every unique need of the student. Hard of hearing or deaf students often need mobility devices to access information that is normally presented in the classroom. There are many different solutions available that help improve speech and other auditory signals. Some examples include: texting, closed captioning devices, real time captioning, and environmental aids that support independent living skills.

Mobility devices cont. Students with physical disabilities often need access to mobility aids to provide them with a means of moving about their environments. Mobility aids include: canes, crutches, walkers, scooters, and wheelchairs. Mobility devices are recommended by physical and occupational therapists based on the student’s individual needs.

Mobility devices cont. Students with visual impairments can also benefit from a mobility device. One major need is often involved with comprehension between the printed and written communication. Some examples of visual aids include: talking dictionaries, adapted tape player/recorders, large print and talking calculators, braille writers, closed circuit televisions, and software such as screen reading and text enlargement programs.

Videos Mobility International: Personal Story:

Advantages of mobility Students are able to work at their own pace. Students are able to accomplish more individually. Students are included into the regular classroom. By being included in the regular classroom it not only benefits the student with the disability, but also the other students and even the teacher. Students are able to achieve academic standards. Students are given the opportunity to socialize with more students. Technology can help students improve organizational skills and also writing skills. Technology helps students reach a higher level of education.

Disadvantages of mobility Many types of assistive technologies are very expensive. Some technologies cost thousands of dollars and many school districts don’t have enough money to provide these expensive technologies. Training needs to take place in order to know how to use the technologies properly, and that can be time consuming. Technology can’t be fully relied on. Technology always has its downfalls, and if a student’s device isn’t working properly, the student might not be able to complete the activities. Sometimes by having many different assistive technology devices, students might start to take advantage on the use of the technology, like using a device that they don’t really need.

Overall opinion on mobility Technology devices have opened many educational doors to children, especially children with disabilities. Alternative solutions are accommodating physical, sensory, or cognitive impairments in many different ways. Much of the technology seen today was developed to assist people with disabilities. Technology can be great for individuals with disabilities that might be prevented from participating fully in their academics. With technology, an individual can accomplish a goal that they have never been able to achieve because of their disability.

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