ATHS 621 ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT AND OUTCOME MEASURES May 17, 2011 Susan Cullen Program Manager Universal Design Center Campus Assistive Technology Coordinator Part-Time Faculty Department of Special Education Assistive Technology Studies and Human Services

Course Overview This course emphasizes the assistive technology assessment process with a focus on the end user. The course further focuses on the processes of assessing the strengths and needs of each individual, their environment, assistive technology options, training needs, affordability, and determining obstacles that might prevent adoption or lead to user abandonment. Lastly, the course emphasizes establishing and assessing outcomes.

General Types of High Tech Assistive Technology Input Voice Activated Control (Speech to Text) Physical Input Devices: trackballs, mouth sticks, head wands, Keyboards Scanning Software Output Text to Speech Screen Reader Software Screen Enlargers Captioning for the spoken word Descriptive Audio Assistive Technology Resource: Ability Hub http://www.abilityhub.com/ Organizational Software Tools – Flow charts – Brainstorming – Story boards

Low Tech Types of Assistive Technology Low Tech Solutions Pencil Grips Color Overlays Tape text read out loud Paper cut outs

What are some of the Challenges? 1. To understanding an individual’s different abilities and the functional impact of their strengths and weaknesses. 2. To understand the individual learning style. 3. Evaluation of the whole person, including how they relate to technology, people, and the world around them. 4. Avoid the temptation to apply familiar or popular technology solutions in a classroom setting without analysis of the impact on the individual.

Hierarchy of Experience Conceptualization 5) Abstraction of ideas, generalization, abstract problem solving categorical reasoning Symbolization 4) Ability to represent experience through language either verbally or nonverbally 3) Comprehensive frame of reference for information and the sequence and storing of it Imagery/memory 2) Ability to differentiate between stimuli via the sensory channels and for the brain to give stimuli meaning Perception Sensation 1) Activation of sensorineural structures Johnson, D.J. & Myklebust, H.R. Learning Disabilities, Grune & Stratton, New York, 1967

A Simple Example I understand it comes from the fruit family I can ask for an apple verbally or with symbols. I know and remember I have seen it before. I know it is different from other things. I see the apple. I can touch it.

Hierarchy of Experience Conceptualization I understand it comes from the fruit family Symbolization I can ask for an apple verbally or with symbols. Imagery/memory I know and remember I have seen it before. Perception I know it is different from other things. Sensation I see the apple. I can touch it.

Finding your way through the maze of technology. Outcomes Finding your way through the maze of technology. Colorful balls travel through a maze. One ball makes it through with no problems. The second ball gets stuck along the way, the last ball crosses over the established pathways - thus finding their own creative solution. Individual

Understanding Differences How may one perceive sounds if auditory processing is a weakness? the written word if visual processing is a weakness? the visual world if vision is limited? visual instructions if he or she processes their visual world differently when compared to the average person?

Sensation Definition: Activation of sensorineural structures Difficulties with: smell touch hearing vision fine motor function gross motor function eye hand coordination

A.T. at the level of Sensation Hearing: Assistive Listening Devices, Hearing Aids, Text rather than auditory information, Sign Language, Visual Signaling Devices Vision: Magnification of text (a good starting size is 18 font) Screen Readers, Braille, Auditory Signaling Devices, Auditory rather than visual information, Verbal description of visuals Motor Deficits: Large buttons, Track Ball, Pen Grips, Voice Activated Computing

Perception Definition: Ability to differentiate between stimuli via the sensory channels and for the brain to give stimuli meaning Difficulties may be in any of the following areas: Visual Auditory Tactile Directionality/Kinetic Perception/Haptic Processing

Visual Perception Deficits (understanding what you see) distinguishing differences between things distinguish visual details filling in missing parts in pictures distinguish general characteristics visual-motor perception (i.e. click on right side) What might signal trouble in this area?

A.T. at the level of Visual Perception Text to Speech High contrast Color Magnification of Text Speech to Text Tactical References Touch Screens Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome and Dyslexia Ta

Difficulties: Auditory Perception distinguish differences between sounds/voices distinguishing specific words or numbers distinguish general sound patterns blending parts of words together

A.T. at the level of Auditory Perception Text to Speech Assistive Listening Devices for attention deficits Software that helps one learn the parts of speech Software that helps one practice pronunciation Captioning of spoken words Visual signals for auditory signals Ta

Difficulties: knowing how to process what one touches or where ones body is in time and space (Directionality, Kinetic Perception, Haptic Processing) Note Haptic Processing involves learning through touch, feel, and movement Definitions of Haptic on the Web: Pertaining to the sense of touch, from the Greek word haptein, to grasp. There are four types of sensory neurons (mechanoreceptors) involved in or relating to or proceeding from the sense of touch; "haptic data"; "a tactile reflex" Haptic, from the Greek αφή (Haphe), means pertaining to the sense of touch. It is the earliest sense to develop in the fetus, and the development of infants' haptic senses, and how that relates to the development of the other senses such as vision, has been the target of much research. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haptic

Haptics refers to the sense of touch (from Greek ἅπτω = "I fasten onto, I touch"). It may refer to: Haptic technology, technology that interfaces with the user through the sense of touch Haptic communication, the means by which people and other animals communicate via touching Haptic perception, the process of recognizing objects through touch http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haptic