1. Assessing for Adaptive Technology Needs Disability Training Network July 2007

2. DTN 2007 Plan for Today’s Session
Introductions & Overview Presenter: Tracey Forman, Texas A&M University
About Adaptive Technology
Assessing a Student’s Adaptive Technology Needs
Review of some real life examples of AT applications
My name is Tracey Forman and I am the Program Coordinator for Adaptive Technology Services in the Department of Disability Services at Texas A&M University in College Station.
I serve as an accommodations counselor, but I am also the primary person who assists students who may need access to technology as part of their academic accommodations.

3. Assistive Technology vs. Adaptive Technology
Any item, piece of equipment, or system, whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized, that is commonly used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.
The application of science to accommodate people with disabilities.
This is a legally defined term that refers to the broader accommodation of people with disabilities.
Adaptive Technology - refers specifically to electronic and information technology access.

4. Common Types of Adaptive Technology Used
AT for General Disability Classes (see handout)
Low Vision/Blindness
Hearing Impairments/Deafness
Mobility Impairments
Learning Disabilities
Different Levels of Technology
No Tech
Low Tech
High Tech
No Tech: mouth stick, for pushing keyboard keys, large print
Low Tech: Adaptive mouse (rollerball/trackball), scanned to PDF to view large print
High Tech: Head mouse, speech recognition, electronie text with JAWS/refreshable braille display

5. When to consider AT and/or refer for AT assessment
What does the documentation say (i.e. type of diagnosis, evaluator recommendation)?
Is there something that may be appropriate for the student’s needs & skills? (referral by accommodation counselor, instructor, evaluator)
Has the student used something similar before?
Did the student request an accommodation that requires AT, orientation or training?
Most of the AT assessments we do at TAMU are for students:
who have new/recent diagnoses (mostly LD)
who have a disability that is becoming more severe
who need an orientation to the resources and procedures at TAMU

6. Purpose of an AT Assessment
To determine if there is a need for an AT-related accommodation
To determine what skills and resources the student has available
To determine what works best (demonstrate and evaluate)
To train the student on how to use the AT
To review procedures for requesting items, borrowing equipment, resources for obtaining personal items or items for home use
To determine if, and where, the AT may need to be available to the student such as campus computer labs, classrooms, during exams. (personal use vs. access to campus resources)
To determine if there is a need for an AT related accommodation
Does the documentation and/or observations support the need
To determine what skills and resources the student has available to be able to use the different types of AT
What, if anything, has the student used before?
Do they have the knowledge/ability to use the AT
Do that have access to the equipment, support and/or financial resources to utilize the AT
To determine what works best (demonstrate and evaluate)
To train the student on how to use the AT
To review procedures for requesting items, borrowing equipment, resources for obtaining personal item of items for home use
Home copies of software, glasses and monocular, personal audio recorder, referral to DARS
To determine where the AT needs to be available (campus computer labs, classrooms) or is the AT personal use

7. Guiding Principles Simpler is usually better
Technology should not just be used for convenience (or ‘perceived’ convenience). What is disability the student trying to accommodate?
The documented disability and functional limitations should support the NEED for the adaptive technology.
The student must have the skills or ability to learn the skills/access the resources.
Will the AT give the student more autonomy and/or independence?
Don’t be afraid to collaborate and consult with the student, instructor and other staff, to get ideas and brainstorm.
LD/ADHD students asking for speech recognition for writing papers
- If they have difficulties with spelling and punctuation, this is not always a good idea or appropriate
- Time/ patience to train software and learn how to dictate.
Using Speech recognition for transcribing recorded speech
If they want to try it on their own for convenience…fine.
However it is not our responsibility to provide of support AT that is not an accommodation. (Use of audio book for ESL students, speech recognition for medical students)

8. Common Types of AT Assessments
Learning Disabled
Audio books (most common)
RFBD DAISY format CDs
Electronic text with text-to-speech
Assistance with writing/thought organization
Low Vision
Equipment, software, alternative formats
Mobility
Use of alternative input devices
Speech recognition
Hearing impaired
Most legally blind students have an AT evaluation done through DARS. They usually come to college with equipment, software and knowledge about what they need and how to use it. Most of these students just need an orientation to campus resources and to discuss plan for certain specific situation.

9. Example AT Assessment Outlines
Audio Books Assessment (see handout)
Assessment and training session (~60 min)
Sometimes have to set-up a second session, if the topic is new to student or the student’s skills are not very advanced
Recommend that we do a follow-up appointment with new users about a month later to check on status/progress
Low Vision Assessment (see handout)

10. AT Assessment Situations
Severe cerebral palsy and limited speech ability
Oral presentation for class
Used text-to-speech to read aloud her speech while showing overheads
Severe low vision student
Difficulties with learning diagrams
Tried large print first, then tactile graphics (Swellform).
Needed assistance from instructor to get images

11. AT Assessment Situations
Severe physical disability
Difficulty using campus computer lab (unable to use standard mouse and keyboard).
Asked student what he uses at home
Purchased special rollerball mouse and then used Windows on-screen keyboard
Unable to find solution for log-on keystroke due to campus-wide lab configuration
Carpel tunnel, arthritis, older student
Difficulty typing, heard about speech recognition software, but couldn’t get to work for him at home
Spent lot of time on assessing skills, overview of how software worked
Set up multiple sessions for demonstration and training.
Had student bring in laptop to check settings, test and practice.

12. AT Assessment Situations
Hearing impaired student
Wanted to listen to lecture, record lecture and take notes on laptop
Student came with idea/question “could be done?”
Used FM system with audio splitter on tablet PC
This allow one input audio to FM System receiver and another audio input to laptop audio input port, so that the student could record lecture and listen while also writing notes on tablet PC
Audio Books
Slow reading, difficulty tracking, unable to stay focused
Low vision, visual perception
Assess severity of problem, skills, resources, availability
Start with RFBD when user is new
When not available, discuss e-text & text-to-speech