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This is a great website I found on Pinterest. It is a website made up of all sorts of homemade assistive technology tools. These generally are low tech types of assistive technology that is easy to make for a very inexpensive cost. This website would be a great one to refer to while in need of a quick tool to make while on fieldwork or on the job. You never know when you need a type of assistive technology to adapt an activity. With websites like these, the ideas that they have may easily be modified to fit the activity for your client. 

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LD OnLine is the leading website on learning disabilities, learning disorders and differences. Parents and teachers of learning disabled children will find authoritative guidance on attention deficit disorder, ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, dysnomia, reading difficulties, speech and related disorders. LD OnLine works in association with Learning Disabilities Association of America, International Dyslexia Association, Council for Exceptional Children, Schwab Foundation for Learning, and the Coordinated Campaign for Learning Disabilities.

This article is a great resource for anyone who has a connection to a child with a disability who needs or uses assistive technology. It describes the IDEA act of 2004 to parents and teachers so that they can better understand it and the steps to take regarding funding for technology. Funding is a very beneficial piece for families with children with disabilities. Many parents do not know and understand the process to receive funding. This website could be used as a great resource not only for parents but teachers too who have children who could benefit from assistive technology. Additionally, it describes other resources that parents and education professionals can use. 

[amylennis1-blog]

Finger Reading vs. Rolling With It: Brilliant Braille Aid | Gadgets, Science & Technology

For people who lose their sight as adults, learning Braille can sometimes feel like a defeat or a sacrifice. Newly-blind adults – particularly those who ...

Unit 4

I found this while scrolling through Pinterest! It is a Braille reader that a user just slides right across the page. It can read as you go but also repeat the entire sentence when done. The Braille points on the paper enter through the touch pad on the roller. It also has a Bluetooth earpiece option so it is not speaking out loud and disturbing others. I think this could be an excellent tool for Braille reading. I would be interested to see how it works exactly and how hard/easy it is to roll across the page and keep on the line you wish for it to read. Something new and definitely interesting!

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This seems like a really awesome device, Amy! It is crazy what technology can do anymore. For individuals who are learning to use Braille, this would be incredibly helpful. I like the idea that it has an earpiece option so that it doesn’t interrupt others around them. Additionally with the earpiece, it won’t draw attention to them in a social setting if they are around others. As you said, I would like to see how well it would work, but I think it is a great invention.

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There are a wide variety of assistive technology devices that a student may need in order to access the curriculum. This page has a list of possible assistive technology unique to students with visual impairments.

This website is fit for students with visual impairments. While browsing the website, I found many helpful tools. There are main tabs at the top with broad categories of information about visual impairments. The ECC tab has a specific choice of assistive technology. Under this, there are many types of technology for those who have a visual impairment such as computer access, audio books, apps, braillewriter and many more. I think this website is a great resource for anyone who has or knows someone with a visual impairment. It is easy to browse and has some really great information. It specifically pinpoints things such as recreation and leisure, sensory and social skills, career education and so many more. While looking through the website, it really gives an individual with a visual impairment hope. It shows them exactly what all is available and items they have access to in order to be successful.

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Read the Music translates sheet music into sound for visually impaired - Gizmo Chunk

Music isn’t everybody’s cup of tea as it requires professional training to read handwritten or printed form of music notation with modern musical symbols to master the art. And going through the sheet music becomes even more difficult for the visually impaired without any special assistance. Providing a solution, American designer Morris Koo has come ...

This is an awesome assistive technology device that I found from Pinterest. This device allows those with vision impairments the ability to hear sheet music as they typically would read. Music is an occupation valued by many individuals, and those with vision deficits are unable to read music. This device scans the sheet music and turns it into music so that the user can hear it. The individual will use this to hear the rhythm of the music while simultaneously playing another music instrument. It is the small things that we take for granted by being able to see, and this is one of them. With this device, individuals with impaired vision are able to participate in this occupation. 

[rachelkoby-blog]

Interactive Whiteboards - Assistive Technology for the Blind

A brief look at how interactive whiteboards, such as the Mimio and SMART Board, are being used for the blind and visually impaired students at the Florida Sc...

Unit 3

This is an interesting idea for teachers of people who are visually impaired. One problem people with low vision may have in the classroom is being able to see the board.  In this video, it shows how an interactive whiteboard such as the Mimio Interactive White Board System, can be used to help classroom performance.  This can be used with any white board to capture what is written on the white board and then transmit it to a computer.  In this fashion, individuals with visual impairments would be able to see what is written on the board close up, on their computer screen.  The material may also be saved and kept to look at again or for students who missed the lecture.  This could be very helpful for someone with low vision, while allowing the teacher to continue teaching in a typical manner.

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I love this idea Rachel! It is really cool to see how helpful assistive technology is for individuals with low vision. If an individual is unable to see the board, they likely will fall behind with the class while lecturing or taking notes. This type of assistive technology allows them access to see everything the teacher is writing on the board. Typically students with low vision would have to sit in the front of the classroom so that they can see. With the use of this assistive technology they no longer have to do so. A child with low vision will often interrupt the teacher and ask questions since they cannot see it, but while using this device they no longer have to. I really like the idea that notes can be saved this way also. This feature allows those the ability to access the notes from class at a later time. These interactive white boards are a great idea!

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How One Man's Trip to Toys 'R' Us Brought Mobility to Hundreds of Disabled Kids

This $200 alternative to a power wheelchair could get thousands of physically impaired kids mobile

This video that I found on Pinterest introduces the Go Baby Go project. The Go Baby Go project was founded to increase exploration for kids with special needs. Since power wheelchairs are not made for children under the age of three, it allows these children to operate a mobility device. The Go Baby Go project buys motor cars off the shelves of stores and modifies them in a way children with a disabilities can use. By doing this, they are giving these children the opportunity to be mobile and get around with their friends where they usually would fall behind. These devices incorporate therapeutic activities into them. One girl in the video usually doesn’t keep her head upright and straight. With her mobility device, they made a switch on the head rest so that she has a reason to sit up and operate the switch to move the device. The mobility device they offer Zander in the video requires him to stand up while using, therefore increasing his muscle strength while enjoying himself. Most importantly, this project allows individuals with disabilities the opportunity to bond with typically developing children. They now are able to keep up with their friends while playing in a large area, and could even take over the leadership role by moving faster than their friends.   

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Parents and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD) children tested and reviewed three new watches that promise to grab your child's attention and teach them valuable lessons about schedules and responsibility.

While looking on Pinterest for types of assistive technology, I found this great article. Until I read it, I never would have thought of a watch as a type of assistive technology. Children with attention deficit disorders use a watch as an alarm to remind them of certain activities of daily living. Since individuals wear watches on a regular basis, a child doesn’t stand out while using this device. It can be programmed to go off multiple different times a day as reminders for whatever they may need. One of the parents set up their child’s watch to vibrate every 20 minutes saying “Pay Attention” while the child was in class. This vibration doesn’t disrupt other students, but gives a child with ADD or ADHD the extra reinforcement to focus. Another parent used the watch to remind their child to take their medicine throughout the day. These are just a few of many examples that an individual with attention deficits could benefit from using this device.

[amylennis1-blog]

Unit 2

The orbitTouch Keyless Keyboard is an interesting alternative keyboard. It has 2 domes on it. The right side has letters and numbers circling around the dome that is in alphabetical order. Each letter has a different color to it which corresponds with the colors circling the left dome. To use this device, you slide the right dome to the group of letters you want, then slide the left dome to the color of the letter on the right side that you wish to enter. It sounds great for people with limited to no finger motion or wrist motion. It also doubles as a mouse where the left dome controls the clicks and the right dome controls the movements of the mouse. It sounds like a great idea and watching the videos on their website make it seem easy, however I wish I could use one in person to see just how easy it really is!

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This keyboard definitely looks different than the standard keyboard layout, but seems like a really neat invention. As an alternative to standard keyboard access, the selection set is unique from that of a standard keyboard. It looks like it would be hard to learn, but with practice I think an individual could become successful in using the orbiTouch keyboard. An individual who uses this can type without any wrist motion, alleviating any pain or stress that occurs from typing on a standard keyboard. The outcomes of this keyboard seem great. However, I agree with Amy saying that I would like some practice using it to see how it works.

[ahill1-blog]

Engineering students in India have designed a prototype device that translates sign langue into audio and text, allowing people with a varying disabilities interact with each other. This device was made so that even if you don’t know sign language you are able to communicate with those who use it. The article notes that there is a device called MotionSavvy which is described as being very similar to a tablet. The new prototype includes gloves with sensors and accelerometer attached to an lcd screen with audio. The sensors detect the way the fingers are being bent and the accelerometer detects the tilting and movement of hands. There is a stored database of gestures with pre-recorded audio that will speak and display the text of the signs on the screen. The article states that there isn’t a release date or price for the device. I think that a communication device like this would be a wonderful addition to the AT world. It provides so many opportunities to those who otherwise may be unable to interact certain people in their lives. I’m not sure if the lcd screen that displays text would be able to convert that information to a computer. But if so, this device would have the capabilities to complete a variety of computer related tasks.

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What a neat article to find Allie! I would have never thought of this type of augmentative communication device but it is very practical. Many individuals in our world use sign language, and with this tool they could interact with others so much easier. It looks like it would be a type of direct selection that the motion sensors of the hands could translate the signs into both text on the screen as well as audio. It is really cool to see how much technology has improved over the years and what great opportunities it brings with it. Hopefully we can see this device in action within the next few years.

[thentis]

Smartphones, Apps Prove Liberating For Those With Special Needs

With the shift from computers to touch-screen phones and tablets in recent years, initial worries that people with disabilities would be left behind have largely faded, advocates say.

Unit 2- Article from Zite

This article discusses smart phone accessibility and how applications and certain features on a smart phone can provide just as much use to an individual with a disability as an actual desktop computer can.  A few individuals with blindness and visual impairments share their experiences of using smart phones, and they are overwhelmingly positive about their experience.  Apps that these individuals commonly use include: BlindSquare for navigation and Money Reader to identify currency.  Smart phones are extremely popular (they are the new pants) and everybody has a right to learn how use their phone to best suit their needs.  It is important for an occupational therapist to recognize and understand the importance of their client’s cell phone, and work to make the device as accessible as possible for the user.    

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This was a great article to share Torey! After learning about all the accessibility features of smartphones, this articles takes that to the next level. Apps give individuals these wonderful abilities in a hand held portable device. These apps are a way to adapt and modify the screens of phones, giving individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity that they deserve. Our society is dependent on smartphones and with apps like these, all individuals of our society can use them. With technology holding a high importance in our lives, it is essential to implement apps like these into therapy. As the old saying “there’s an app for that,” certainly is fitting for this article.

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This braille label kit is an inexpensive type of alternative to computer output hardware. These labels are a way an individual with vision impairments can adapt a standard keyboard. This kit includes both big print and braille label stickers. The stickers are larger, bolder, and give a tactile feedback of the letter that a standard keyboard doesn’t offer. The braille stickers are easy to place onto a standard keyboard and they don’t damage the original keyboard while removing. These labels enable individuals who have low vision, macular degeneration, or blindness to use a standard keyboard. They can place their hands on the standard keyboard as we do using the labels to feel the letters. These labels are a very affordable price and are easy to apply and remove on a standard keyboard.

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This is a portable finger hand-held 4D Usb mini trackball mouse with off-table design for free and comfortable operation. It is ideal for laptop users. Specifications: Compatible with Windows95/ 98/ 2000/ ME/ XP/ NT Unit Dimensions: 3.15 x 2.05 x 1.97 inches (8 x 5.2 x 5cm) USB Cord Length:…

This portable finger hand held mouse is a type of alternative to standard mouse access. It is an input device that is smaller than a regular sized computer mouse. An individual places this mouse into their index or middle finger and then controls the mouse with their thumb. It has a trackball to move the cursor around as well as a right and left mouse click that are all controlled by the thumb using direct access. It could make access to those with small range of motion much easier. An individual would not have to use their arm or wrist at all to maneuver around the screen. Rather, they would just need range of their thumb to rotate it around the screen. This mouse can plug into nearly all devices with a USB port and is compatible with Windows products. This device is a very reasonable cost that could be very helpful for many individuals. It also is accessible to both right and left handed users.

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QWERTY — so-called because the letters at the top-left corner of the keyboard begin with QWERTY — is the most common keyboard layout. But some people think alternative keyboard layouts like Dvorak and Colemak are faster and more efficient.

After learning about alternative access to computer keyboards, this article was a great read.  It describes why QWERTY is the primary keyboard layout amongst all devices and even compares it to two other layouts. In the 1800’s the original layout for the typewriter was alphabetical order. Typewriters often jammed from the arrangement of letters and how close they were together. Individuals came up with the QWERTY keyboard arrangement where the letters were spaced out more. Ever since, it has been successful and individuals use it on multiple devices. This article also compares the QWERTY layout to other types of keyboard layouts including Dvorak and Colemak. Although these aren’t used as much, some individuals are more efficient using these types of keyboards. For individuals with disabilities, these types of keyboard layouts could be useful. The Dvorak is a type of adaptation to computer keyboards. It is accessible through Windows and an individual can set it up so that it changes the keyboard layout. However, the keys will still show the QWERTY layout but one can buy an adaptive to computer keyboard access such as an overlay to make it easier to use.

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Apple has included a lot of accessibility into their products but this is really a great feature. This article informs us about the new VoiceOver and Zoom they have included in AppleTV. This allows individuals with vision impairments to access AppleTV. The zoom magnifies the screen up to 15 times and includes bolder text, reduces the contrast, and so much more. After learning about assistive technology programs on computers, I think this being on a TV is very helpful. TV is leisure activity that many of us take part in and individuals with impairments deserve that right just as much.

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OT-designed, easy-grip utensils with built-up, curved handles that facilitate greater success with hand-to-mouth feeding. Set includes 1 spoon and 1 fork,

These Easie Eaters are a great low tech device for children. They have larger handle for easier grip as well as a curve on the end to aid the child. They come in a package including both a spoon and a fork and are less than $10. You can buy them for either a right or left handed individual depending upon the dominance. If a child is having issues being successful with eating, this is an inexpensive and easy device to facilitate the task. 

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Special Solution for Disabled Pediatric Toileting

http://careindustrynews.co.uk/2015/09/special-solution-for-disabled-paediatric-toileting/

This is a really cool article I found on Zite. The article includes a type of assistive technology that would be useful for an occupational therapist. Toileting is a very important ADL that is necessary for development. If a child would have an issue with toileting, this is a great way that we could modify the task for their use. They can work towards independence using this device which is always a goal as an occupational therapist.