Assistive Technology - Disability Support | Enabling Guide (2024)

FAQs

What assistive technology evaluation helps answer? ›

An assistive technology evaluation is vital in determining the appropriate technological supports needed for a student with disabilities to succeed academically. In such evaluations, there are certain pertinent questions that need to be asked to ensure that the technology is well-suited to the student's needs.

ME-067 : Assistive technology products for Persons with Disability is Standards Australia's technical committee that works on drafting, reviewing and updating national and international standards relating to assistive technology products for persons with disability.

Assistive products can range from physical products such as wheelchairs, glasses, prosthetic limbs, white canes, and hearing aids to digital solutions such as speech recognition or time management software and captioning.

The eight areas are all important to the development and delivery of assistive technology (AT) services and include: Consideration of AT Needs, Assessment of AT Needs, AT in the IEP, AT Implementation, Evaluation of Effectiveness of AT, AT in Transition, Administrative Support for AT, and AT Professional Development.

Assistive technology is technology used by individuals with disabilities in order to perform functions that might otherwise be difficult or impossible.

Assistive technologies (ATs) are designed to improve the functional capabilities of people with disabilities. Some are relatively low-tech and very familiar, such as such as reading glasses, crutches and hearing aids.

Canes. A cane is the least restrictive assistive device but is also the least stable. An individual must have sufficient balance, upper body strength, and dexterity to use a cane.

As a general rule, when determining which AT tool to use, always “try before you buy.” Many free trials last for 30 days, which is usually plenty of time to determine whether the tool will be beneficial for your child or student.

Thus, technology assessment studies are very helpful in deciding which technologies should be moved to the market and which of those can be shelved. Detailed technology assessment reports can also be used to demonstrate the potential and capabilities to a prospective investor or buyer.

The aim of a Technology Evaluation is to provide a concise review of the design, basic technology, clinical use, and future potential of a specific novel or emerging drug delivery device/application/technology platform with strong scientific evidence in the primary literature.

What is the main purpose of evaluating educational technology? ›

In educational technology, evaluation can focus on the impact of technology on determining educational effects such as learning outcomes, or user satisfaction, motivation, experience, and usability [57].

The Functional Evaluation of Assistive Technology (FEAT) is a systematic and comprehensive assessment tool that helps educators determine effective assistive technology solutions for students with learning difficulties.