Lois' HafaBlog

Lois T. Gumataotao
ED443/G – Dr. Cyrus
Assignment #1

#10 - Assistive Technology organization websites

1. Assistive Technology in the Classroom
Name of Website: Assistive Technology to Meet K–12 Student Needs
http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te7assist.htm

This website caught my eyes as it provides listings of Assistive Technology (AT) to meet students with disabilities from grades K-12 not to mention its clarity for the reader. It cites the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997 and defined assistive technology device. The setup of the website used large fonts that were easy to read. It provides a table that focused on five AT categories for the disabled such as vision, communication, access, hearing, and for learning and studying which they addressed at the beginning. So if the subject one was looking for was not on the list, then they did not have to search any further. Under each category is a list of the various assistive adaptive technology devices. The website also had links where one can also navigate into other related organizations. Resources are provided that includes initiatives, IDEA practices and integrating standards. The website is straight to the point but provided other resources for more detailed information. It also has a product disclaimer. I recommend this website for the researcher.

2. Assistive Technology for the Blind
Name of Website: American Council of the Blind
http://acb.org/

This navigated me into this website which focused on the blind. The American Council for the Blind is the nation’s leading membership for the blind and visual impaired. This website provides general information about the Council, including recent issues of its monthly publication, The Braille Forum. The home page had 20 links to other information such as board directors, Braille Forum, site index, Washington connections, radio stations, job listings, history of the Braille, conventions, press releases, pedestrian safety, frequently asked questions, etc. This website provides a listing of the different agencies or organizations in providing awareness and planning to improve the well-being of all blind and visually impaired people. I found this site interesting as it has audio recordings of public announcements. It also has a link to catalogs for adaptive products for the blind.

3. Speech and Language Disorders
Name of Website: American Speech-Language-Hearing
Association (ASHA)
http://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/ChildSandL.htm

I especially liked navigating into this website as it provides links to other related topics. It is very informative on this topic. It provided listing of services, organization, groups, updates, etc. Under the student category, it also had information on audiology praxis exam as well as the speech-language pathology exam. There is a quick link on related topics from A-Z. So on this website one can attain much information on this topic. I highly recommend this website.

4. Language and Communication Disorders
Name of Website: Help for Kid’s Speech
http://www.helpforkidspeech.org/

This website is simple and easy to navigate in. They offer many articles and helpful information on how to better care for kids with childhood language and communication disorders for parents and professionals. There is and “ASK” link where you type your question in a box which I did. The questions are reviewed by their staff for appropriateness. Sometimes questions are combined or edited for clarity. They then will remove identifying information as much as possible. They are not able to respond to individual requests. The answers to my question will be posted within two weeks. I will check back in two weeks. There are other related topics such as speech, language, autism, technology and therapy, school and learning, etc. You may type topics to be search to stay in this website. There is a link that provides activities for parents to work with their child at home. This site is supported by the Scottish Rite Foundation of Florida.

5. Disability Awareness
Name of Website: The National Organization on Disability
http://www.nod.org/

The National Organization on Disability (nod) raises awareness and organizes resources for people with disabilities. It provides a wealth of information and resources, and the following links will help you find what you need and get involved. The links were arranged in categories such as programs, quick links, yearly reports, info for business leaders, info for community leaders, and support nod. The layout is simple and easy to navigate. Fonts are clear and readable. They had a link to people who are associated with nod which gave information on them and also pictures. The information to a link is very informative. It is not lengthy but still enough information for the researcher. This website is resourceful for the researcher.

6. Funding to Help the Disabled for Assistive Technology
Name of Website: Institute of Disabilities: Funding for Assistive Technology
http://disabilities.temple.edu/programs/assistive/fac/facts_legal.htm

This organization helps people whose request for assistive technology has been denied by working with many statewide and local advocacy organizations that can help. Navigating to the website was fast. The layout was clear with no ads on the page. Fonts were large and easy to read. The buttons and links were visible. However, one link did not allow me to navigate. Rather, it said to download in order to safe and print. Most of the contents though were brief and not very informative. It appeared as it was still under construction. As I navigated under “programs”, they did have more links but information is brief. It did explain that they are funded through a grant from the US DOE.

7. Online Resource for Americans with Disabilities
Name of Website: Disability Info.gov
http://www.disabilityinfo.gov/

DisabilityInfo.gov is a wide-ranging online resource organization. This benefits people with disabilities as it is designed to help them to get a quick and easy access to the information they need. The site provides links that can access disability-related information and programs available across the government on numerous subjects, including benefits, civil rights, community life, education, employment, housing, health, technology and transportation. It also listed 22 federal agencies that work together to build and maintain this site. This website is eye catching for its simple layout, its clarity, fonts are clear and words are not technical to read. Even the spacing between sentences is spaced out at 1.5. The links are fast to navigate into. I enjoyed navigating in this website. When you click on a link, it informs you on what was clicked on then provides a list of various related topics. I definitely will return to this website and highly recommend this to everyone.

8. Assistive Technology
Name of Website: American Association of People with Disabilities
http://www.aapd-dc.org/index.php

This organization is the largest national nonprofit cross-disability member organization in the United States. This site has an interesting audio overview. It also has blogs, action alerts, personal stories, employment, disability resources, etc. which are updated. It informed that in February 2009 TV stations will switch from analog to digital broadcasting. In order to help the disabled they need to go to government.com to apply for a coupon to help purchase converter boxes. They keep the disabled and the reader informed on up to date news. This website has many links that are very informative. One can attain more information on assistive technology by visiting one of the links. They even had a petition on the movie “Tropic Thunder”. The petition is to inform Hollywood to Respect People with Disabilities. I highly recommend this website as it is very resourceful and one can cover this topic easily.

9. Services for the Visually Impaired
Name of Website: American Foundation for the Blind
http://www.afb.org/

This organization is a national nonprofit that expands possibilities for people with vision loss. Their priority includes: 1. expanding access to technology 2. improving the quality of information and tools for the professionals who serve people with vision loss and 3. encouraging independent and healthy living for people with vision loss by providing them and their families with significant and timely resources. You can change the size and colors of the fonts to make it readable. There are links to learn more about living with vision loss, education, employment, technology and Braille. There are other information just for the family and friends and many more. They mentioned that the material provided on AFB.org is intended for information use only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. What is so cool about this site also is that it has a message board for you to share your ideas and experience on this topic. This site was created with the visually impaired in mind. Great resource site!

10. Accommodations for the Disabled in Public Establishments
Name of Website: Open Doors Organization in Chicago
http://www.opendoorsnfp.org/

This organization is in Chicago and their main goal is to get the disabled out of the house and have the same consumer opportunities as those without disabilities. This organization developed a guide for the disabled in Chicago and for tourist. It includes listing of restaurants, hotels, museums, and other attractions that provide accommodations for the disabled. The home page has a video clip from you.tube presenting their mission. It is frequently updated as it has the latest news of the organization, disability resources, access in airports, articles, etc. Limited links but once you click on one you can navigate to other related websites. Interesting site so come in and visit opendoors in Chicago.

Ten (10) Assistive Technology Device Websites

1. Assistive Technology in the Classroom
Name of Website: Assistive Technology to Meet K–12 Student Needs
http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te7assist.htm
This website caught my eyes as it provides listings of Assistive Technology (AT) to meet students with disabilities from grades K-12 not to mention its clarity for the reader. It cites the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997 and defined assistive technology device. The setup of the website used large fonts that were easy to read. It provides a table that focused on five AT categories for the disabled such as vision, communication, access, hearing, and for learning and studying which they addressed at the beginning. So if the subject one was looking for was not on the list, then they did not have to search any further. Under each category is a list of the various assistive adaptive technology devices. The website also had links where one can also navigate into other related organizations. There is one URL that failed to open. The website is straight to the point but provided other resources for more detailed information. It also has a product disclaimer. I recommend that you visit this website.

2. Assistive Technology and Rehabilitation Equipment
Name of Website: ABLEDATA
http://www.abledata.com/

As I was navigating to access the ten different organizations, I came across this website which appeared in about five websites. So I decided to evaluate the one and see what it has to offer. ABLEDATA’s objective is to give information about assistive technology products and rehabilitation equipment available from domestic and international sources. This website is also very informative as it has links to Web resources that one can attain information on assistive technology and other related disability issues. The layout is user friendly once again with fonts being clear and simple. Language is understandable. A cool thing I discovered was when I went to the visionware link. The page was set up for the visually impaired in mind. The fonts were probably 20 pt. or more and when I scrolled down the page, a faint black line was used like a ruler to make it easy for the reader to read line by line. This website has many resources on information for the disabled. This website though is not into selling any products but can help in locating companies that do. It has a library on technology on books, articles, papers and other related assistive technology. This is a great one and of course, I highly recommend using this.

3. Assistive Adaptive Technology
Name of Website: rehabtool.com
http://www.rehabtool.com/index.html

This website’s mission is to enhance the lives of children and adults with disabilities by increase their independence and productivity. Through assistive and adaptive technology these individuals with disabilities gain greater social acceptance. This company provides technology information technology that produces and provides innovative hardware and software that result in assisting individuals with disabilities and special needs. They also offer many free unique services including newsletters, at link library, consultation to help search and pick the rights device and give referrals. This site is so friendly, it helps you find the product fast, you get expert advice, you buy smart and they keep you informed on new products. It is so easy to buy as there are 3 steps. The first step is to select one of the search options (Free Search, Quick Search, Nonstop Search and Value Search). It also has news, forum, events, and how to order on line or e-mail. I was unable to try searching for a product due their product search services currently unavailable since they were upgrading their web site. I will check them out in a few weeks. Check it out.

4. Accessible Products for Communication and Education
Name of Website: Tobii ATI
http://www.assistivetech.com/

This is another informative website if one ones to know more about augmentative communication devices, speech-generating devices, assessment software, and services. It has links such as services, products, training, FAQ, funding, events, etc. Tobii Assistive Technology, Inc. (Tobii ATI) is a leading developer of innovative hardware and software solutions for people with physical, cognitive and speech disabilities. Anyone who is interested in learning more about augmentative communication devices, speech-generating devices, assessment software, and services, then website is a good one to website.

5. Adapting Technology Changing Lives
Name of Website: AbilityNet
http://www.abilitynet.org.uk/

AbilityNet is a registered national charity and has been around for 20 years. Their mission is to help the disabled adapt and adjust their information and communications technology. The staff is well trained. They give the disabled advice and information and help them select equipment that best work or doesn’t work for them. They keep them informed on the latest and effective interventions in the latest technology. You can talk to them personally on the phone or online. The website is very informative as it breaks it down to meeting the needs of the disabled at home, at work, or education related. The disabled person will have no problem navigating in this website. This a very helpful website to visit. Shopping at home made easy.

6. Assistive Technology News Websites *
Name of Website: Axistive.com
http://www.axistive.com/

Axistive is the world’s leading news portal for assistive technology, providing a wide range of free services including product reviews, industry news, market trends, workshops, downloads, and product and organization information. They have four links: news, search, products and organizations. As I navigated under each link, I was impressed with the organizations. This listed different organizations for various disabilities. I was interested in EnableMart US (mobility), Optelec (visual), Clarity (visual), AccessAmerica (compliance accessibility), just to mention a few. These are services of Axistive and you can contact the organization directly, and ask anything you like. You will be contacted directly by organization by the method you choose below. This website has a wealth of information for assistive technology.

7. Assistive Technology Products
Name of Website: 1 Stop for Free Assistive Technology
http://www.onlineconferencingsystems.com/at.htm#Introduction

When I clicked on the above URL, it immediately took me to the page of 1 Stop for Free Assistive Technology. It has a list of over 200 AAT with a brief description for each one. To get more information on this website, I had to click on Online Conferencing Systems, Inc. or IDEAL, Group, Inc. This is a private owned group from 2002-2008. Their mission is to provide accessible, 508 compliant, and online conferencing and collaboration solutions at a low cost.

8. Vendors for Assistive Technology
Name of Website: The Alliance for Technology Access
http://www.ataccess.org/community/vendors.lasso

This is a great website. It is national network that provides services to increase the disabled to use AAT so that they will be empowered to participate independently in their community. It is easy to read and navigate into other related areas. It has a listing of 25 ATA vendor members. I even went further to “Use the ATA Hub” to refine my search for Assistive Technology Products and services. This took me quickly to the category I was interested in. This saves time. I saved this website in my del.icio.us bookmarks.

9. Assistive Technology Sites
Name of Website: Internet 4Classrooms
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/special_needs_assistive.htm

Through collaboration, this website was developed by Susan Brooks and Bill Byles. The site has a “Teaching Individuals with Exceptionalities” web chart. It includes Assistive Technology, Autism, Gifted, LD/ADHD, Special Education and Exceptional Children Index. Other links include Links for K-12 teachers, assessment assistance, on-line practice modules and daily dose of the web. This website has a wealth of information on special education. This is one of my del.icio.us bookmarks. This is another highly recommended site.

10. Free Software for the Speech Impaired
Name of Website: LAT Kids
http://www.latkids.org/index.php/site/entry/13

The mission of the L•A•T Kids is to better the lives of children with disabilities through the use of technology. It offers free software (Speak for Yourself) to download which I did for my autistic grandson. Other resources are also available free of charge. They also provide free consultation with children, parents, teachers and therapists. Other software includes LATKIDS library, I AM Instant Messenger, Kalon’s Colors and Shapes, In Other Words, Matchup!, and The Zone. This site also has a list of AAT current news. It is easy to navigate in this site. It is friendly to educators and parents.

Ten (#10) Assistive Adaptive Technology Research Articles

1. A Functional Approach to the Delivery of Assistive Technology Services
Author: A. Edward Blackhurst
Name of Website: NATRI (National Assistive Technology Research Institute)
http://natri.uky.edu/resources/reports/function.html#imps

This study focused on the functional model (illustrated in table) approach to illustrate the elements of the different elements of life associated with a functional to special education and the use of AT. It points out that when assistive technology services are to be provided, one must keep in mind the functions that a student can perform rather than on the disability the person has. One of the implications for the study using the functional approach is that it identifies many of the factors that should be taken into consideration when making decisions about the nature of assistive technology services that are provided to a given student. The seven functional areas that were discussed in this study are being used to categorize the effective and ineffective uses of AT. This article is valid as the site is reliable and there are links to other related areas.

2. How Assistive Technology Services Can Go Awry
Authors: Jennifer K. Bell and A. Edward Blackhurst
Name of Website: NATRI (National Assistive Technology Research Institute)
http://natri.uky.edu/resources/reports/awry.html

This is an interesting case study that identified problems that can happen when planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating assistive technology services for a specific student. It listed major findings and the evidence that supports each one. This study is good to read on as it gave some insights when recommending assistive technology and what educators should do to avoid these problems. Like the one above, this site is trustworthy and also has links to other related areas.

3. Speaking Up: A Voice for Every Child
Author: Kim Moccia
Name of Website: Special Kids Today
http://www.specialkidstoday.com/articles/assistive-technology/speaking-up-2898/3/

This site is also known as internet communities for family. It has a lot of parenting articles and I just happened to come across this article which interested me on a child who has a communication problem and how he was able to sing by using AAT called “Dynavox”. She cited the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities, that more than one million school-aged children received special education program services for speech and language impairments during the 2000-2001 school year. She mentioned that there are a lot of AT devices available for the individual who has a communication disorder. She went on to describe the types of AT devices from low to high tech and stated that these devices are in fact the voice for every child. The article mentioned that the AT device must be selected carefully keeping in mind the goals, needs, etc. Over time, the AT device may be upgraded depending on the effectiveness for the individual’s needs. The writer also stated that sometime technology might not be the answer and that other communication methods such as no-tech options such as sign language, pointing, gesturing to name a few may be successful as well. There is a list of online assistive technology resources. Interesting site but one might not gain more research information in this site.

4. Success with AAC
Name of Website: INFINITEC.ORG
http://www.infinitec.org/learn/index.html

This article is about a young man named Jon Feucht who has a communication disorder. All his life, he struggled communicating with others until he got his first augmentative alternative communication (AAC) device “co-writer” at the age of 27. With his AAC device, Jon then continued to reach out to others to train users of AAC to learn effective ways to get the most of their AAC. He presently uses the Kurzweil 3000. This is a scanning, reading and writing device for people with visual, speech, or learning disabilities. Jon uses it to read text to himself. This site does not endorse or recommend the above-mentioned products and has no liability for the results of their use. This article is not comprehensive and the reader should evaluate the product with care with the assistance of qualified professionals. Infinitec’s Inc. intention is to offer consumers a brief awareness of various assistive technology devices and their applications. This site had other links to AT being used for different disorders. The articles are enough to motivate the readers to search for more information on the devices.

5. Blind Student Hears in Colours
Author: Geoff Adams-Spink
Name of Website: BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4257961.stm

This article is about a graduate student name Victor Wong who has been blind since the age of 7. As a graduate student from Hong Kong studying at Cornell University in New York State, had to read coloured maps of the upper atmosphere as part of his research. After some trial and error with the help of a computer graphics specialist and another student to do the programming work, he developed software that turns colours into musical notes, which allows him to do so. This software is still in its infancy and is not yet made commercially. This is an interesting article to me just to know that there are many disabled individuals who work at finding other ways to develop other AT to help overcome their disabilities. This site has other technology links. OK site for a quick overview but not for more serious research.

6. Using AT: Is it Working?
Authors: Margaret E. Bausch and Ted S. Hasselbring
Name of Website: Cable in the Classroom
http://www.ciconline.org/thresholdwinter05

This site provides a list of articles on AT. Navigating in to the interested topics was fast. This study posed questions such as the following: Are schools and teachers really planning for and utilizing AT effectively?; If students are being served the way the law intended?; and How can we improve practices and policies regarding AT services in schools? It discussed how ATs are being used at schools and the implications for the future. This paper had a lot of interesting provoking questions and recommendations in order for ATs to be used effectively in order to increase, maintain and improve the functional capabilities of the disabled individual. This is a Very informative site and a reliable source.

7. The Language of Learning
Author: Carla Meskill
Name of Website: Cable in the Classroom
http://www.ciconline.org/thresholdwinter05

This is another interesting study which investigates the use on assistive technologies to support English Language Learners. It discussed a third grade non-English speaking boy from Pakistan. It further discussed the steps and accommodations the school had to do in order to support the ELLs in the school. They listed several ATs that are used to support the ELLs. As a result, it is certain that assistive technology applications will augment English-Language learning in the future. This is another informative site. Good site for resource.

8. Assistive Technology for Every Child
Author: Boyd, Barbara Foulks
Name of Website: BNET
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4097/is_200801/ai_n24393674?tag=content;col1

This article is based on the Montessori philosophy which promotes that the classroom should be a reflection of the home, the community, and the world. Montessori school teachers integrate technology into the Montessori environment and curriculum areas in their classrooms. It further discussed in the article the AAT devices available and how they are used in other content areas such as language, history, science, communication, history and geography and other areas. Their philosophy is that assistive technology can improve for all children and not just those students with disabilities to enhance literacy, children’s thinking, computer literacy, and their social skills at developmentally appropriate levels. Links to other related topics is also listed.

9. How the Internet is Improving the Lives of Americans with Disabilities
Author: Humphrey Taylor
Name of Website: Harris Interactive
http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=93

This conclusion for this research was drawn from a Harris Interactive Poll of 535 individual adults with disabilities and 614 adults without disabilities who access the internet. The study is to determine if the internet has a positive impact on the lives of the adults with disabilities. Although the study shows that the individual with disabilities are less likely to be online in particular from work because there are fewer of them working. This is a good study to read more into how the internet is helping to improve the quality of the lives of individuals with disabilities. I came across this site via a link from the TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) Resources. This website offers a listing of assistive adaptive technology. This is a reliable website.

10. How to Choose Appropriate Adapted Technology
Author: Kelly Pierce
Name of Website: Dawn Ontario Disabled Women’s Network Ontario
http://dawn.thot.net/cd/4.html#a

This article offered strategies and tips for people with disabilities when considering assistive adapted technology (AT) to gain new skills, keep old ones and live more independently. Some tips include for the individual with disability to be actively involved in the decision, to get others involved, to focus on the function, and strives for simplicity. This website is informative, simple and understandable for families and educators. There are other links to navigate into for more information.

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