Tutorial Eight: Assistive technology

Provide a definition of Assistive technology (your Cook and Hussey reading may be helpful with this).

“Assistive technology is a generic term that includes assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices and the process used in selecting, locating, and using them. AT promotes greater independence for people with disabilities by enabling them to perform tasks that they were formerly unable to accomplish, or had great difficulty accomplishing, by providing enhancements to or changed methods of interacting with the technology needed to accomplish such tasks. Although, Cook & Hussey (2001)^[1] report this term is usually not used for rehabilitative devices and for devices that able-bodied find useful. According to disability advocates, technology is often created without regard to people with disabilities, creating unnecessary barriers to hundreds of millions of people.”

Retrieved from www.wikipedia.org on 06June 2008

Describe one piece of equipment introduced in the assistive technology tutorial. Provide information on size, cost and functions.

‘Go talk’ is a communication and educational tool that records speech and plays it back with a touch button. It can be taken anywhere, school, work, home, and the playground. It’s light and easy to use. The user recognises the intent of each recorded message by the pictures or words on a slide-in overlay. When each picture is touched a message is played.

Go talk has three primary uses. First, as an augmentative communication device. Here, a user “speaks” by playing the appropriate message. “I’d like to order a Big Mac and large fries please.” Second to cue someone on what to do next, or what to will be needed for an activity: “Put lunch and homework in your backpack before the bus comes” Third, as a learning tool that compliments and reinforces an educational curriculum. “Six plus nine equals?” In practice, you’ll find these uses will overlap.

The ‘Go talk’ comes in different sizes and at different costs, however an example of one size is 9” x 12” x 7/8” and this costs $179.00 USA dollars.

How does your chosen piece of equipment increased functional capacity for the user? Provide examples here from the tutorial and lecture.

• It enables them to communicate with others
• augmentative communication device
• cue someone on what to do next, or what to will be needed for an activity
• learning tool that compliments and reinforces an educational curriculum