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Accommodation
changes to the educational program in which the result of the
task remains the same, but the means by which the student accomplishes
the task is different.
Adaptation
a change to the typical presentation or demonstration of a skill or concept without changing what is being presented in the instruction or knowledge demonstrated.
Alternate
input method to access the computer
this represents physical and possibly verbal means of getting information into a computer. Students who have a difficult time with typical typing on a standard keyboard and/or using a standard mouse on a desktop or laptop computer may use one of these methods. Some examples of alternative input methods are by having a keyboard arrangement on the monitor (onscreen keyboard) that is pointed to or clicked on, an external enlarged keyboard with bigger keys, using a single switch to activate a scanning array which sends key input information to the computer, or using their voice to talk to the computer.
Assistive features
student-centered, environmentally useful, and task-focused for
the student.
Assistive
technology (AT)
tools that focus on increasing, maintaining, or improving the functional capabilities of a child with a disability.
Assistive
technology assessment
is a process conducted by a team to identify tools and strategies
that address a student's specific needs.
Assistive
technology device
means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether
acquired commercially off-the-shelf, modified, or customized,
that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional
capabilities of a child with a disability.
Assistive
technology service
means any service that directly assists a child with a disability
in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology
device. This service includes, the evaluation of the child in
the customary environment, the acquisition of, repair of, customizing
of, replacing of the device, as well as the coordination of other
services in the child’s educational environment.
Ataxic cerebral
palsy
students with ataxic cerebral palsy may appear to be very shaky
and have an uneven gate as they walk. They have poor muscle tone
and have problems with coordinating both large and small group
muscles.
Athetoid
cerebral palsy
may appear as though the student moves constantly. They may have
a mixture of both low and high muscle tone. Quadriplegic means
that all 4 limbs, arms and legs are affected.
ATSTAR Assessment Process
The Assistive Technology Assessment process developed by ATSTAR and conveyed in the ATSTAR Assessment Process training course. The six steps in this process include: Building the Student Team, Framing the Question, Collecting Information, Analyzing Information, Generating Solutions, and Selecting Solutions.
Augmentative
communication
the strategies and tools that may supplement or clarify the voice of a student
whose speech is difficult to understand, or for a student who is
unable to speak. Also referred to as AAC (Augmentative and/or
Alternative Communication).
Augmentative communication devices
low, mid, or high-tech solutions for a student who has a difficult time producing intelligible speech. Typically consists of pictures and/or words that are arranged so that a student can indicate by pointing or using eye gaze to select the messages that they are communicating. There is a wide variety of features augmentative communication devices may include, speech output being one of the most important. Other features include offering different ways for a student to physically interact to accomplish the desired activations. The speech output may be synthesized or allow for recording of human speech, some offer both. Some products require a static paper display and some have a computerized monitor display of pictures, symbols, text, or a combination of these.
Communication device
low, mid, or high-tech solutions for a student who has a difficult time producing intelligible speech. Communication messages are presented to the student through a visual or auditory display of pictures or words.
Computer with word prediction
computer with a software applications that may be an assist to letter-by-letter keyboard typing. As a student begins to type a word, a list of possible words that are being typed appear on the display. These application work transparently with any word processing software. They will display a list of words based on the first few letters typed by the student. The student may choose their word from the list or continue to type. Depending upon the application, the student may create one sentence at a time using the word prediction application and then insert the sentence into the word processing application, or may work directly in the word processing application, selecting each word. These applications were originally created to cut down on the number of keystrokes for students with physical disabilities, however, they have been expanded in their use to support students with learning disabilities in their written expression. Some features that you may find in word prediction programs include speech, grammar support, phonetic misspelling assistance, and customizable vocabularies.
Cyclical
occurring in a cycle. Steps in a process which follow one another,
however at any point the process may connect back to a previous
step.
District’s Special Ed lending service
school districts may have a library of assistive technology devices and software for teams to borrow to try with their student(s). Explore this as an option. Other options for using AT for trials may be to download software for free trial periods from the manufacturer web sites, rent-to-buy programs from the manufacturer, a state-wide lending library, and a private non-profit organizations.
Early Childhood
class
a public school program for students with disabilities
who are young in chronological age (typically ages 3 to 5 years old).
Electronic keyboarding
the processing of writing by using some type of technology to produce text. This can be done with a variety of assistive devices such as a portable word processor, a computer with word processing, or a hand-held personal digital assistant.
Enhanced communication
system
typically, an enhanced communication system is the assessment
for and implementation of a more sophisticated arrangement of
communication symbols, sometimes controlled and displayed in electronic
communication devices.
Environmental
Modification
when a problem is resolved by a change in the environment.
Environmentally
useful
appropriate and useful within the environments in which the student is expected to use it with the supports available in those environments.
Expanded team
all the team members who come together to discuss and provide AT services to a student with disabilities. The team may include the student, their family/primary caregivers, educational and therapy staff, as well as others with expertise in AT.
Evaluation
in relation to assistive technology is a functional evaluation done in the student’s customary environments which are the environments in which the student will use the AT.
FM system
this type of assistive technology solution is for transmitting sound to students who are hard of hearing. In the typical FM system, the student wears a hearing aid which receives sound from the speaker’s microphone.
Framed question
a sentence or paragraph written about a student that considers the student, the tasks and the environments and makes a statement about the possible need for Assistive Technology for a student. This statement guides the AT assessment process for that student at that time.
Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)
is the language used in IDEA to ensure that all students with disabilities have free access to the same education as their non-disabled peers.
Functional Evaluation
the purpose is to determine the needs of the student within their customary environments
GEH teacher
General Education History teacher
GEM teacher
General Education Math teacher
High-tech
solutions
High-end devices, such as those using the full power of a computer processor and software, sometimes in the form of a voice-output communication aid. For example: A voice output device with dynamic display is a type of high tech communication device. The dynamic display feature allows for the device to change the picture display presented to the student on the device’s monitor upon activation. These systems can be programmed to meet the individual message needs of the student. These systems typically provide the voice output with digitized speech, but may offer the option of recording speech. Products that fit this description may give students access to hundreds of messages.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
IDEA is an act that strengthens academic expectations and accountability for the nation's children with disabilities and provides for the equalization of learning opportunities for all students.
Individual Education Program (IEP)
is the instructional program developed to meet the unique educational needs of a student with a disability.
is a group of individuals composed of: the parents of a child with a disability; at least one general education teacher (if the child is, or may be, participating in the regular education environment); at least one special education teacher; a representative of the local educational agency who is qualified to provide, or supervise the provision of, specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of children with disabilities, is knowledgeable about the general education curriculum, and is knowledgeable about the availability of resources of the local educational agency; an individual who can interpret the instructional implications of evaluation results; at the discretion of the parent or the agency, other individuals who have knowledge or special expertise; and whenever appropriate, the child with a disability.
Input methods/strategies
the term used to think about how a student will write, speak, or access a computer or other assistive technology device. This is the human-to-technology interface connection. Students might touch keys, use a mouse to point and click on keys, or activate keys on a scanning array using a switch.
Instructional adaptation
a change to the typical presentation of a skill or concept without changing what is being presented in the instruction.
Instructional
strategy
an approach to teaching a skill or concept, or how it is taught.
Instructional
technology (IT)
technology tools that are used in the instructional process for
many or all students to impact learning outcomes.
Iterative process
an on-going cycle, not a single event, which allows you to revisit any part of the cycle or process at any time.
Keyboarding skills
the means by which a student types on the computer or portable word processor’s keyboard. Keyboarding skills use strategic placement of the hands on the keys (for ten-fingered typists, this would be the “home row”). Keyboarding skills may be a part of a school district’s curriculum at any grade level. Keyboarding abilities will impact a student’s independence, speed, and capability of using a portable word processor or computer. There are software products for teaching keyboarding skills. Some portable word processors have a typing tutor as a feature.
Learning disability
federal regulations define a learning disability as a severe discrepancy
between achievement and intellectual ability in one or more areas.
These areas may be reading ability, reading comprehension, written
expression, mathematical reasoning, mathematical calculation,
listening comprehension, and/or oral expression.
Learning styles
innate ways of learning that vary from person to person, which may include categories such as spatial visual, kinetic or movement, language-oriented, and logical/analytical learners. Another learning styles theory includes seven multiple intelligences: Verbal/Linguistic, Logical/Mathematical, Visual/Spatial, Music/Rhythmic, Body/Kinesthetic, Interpersonal, and Intrapersonal.
Low-tech
communication device
a low-tech communication device may be a simple technology solution for a student who has a difficult time producing intelligible speech. It may be a product that is a switch that speaks a message out loud, or it may be a series of pictures or words from which the student chooses their communication message from a display which then speaks out loud. Typically these products have a static paper display and a human voice recorded that talks when physically activated by the student via a switch or direct selection. Products that fit this description may give students access to 1 to 45 keys for messages. They may also have more messages available through the use of levels.
Low-tech solutions
very simple tools, such as lined paper and picture cards.
LRE
Least Restrictive Environment
Math scratch pad software
computer application that may be an assist to students who struggle with printing math facts or math problems on paper. The software allows for correct placement of the math problem and positioning of the “work” of math (i.e. carriers, remainders). Some features of this software include speech output, enlarged letters, calculator, and allowing “worksheets” to be created that can display one or more problems depending on the needs of the student.
Mid-tech solutions
typically small and portable, simple to program and use.
Modifications
significant change to the original task or information presented.
Multidisciplinary
team
a group of service providers from different perspectives/disciplines (i.e., education, psychology, speech/language, occupational therapy, physical therapy) who work together to serve the needs of a student.
Multimedia tools
hardware and software devices that use images and sound to facilitate communication.
Multiple disabilities
students with more than one disability. Educational term to describe
a student who may have both a physical and cognitive disability.
Output forms
this is the result of use of the assistive technology solution.
It can be visual, auditory or tactual. Text, speech, Braille,
auditory feedback for word processing, large print, amount of
text on page, color of text, and/or background are all different
types of output. Any one or more of these may be more effective
than others based on the student's abilities, needs, and the expectation
from the task.
Paper communication
board
a low to mid-tech solution for a student who has a difficult time producing intelligible speech. Typically consists of pictures and/or words that are arranged so the student can indicate by pointing or eye gazing to the messages that they are communicating. Using this type of communication device, the student needs to be talking with someone who is physically near and can see the pictures or words. A paper communication board does not speak out loud.
Pencil grip
a physical modification done to a writing tool such as a pencil or pen. It may be a cushion or built-up surface to the portion of the tool where the student puts their fingers and knuckles. It may also have indentations to guide proper placement of the fingers and knuckles.
Picture communication
symbols
Pictures, photographs, and/ or line drawings that are used to
represent vocabulary and messages for students who have a difficult
time producing intelligible speech or who are unable to speak
at all. These symbols are often arranged on language boards, used
individually as communication cards, or used on communication
devices. Some examples of symbol sets are the PCS from Mayer Johnson,
the DynaSyms from DynaVox,
and the Minspeak symbols from Prentke Romich
Company.
Portable spell
checking device with auditory output
an assistive product that is lightweight and carried easily. Students
might use this during reading and/or writing activities. The primary
function of this device is to check or show proper spelling. Some
products may have additional features of speech output, dictionary,
or a thesaurus.
Portable word
processing device
an assistive writing product that is lightweight and easily carried. The primary function of this device is to produce text from typing on a keyboard. Portable word processing devices may also have features such as spell check, dictionary, typing tutors, calendars, and speech output.
Prerequisite
skills
abilities that should exist prior to attempting to learn a new
skill.
Processing methods/strategies
how students process incoming information and prepare for expression, both oral and written. Auditory learners require different solutions from visual learners or tactile learners. Processing strategies are determined by the cognitive and language needs and abilities of the student, as well as their memory and attitude.
Quality Indicators
for Assistive Technology Services (QIAT)
factors developed with input from hundreds of people from around the country interested in assistive technology. Based on extensive interactive work over several years, QIAT presents descriptors of quality assistive services that can serve as a guide for successful assistive technology service delivery. The quality indicators also include common errors are made during the assistive technology process. You can use these indicators as guidelines for a successful AT Assessment Process and avoid many common mistakes.
Re-authorization
of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
in 2004 the original Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA) was reviewed, updated, and refunded by the federal government.
Scanner
a computer peripheral that takes an electronic image of a document
or item for conversion to digital text or graphics. It may be
similar in design to a photocopying machine.
Screen reading
program
a computer application that takes the visual text on the screen
and sends it through a speech synthesizer which then speaks that
text out loud to the student. This type of technology is used
with students who do not benefit from or struggle with the process
of reading visually. Features of these types of programs allow
for talking the text of books, web pages, software menus or any
text that can be brought into an electronic format.
Self advocacy
students represent their own opinion, needs, and wants during meetings and discussions.
Self determination
students are able to make independent and effective decisions about how and when to use their assistive technology tools in a functional manner.
SETT Framework
a method to gather and then carefully consider information about the Student, the Student’s customary Environments, and the Tasks that are required to be an active participant in those environments. From this information, a team can make more effective decisions about the system of Tools required to support the student in achieving those tasks. The SETT Framework is a general way to arrange information so that it can be logically and reasonably used for thinking and decision-making about the use of Assistive Technology.
Single switch-scanning
program
a single switch is a product that when activated sends an electronic
signal to an Assistive Technology product. That product may be
one for writing, talking, playing with computer software, or operating
battery-operated or electrical toys/appliances. The switch may
be activated by touch, movement, sound, air flow, or as sophisticated
as proximity of body heat. In any of these case, the process by
which a student who uses a single switch gains access to more
than one choice of an item to type, to say, or to play with, is
called scanning. Through scanning, a group of choices is presented
to the student through systematically highlighting those choices.
These choices can be a visual or auditory presentation to the
student. The student then uses their switch to activate the scanning
and make their choice.
Solution Features
the functional description of a particular Assistive Technology tool in relationship to student use.
Strategy
an approach to teaching a skill or concept or how it is taught.
Student-centered
match the student's needs and abilities - able to be used adequately
by the student.
Student-centered
assesment process
a series of testing on one student, both formal and informal,
which may include observation in the student's own environment.
This assessment may be performed by a team of people who are identified
to serve the student or by a school district based assessment
team.
Student-centered
team
the team of professionals and family members that make up a team
that is focused on one particular student.
Support services
educational support services that are available for students with disabilities who qualify, such as Speech/Language Services, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Behavior Therapy.
System of solutions
a combination of AT solutions that allows a student to function the most effectively in multiple environments.
Task
adaptation
a change to the task without changing what is being presented
in the instruction or knowledge demonstrated.
Task-focused
able to be used by the student to do what the student is expected
to do
Task modification
changes to the educational program in which the nature of a task and thus the results of the task, are significantly changed.
Teaching style
the means by which a teacher constructs their learning environment. How new information, practice opportunities, and measurement of knowledge are presented.
Text-to-speech software
software that speacks text as it is displayed on the screen.
Tools
assistive devices (low-tech, mid-tech and high-tech), strategies, and services that may be put into place as a solution for performance of a particular task(s) in a student’s environment(s).
Voice output
device with dynamic display
a type of high-tech communication device that may be a solution for a student who has a difficult time producing intelligible speech. The dynamic display feature allows for the computer technology of the device to change the picture display presented to the student on the device’s monitor. These systems can be activated by touch, by a mouse-type pointer, or by a switch. Typically they talk out loud through a speech synthesizer, however, some products have both the human recorded speech (digitized) and the text-to-speech (synthesized). Products that fit this description may give students access to hundreds of messages.
Voice output
device with 16 messages
an electronic device with synthesized speech that is programmable
to make a maximum of 16 statements.
Voice recognition
software
computer application by which entering text into the computer
is done by the student talking to the computer.
WATI Assessment Forms
the Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative collection of detailed forms that systematically take you through the assessment process.
Word-prediction
software
computer application that may be an assist to letter-by-letter keyboard typing. As a student begins to type a word, a list of possible words that are being typed appear on the display. Depending upon the application, the word is selected by typing a number or using the mouse to click on the word, either of which sends the full word and a space after the word to the word processor the student is using to produce text. These applications were originally created to cut down on the number of key-strokes for students with physical disabilities, however, they have been expanded in their use to support students with learning disabilities in their written expression. Some features that you may find in word prediction programs include speech, grammar support, phonetic misspelling assistance, and customizable vocabularies.
Word processing
software with auditory output and auditory spell checking software
for support with writing
computer application that is used primarily for typing and producing
text. Features of this type of software application allow the
computer to use a speech synthesizer, which “talks out loud”
the written text through the computer’s speakers. An additional
feature is indicating misspelled words and the capability of the
spell checker dialog box to talk. These features may be supportive
to a student who struggles with the visual process of reading
and written comprehension.
Other AT Terminology Websites
Assistive
Technology Acronyms and Abbreviations
List of AT acronyms and abbreviations ordered alphabetically from
www.atnet.org
Assistive
Technology Glossary
List of AT terms arranged alphabetically from www.atnet.org
Assistive
and Adaptive Technology Terminology
AT Computer Related Access Definitions
Closing
The Gap Glossary
AT glossary terms defined by Closing The Gap
IDEA '97 Final Regulations: Glossary of Definitions and Acronyms