Home
Homepage

Assistive Technology Works!

Knowing where to begin and how to proceed can be daunting, however. We're here to help. The Family Center on Technology and Disability provides a wide range of resources on instructional and assistive technologies, from introductory fact sheets through CEU's for practitioners and educators. Try setting aside 30 minutes a day to review an FCTD resource. Before you know it, you'll know a lot more about both established and emerging technologies that can improve the lives of the children and youth with whom you work and live. Of course, we're here for your just-in-time information needs as well. We hope you'll visit our site often!

Technology Voices

Diversifying Instruction with Technology: Professors Can Take a Lesson from K-12 Teachers

This month’s edition of FCTD’s Technology Voices features an interview with Dr. Robert Stodden, Director of the University of Hawaii-Manoa’s Center on Disability Studies. For more than 20 years Dr. Stodden and his colleagues conducted research on the effectiveness of classroom technology in helping students with disabilities access the general K-12 curriculum. Recently, he and his research team have turned their attention to the use of technology in post-secondary environments, where, he explains, educators need to ask themselves some difficult questions, in light of the growing use of communication technology. http://www.fctd.info/newsletters

Assistive Technology (AT) Resources

Explore our AT Resources database for information on assistive and instructional technology. This week our featured resource is an exciting new communication-building tool. Symbly is a web-based visual support creator and editor for professionals and families working with individuals who are non-verbal and/or need visual communication support. The symbols are SymbolStix, Mulberry, and Noun Project Symbols as well as web searches. Because it is web-based, there is no loading of software and can be used wherever you go and then downloaded to a computer, iPhone or iPad. Users can create communication pages for multiple communication devices and then print. The interface is very user friendly and is simply drag and drop. Creating communication pages is easy due to the ready-made templates and the help support is built in. This is exciting new communication-building software.

Assistive Technology Solutions Fact sheet

Our new AT fact sheet provides visual examples of a range of AT products to help parents who are beginning their search for assistive technology.This fact sheet includes basic questions to be considered when trying to identify assistive technology devices that will best suit your child and illustrated examples of some of the AT options available. Each AT example has an icon indicating whether it is high-tech, mid-tech or low-tech. Product vendors are also listed. Please note that vendors listed may not be the sole supplier for a particular product. View a pdf of the AT Solutions fact sheet.

FCTD Family Information Guide to Assistive Technology & Transition Planning

This 50-page guide offers families information and resources to effectively prepare for and participate in periods of transition in their children’s lives. In family-friendly language the guide discusses transition plans and the role of AT in them, offers checklists and suggestions. and provides a range of resources aimed at helping students make successful transitions to higher education, employment and independent living. The guide can be accessed online in both Spanish and English at http://www.fctd.info/show/fig_summary

The Family Center on Technology and Disability