The Family Center on Technology and Disability
Assistive Technology Works
The Ramp Less Traveled
The author of this blog, Jay Ruckelshaus, suffered an injury in an accident within the last year that left him in a wheelchair and needing assistance to manage events of daily living. The blog was initiated on July 8, 2012 and the second installment was written on July 12th. In these two entries, he sheds a great deal of insight on being a person with disabilities and more specifically a ...
Published: 2012 by Jay Ruckelshaus , Reviewed: August 13, 2012
Rifton Equipment
Rifton Equipment is an offshoot of Community Playthings and has been known for the quality and endurance of their adaptive products for children and adults for more than 30 years. Their products include furniture for seating, standing, bathing, toileting and transfering as well as adaptive tricycles and gait trainers. This website acts as a retail venue and also provides comprehensive instructions as to proper adjustment of all products, videos showing ...
Published: 2012 by Rifton , Reviewed: February 14, 2012
iPortal Accessibility
iPortal Accessibility is an innovative combination of very specific assistive technology and one of the most widespread mainstream technologies. It is an interface of Dynamic Controls' wheelchair controllers with an Apple iPhone. Initially the two were paired via Bluetooth so that the iPhone could provide the user feedback on the chair such as speed, direction, battery function etc. But with the link established, Dynamic Controls' developers went on to give ...
Published: 2012 by Dynamic Controls , Reviewed: September 26, 2012
Unique Learning System
The Unique Learning System is a comprehensive standards-based core curriculum that uses the current event format of News-2-You and a curriculum format that progresses through the grade levels. The Unique Learning System is meant to support literacy and content learning for students with significant disabilities and complex learning needs. Unlike many other curriculum formats, Unique is exactly that-it is designed specifically for students with significant needs and is not a ...
Published: 2009 by Kathy Staugler , Reviewed: August 07, 2009
Source Equipment Company Web Site
This is a catalog style Web site that offers alternatives to stairs, including listings of chairlifts, exposed elevators, and stairglides. It also offers many vendor solutions for access to multiple level buildings.
Published: 2008 , Reviewed: December 15, 2008
Technical Assistance Alliance for Parents Centers
While this Web site is set up as a way for Parent Training Centers nationwide to share information and resources, it contains a large amount of information that parents and educators need. It is set up in a mostly text format that makes it easy to navigate, and contains links to information about legislation, specific disabilities, cultural diversity, accessible Web design, and special education law.
Published: 2008 , Reviewed: December 16, 2008
Through the Looking Glass Web Site
This website provides information on living with disabilities, both as children and adults and from a parent‘s perspective. It also discusses early intervention, current research on disabilities, and adaptive equipment. Links to disability sites are alphabetized by category, which makes it easy to find needed information. This site seems to be very parent-friendly, but also contains information that professionals and educators could utilize.
Published: 2008 , Reviewed: December 16, 2008
Simplified Technology Website
Linda Burkhart‘s site focuses on children with disabilities and how AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) and AT (Assistive Technology) can make a positive impact on communication needs along with books, products, and vendor information. She also has user friendly and in-depth information on how schools can use the internet with instructional uses, guidelines, interactive projects, and student/teacher resources and reference. Ms. Burkhart includes a site to log onto for other ...
Published: 2008 by Burkhart, L. , Reviewed: March 10, 2009
Dasher
Dasher is a free software program for text entry, driven by natural pointing gestures. It can be used whenever a full-size keyboard cannot be used such as on a palmtop computer or with a joystick, touchscreen, trackball, headpointer, or eyetracker. The website includes demonstrations, user comments, explanations about hardware options, use with speech synthesis, and web-browsing capabilities, information on the languages supported by the software, plus the free download. Although ...
Published: 2008 by David MacKay , Reviewed: December 05, 2008
WebAIM: Motor Disablities, Assistive Technologies
This WebAim resource is a section from a broader introduction on motor disabilities (including an excellent short chart on some of the specific challenges faced when using the most common types of AT, see "Key Concepts" at the bottom of the page, http://www.webaim.org/articles/motor/motordisabilities). It is a good introduction to many common types of AT for people with mobility impairments, focusing on devices tht adapt or mimic keyboards. The page includes ...
Published: 2008 by WebAIM , Reviewed: September 23, 2008
Do 2 Learn
Do2Learn is a website that was developed for parents and teachers to help students and adults who have special learning needs. It provides over 2,000 pages of free printable materials (these are helpfully catalogued in the site map) which range from lined writing paper to math grids and picture communication cards. The picture communication cards include 350 symbols (in categories such as home and school, social, self help, etc.) that ...
Published: 2008 by Do 2 Learn , Reviewed: December 05, 2008
Assistive Gaming: Making Mac OS X Games Accessible
Assistive Gaming offers information and resources for gamers with physical disabilities. The site includes game reviews, a collection of articles about computer gaming and accessible gaming tools, and news related to accessible gaming. The list of resource links also includes popular gaming sites. Although the site focuses on the Mac OS X, most of the access issues that concern gamers are common to both PC and Mac platforms so most ...
Published: 2008 by AssistiveWare , Reviewed: March 05, 2010
Training and Technical Assistance Center (T/TAC) Web Site
The Training and Technical Assistance Center (T/TAC) Web site from the Virginia Tech College of Human Resources and Education is a well-designed, comprehensive site. It contains a wealth of information about assistive technology and the services available to students in Virginia, as well as information that can be used by others around the country.
Published: 2007 by Snider, R. , Reviewed: March 10, 2009
UIUC Innovators develop Mind-Computer Interface with NI LabVIEW
In the field of assistive technology, there is the rare idea or product that will change the field and profession in a colossal way. Michael Callahan has developed a Mind-Computer Interface. The device works by placing the sensory device around an individual’s neck. The device intercepts the signals from the brain that control the vocal chords. Once the signals are intercepted, they can be translated into speech. This speech can ...
Published: 2007 by National Instruments Corporation , Reviewed: December 09, 2008
Scooters (Fact Sheet #26)
There are many things to consider when purchasing a scooter for a person who has a mobility impairment, and this article outlines many of those issues. It is divided into sections so it is easy to read and includes many valuable resources that might be important to the consumer. The terminology may vary depending on a person‘s geographical location, but the information is very good and applicable to people throughout ...
Published: 2006 , Reviewed: March 12, 2009
Alternate Access Technology Overview
This is a website devoted to teaching about various assistive technology devices. There are demos for alternate keyboards, switches and scanning, pointers, software, and onscreen accessibility features. There is a resource guide which can be downloaded. The demos provide an overview of alternate access technology for students with disabilities. Considerations for matching technology to student needs, abilities, goals, and expectations are discussed. Webcasts allow the viewer to hear from professionals ...
Published: 2005 by SET-BC , Reviewed: June 25, 2006
Switch Users
According to Assistive Technology Training Online, "Switches offer access to anything electronic for persons with disabilities and are a great way to begin experiencing independent control." This module, developed by the Center for Assistive Technology at the University of Buffalo, provides an excellent overview of the different types of switches and interfaces that can be used by students with disabilities. It begins by identifying the ways that switches can be ...
Published: 2005 by Center for Assistive Technology , Reviewed: March 12, 2009
Switch and Scanning Systems
This article gives an in-depth explanation of switches and scanning systems. It describes the options available for students with physical impairments to operate a computer through the use of a single switch or computer-switch interfaces for more than one switch. Scanning systems are explained as well as how and when to customize the systems. The article also provides examples of software that works with switches. It includes a PDF file ...
Published: 2005 by Assistive Technology Training Online Project , Reviewed: March 12, 2009
Stitches from the Heart Web Site
This Web site is very easy to use. It is useful to families of children who need adapted clothing due to physical disabilities.
Published: 2004 , Reviewed: August 25, 2005
Cognitive Limitations: Functional Application of Assistive Technology
This is a PDF file that is formatted to look like a Powerpoint presentation. It is geared toward assistive technology (AT) providers although it contains good information about various cognitive disabilities and the effect AT can have on people with these conditions. Different types of cognitive disabilities are defined and the problems associated with each is listed.A good portion of this presentation is devoted to AT. It begins with listing ...
Published: 2004 by Christopher M. Lee and Carolyn Phillips , Reviewed: December 05, 2008