This document discusses the benefits of assistive technology for students with learning disabilities. It outlines how assistive technologies can help with reading, writing, listening, and mathematics. Examples of devices that assist with different disabilities and subject areas are provided. The document also provides statistics on technology use in schools and notes that assistive technologies have the potential to increase skills and help students receive free and appropriate public education.

2.  Benefits of Assistive Technology
 Assistive Technologies for Reading
 Using Technology to enhance skills of students with learning
disabilities
 Conclusion

3.  These are groups that
prepare teachers to
incorporate Assistive
Technology in an Early
Childhood setting.
 Shared interest
 Committed developing skill
sets of AT devices and
implementation in learning
community.
Want to learn more? Click yes or no!
YES NO
Source

4.  Attending behaviors show immediate impact.
 Understanding of and compliance with rules of
appropriate behavior.
 Abilities to communicate in classroom setting.
 User groups prepare teachers to incorporate AT in an
early childhood setting.

5.  Assistive Technology has the potential to increase
developmental skills and provide solutions to challenges
like behavior, attention, and communication.
 Teachers share responsibility for effectively preparing
all young children to be successful in school settings.
 Participants in User Groups who use AT in their
classrooms have reported immediate child behavior
benefits when using AT products.
Do you think Assistive Technology devices should be used in
the classroom?
Definitely! No Way!

6.  Many devices can be used for children with disabilities
so they can learn the same way!
 Visual Impairments can use computer screen readers.
 Physical Impairments can use position devices.
 Hearing Impairments can use auditory trainers to
comprehend instructions for reading.
What about some statistics?
Click here!

7.  In 2004, virtually ALL public Schools in the United
States had Internet access, which is up from 35% in
1994.
 In 2005, about 10% of students in public schools
receive Special Education services and
approximately half of those classified have a
learning disability.
 8 out of 10 students with learning disabilities have
Reading problems and can not understand grade-
level material.

8.  Assistive Technology is more often used in Special
Education classes than in regular classrooms.
 AT technology helps students strengthen and
improve their overall reading skills.
 Students become more independent when reading
grade-level text.

9.  It is important to evaluate each student for AT
devices relative to the specific student’s
strengths, limitations, settings, and tasks to be
performed.
 Functional capabilities and limitations must be
considered in making decisions about matching the
students needs with the appropriate technology.
 Functional capabilities refer to abilities in areas of
sensory, motor, cognition, language, and memory.

10. Subject Area Devices
Listening Assistive listening device
Tape recorder
Writing Word prediction programs
Screen reading programs
Reading Audio taped books
Optical character recognition
Mathematics Talking calculator

11.  The devices range on a continuum from simple to
complex depending on such factors as
implementation, technological
features, student, teacher training
requirements, and maintenance.
 Functional limitations are disability-related
weaknesses that inhibit a person’s performance and
impede the ability to meet the demands of the
setting.
 FAPE stands for free, appropriate public education.
IEP members must decide if the use of assistive
technology devices will help students receive FAPE.

12.  Assistive Technologies can act as a lifeline to
students with learning disabilities.
 It also has potential to increase developmental skills
and provide solutions for those students.
 There are many different ways to make learning
easier for every student in classrooms all around the
world!

13.  Bryant, D., Bryant, B. R., & Raskind, M. H. (1998). Using
assistive technology to enhance the skills of students with
learning disabilities. Intervention in School &
Clinic, 34(1), 53. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
 Hasselbring, T. S., & Bausch, M. E. (2005). Assistive
Technologies for Reading. Educational
Leadership, 63(4), 72-75. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
 Parette, H., & Stoner, J. (2008). Benefits of Assistive
Technology User Groups for Early Childhood Education
Professionals. Early Childhood Education
Journal, 35(4), 313-319. doi:10.1007/s10643-007-0211-
6