Reflections of Assistive Technologies

   With access to more extensive technology available, students with disabilities are finally able to have a voice in the classroom. New devices are being implemented in our schools and universities which are allowing students to succeed at rates like never before. Students with disabilities are now reaching for the stars and are accomplish things like playing an instrument, completing college or simply communicating with people with the assistance of technology.

   Lucas is a high school student who has a debilitating disease that causes all his limbs to lose muscle control and freeze up. He had the dream of playing an instrument in the band, the euphonium horn, which needs the fingers to push the buttons over the valves. Though he was unable to push any of the buttons, Lucas persevered and simply waited for that one note that he could play to come around. After some great ingenuity and some time, a device that used a joystick to control the instruments valves was produced. The joystick enabled Lucas to play his instrument with ease and not just one note, either.

   Technology has also assisted a young woman named Suzanna who was born with Cerebral Palsy. She was unable to function in school or do her homework because she couldn’t control her feet and had minimal use of her hands. The school refused to get her a desk that adjusted heights and a laptop to help her complete her homework, but after some coercing the laptop was provided. Suzanna, now at the University of Washington, uses voice-activated software on her laptop to help her complete her homework and a joystick controlled wheelchair to get around campus. These technologies will help Suzanna complete her degree in Communications and fulfill her dream of becoming a news anchor.

Autism has been setting young children back for decades. However, now with technology, these children are being assisted and the doors of communication are being thrown open.  Lucas, a six year old with autism, has struggled to communicate for years and usually is found throwing tantrums because of the frustrational  level at which he finds himself. His preschool teacher was aware that these drawbacks were because of the lack of communication between both him and the world around him. She started recognizing that he was drawn to cause-an-effect toys and had a natural curiosity of books.  This gave her an idea to introduce the Ablenet-SuperTalker, which gave Josh buttons to push to communicate what activities he wanted to participate in. She, seeing his draw to books, also introduced the AblenetBookworm.  This bookworm, allows the teacher to enter any book Josh is interested in, and it reads to him. This was helping with his pre-literacy skills and even led to developed eye contact because he was becoming confident in his reading and verbal skills. These simple tools have changed Josh’s life and the lives of his family, who are now able to communicate with him.

   From its original form, technology has simply made leaps and bounds in discovering new ways to make life easier. For these student,s it has not just made their lives easier, it has actually made their lives possible.  It has given these students the ability to do whatever they put their minds to and has opened new avenues that would not normally be available.