In my readings, I have come across “the assistive technology
continuum.” The continuum is the progression of increasingly high-tech
assistive technology to meet a student’s needs. For example, if a student were
struggling with writing in the classroom, a low-tech device would be introduced
to meet the student’s needs, like a special pencil grip. If the student
continued to have difficulty, the instructor may move to a form of mid-tech
assistive technology, and if the student’s needs continued to be unmet, a
high-tech device, like a speech recognition device would be used. It is
incredibly important for educators to follow the assistive technology continuum
in order to encourage students to be as independent as possible. The continuum
also helps conserve resources, as high-tech assistive technology can be
incredibly expensive.
Some examples of high-tech devices include voice recognition
programs, screen magnification systems, and screen readers. These types of
alternative input and output devices are especially helpful for students with
visual impairments and blindness because they allow the student to communicate
with the computer through sound rather than visually reading or navigating the
screen.
It's interesting to me that something as simple as a pencil grip is considered as an assistive technology tool. Many of my students use them in my school and I never realized until this class that it is considered an assistive technology. I also believe that high-tech devices can be so beneficial for students who have severe disabilities. These devices can be life changing and I think it is important as educators to learn how to implement these devices for our students.
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