What Is Assistive Technology?

Legal Definition:

Assistive technology device means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a individuals with disabilities. 

• Any: An AT device is anything!

• item, piece of equipment, or product system: Synonyms of any.

• whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized: Where does the AT come from? You can buy it, you can change it, your can make it.

• increase, maintain, or improve: The standards of whether anything is AT: It must help a person stay the same (maintain) get a little better (improve) or get a lot better.

• functional capabilities: If the outcome of AT is to enhance functional performance then where’s the evidence of what the person can do as a result of their AT use?

• individuals with disabilities: The important focus of our work. 

Adapted from Knowledge by Design, Inc. copyright 2004. Edyburn,m D.L.

Video Links

AT Video links from the PACER Simon Technology Center
www.imontechnologycenter.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_17.html

25 video clips on youtube from Oklahoma’s ABLE Tech program
www.youtube.com/user/OklahomaABLETech

Implementation

Legally…  If it isn’t written in the IEP, it didn’t happen!