Sunday, May 24, 2015

Assistive Technology

 Assistive Technology (AT)
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 functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.
High technology - “usually refers to complex electrical and electronic devices, such as computers, augmentative-alternative communication boards, and environmental control systems” (Galvin & Scherer, 1996, P.316).
Voice Output AAC Devices
Digital devices use live voice recordings to store words, phrases and/or sentences.
Synthetic devices are text-to-speech and require that words, phrases and/or sentences be typed directly into the device.
Voice Amplification Systems
Voice amplification systems are used by people who have difficulty projecting their voice at a volume suitable for daily activities, used to compensate for reduced vocal output.
Speech Enhancer
Speech enhancers  - can analyze and reconstruct speech, using not only audible sounds but also inaudible elements of the voice that are too subtle for the human ear to decipher.
Advantages 
  • access            
  • independence
  • life enhancement
  • savings

Disadvantages
  • training
  • cost
  • physical restrictions
  • training time


Resources:


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