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 Assistive Technology

AT provides parents, educators, and caregivers of students with disabilities the tools they need to effectively use technology that enhances the student's learning, communication, and independence.

Online Class

Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC)

AAC includes the tools and techniques that either support or take the place of spoken communication for individuals who have speech or language impairments.

  • Speech-Generating Devices (SGDs): Devices that produce spoken words, allowing non-verbal students to communicate effectively.

  • Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS): A variant of AAC where people utilize images to convey needs and ideas.

  • Mobile AAC Apps: Applications like Proloquo2Go and TouchChat HD offer customizable communication options on tablets and smartphones.

AAC refers to communication methods that either supplement or replace speech.  These methods encompass the full range of approaches and technologies available, from low-tech systems such as picture exchange to high-tech speech-generating devices. Most commonly, AAC encompasses the full range of communication tools. AAC methods are used by students with the most severe communication impairments.  (Light & McNaughton, 2012; McNaughton & Light, 2013).

Text-to-Speech (TTS) Tools

Digital text can be read aloud by way of text-to-speech software, which assists students with reading difficulties in grasping the material. Unlike a simple audio recording of someone reading the text aloud, TTS reads the words directly from the digital file and is able to do so at varying speeds (Wood et al., 2018).

Moreover, the computer reads—or speaks—the digital text without interpreting it or adding any meaning to it. As a result, it is also a useful tool for individuals having difficulty with auditory processing (Stodden, Galloway, & Stodden, 2012).

Visual schedules break down daily routines into parts using icons, photos, or drawings. For students on the autism spectrum, these anxiety-lessening tools do more than just get them through a transition; they give them the confidence to make the next step toward independence.  Dettmer et al. (2000) showed that using visual schedules instead of auditory directions greatly increased the on-task behavior of students with disabilities. These same students exhibited a decrease in disruptive behavior during transition times.

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Speech Therapy Session
Pile of Books
​References: 

  • Dettmer, S., Simpson, R. L., Myles, B. S., & Ganz, J. B. (2000). The use of visual supports to facilitate transitions of students with autism. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 15(3), 163–169. https://doi.org/10.1177/108835760001500307

  • Light, J., & McNaughton, D. (2012). Supporting the communication, language, and literacy development of children with complex communication needs: State of the science and future research priorities. Assistive Technology, 24(1), 34–44. https://doi.org/10.1080/10400435.2011.648717

  • McNaughton, D., & Light, J. (2013). The iPad and mobile technology revolution: Benefits and challenges for individuals who require augmentative and alternative communication. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 29(2), 107–116. https://doi.org/10.3109/07434618.2013.784930

  • Stodden, R. A., Galloway, L. M., & Stodden, N. J. (2012). Facilitating access to the general curriculum: Text-to-speech technology use by students with disabilities. Journal of Special Education Technology, 27(3), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1177/016264341202700301

  • Wood, S. G., Moxley, J. H., Tighe, E. L., & Wagner, R. K. (2018). Does use of text-to-speech and related read-aloud tools improve reading comprehension for students with reading disabilities? Journal of Learning Disabilities, 51(1), 73–84. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022219416688170

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