Assitive Technology

This nationwide study explored the types and frequency of technology used by
teachers of deaf and hard-of-hearing (d/hh) students to design and deliver instruction, as
well as the types and frequency of technology being used by teachers of d/hh students to
promote communication and collaboration. It also examined the extent of professional
development in the area of technology use with d/hh students, and the related challenges
experienced by these teachers.

Resumo: Este documento pretende apresentar um conjunto de diretrizes para a construção de sistemas digitais voltados para uso assistivo, dando subsídios a desenvolvedores da área de informática e a profissionais da área da saúde, mais especificamente terapeutas ocupacionais e fisioterapeutas, levando em conta aspectos sobre usabilidade, adaptabilidade e acessibilidade de objetos e interfaces computacionais.

This nationwide study explored the types and frequency of technology used by teachers of deaf and hard-of-hearing (d/hh) students to design and deliver instruction, as well as the types and frequency of technology being used by teachers of d/hh students to promote communication and collaboration. It also examined the extent of professional development in the area of technology use with d/hh students, and the related challenges experienced by these teachers. The following research questions guided this study. Research question 1. What kinds of technology do teachers of d/hh students use to design and deliver academic content-based learning activities? With what frequency are these technologies being used by teachers of d/hh students? Research question 1a. Is there a relationship between the self-reported amount and/or kinds of technology used by teachers of d/hh students to design and deliver academic content-based learning activities and their job position? Research question 1b. Is there a relationship between the self-reported amount and/or kinds of technology used by teachers of d/hh students to design and deliver academic content-based learning activities and their use of technology for obtaining additional training? Research question 2. What kinds of technology do teachers of d/hh students use to promote student communication and collaboration for learning? With what frequency are these technologies being used by teachers of d/hh students? Research question 2a. Is there a relationship between the self-reported amount and/or kinds of technology used by teachers of d/hh students to promote student communication and collaboration for learning and their job position? Research question 2b. Is there a relationship between the self-reported amount and/or kinds of technology used by teachers of d/hh students for student communication and collaboration and their use of technology for obtaining additional training? Research question 3. Is there a relationship between the self-reported use of technology by teachers of d/hh students for additional training and their job position? Research question 3a. Is there a relationship between the self-reported use of technology by teachers of d/hh students for additional training and how often their employer provides professional development in the use of instructional technology for use with deaf/hard-of-hearing students? Research question 4. Is there a relationship between the self-reported amount and/or kinds of challenges experienced by teachers of d/hh students and their job position? Despite being half way around the world, and multiple changes to my committee, she helped keep me focused and grounded throughout the dissertation process. I would like to also thank Dr. D.J. Hendricks and Dr. A. Hollo for thier willingness to join my committee in the eleventh hour and help guide me through the statistical analysis and further refining the document. Thank you to my family and friends for their patience and unwavering faith in my success. Lastly, I would like to thank my amazing wife Catherine Lei Paleka-Zirzow for always reminding me to revisit my core intention for the pursuit of this degree and helping me remain steadfast in my pursuit of excellence.

Creative and innovative developments in information and communication technologies (ICT) have paved the way for assistive technologies in special education in addition to other fields in education. Assistive technologies have been begun to be used as effective, efficient, and attractive teaching tools because learners with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulties to develop cognitive abilities and acquire new knowledge. They need to improve their behavior, communication and relationships with their environment through special education. New digital devices appear as promising teaching/learning tools as hardware. However, hardware take on a new significance as long as it is used with well-designed software; in our scope, software is interactive e-books and interactive content based teaching applications. Within this perspective, the purpose of this study is to identify design criteria of interactive e-books and interactive content based teaching applications for learners with autism spectrum disorder through a three rounds Delphi study. In this study, a total of 47 criteria under 5 themes were identified and research findings were further discussed within scope of emerged five themes. Additionally, directions for future research were presented

Different evolving technologies surround humans today. Among the various technologies, Assistive Technology has still not established itself firmly because there is an absence of proper integration of this technology with human life. However, in the future, it will become one of the most important and vital phenomena in everyone’s life. Because humans want to make their life easier and longer and these are the reasons for the rapid growth in demand for Assistive Technology. Therefore, improvements in the technology and the way it is applied are essential and, for this reason, there is a requirement of a detailed study of the technology. This paper demonstrates the different milestones achieved in assistive technology by using different techniques to attempt to improve intelligence in assistive systems; and also, it describes the gaps that are still present even after such extensive works and, which are required to be either resolved or bridged. This study is done to understand where the assistive technology is today and in which direction it needs to get directed.

Andadores são dispositivos de auxílio à marcha, empregados regularmente na reabilitação de condições de saúde de diferentes procedências. O seu uso reduz a carga a ser sustentada pelos membros inferiores, auxilia na manutenção do equilíbrio corporal e permite o deslocamento em pé a partir das capacidades remanescentes ao usuário. Por meio de referencial teórico multidisciplinar e pesquisa de campo com profissionais de reabilitação e usuários de andadores, este estudo investigou demandas relacionadas ao uso dos dispositivos, focando especialmente nos aspectos de interação com o produto e no desempenho de atividades de vida diária. Entre os resultados encontrados estão um maior nível de funcionalidade e independência, especialmente na execução de atividades básicas de vida diária em ambiente domiciliar, mas também limitações importantes, que poderiam ser resolvidas ou minimizadas com o uso de dispositivos assistivos mais alinhados às características das pessoas e dos contextos em que elas vivem.

Streszczenie: W artykule opisano wsparcie teleinformatyczne aktywizacji edukacyjnej i zawodowej osób niepełnosprawnych na przykładzie opracowanej przez autorów koncepcji zintegrowanego teleinformatycznego środowiska osoby niepełnosprawnej. Zaproponowane rozwiązania mogą przyczynić się do zwiększenia zatrudnienia w tej grupie pracowników oraz stopniowo przełożyć się na zmniejszenie obciążenia budżetu świadczeniami dla osób niepełnosprawnych.

Touchscreen technology has brought about significant improvements for both normal sighted and visually impaired people. Visually impaired people tend to use touchscreen devices because these devices support a screen reader function, providing a cheaper, smaller alternative to screen reader machines. However, most of the available touchscreen keyboards are still largely inaccessible to blind and visually impaired people because they require the user to find an object location on a touchscreen in order to interact with an application. In this paper, we describe SingleTapBraille, a novel nonvisual text input approach for touchscreen devices. With SingleTapBraille, a user enters characters including text, numbers, and punctuation by tapping anywhere on the screen with one finger or a thumb several times based on braille patterns. This paper presents our initial keyboard design and our explorative evaluation of SingleTapBraille conducted with braille instructors and visually impaired users.

—Pre-compensation of display images in computers can enhance the interaction of computer users with visual impairments and computers. However, the pre-compensation process reduces the contrast of the images perceived by the user, when the pre-compensated images are presented in display devices with limited intensity levels. Therefore, the helpfulness of the pre-compensation process is reduced by the accompanying contrast loss. This paper proposes a side-trim histogram correction method aiming to improve the contrast of the image perceived by the user after pre-compensation has been performed. The side-trim method is based on the analysis of the histogram of the pre-compensated image, in which the trimming process is performed automatically, without manual intervention.

In this paper I describe the development of an interactive interface and program for creating, storing and replaying animated drawings with sound and its use with long-time friend and artist, Ann Chamberlain who suffered severe memory impairment due to metastasized breast cancer. I created the interface to re-establish and maintain a meaningful personal connection with Ann as well as to find a way for her to continue to work as an artist by increasing and sustaining her ability to focus and concentrate for extended periods of time.

The Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program brought a group of disability leaders from Belarus (Minsk) to tour the U.S. They met with me in Florida to discuss arts and disability programming and the work which is occurring here. A video was created (see link below) explaining/documenting the IVLP program and their visit with me in relation to arts and disability. Please see my arts and disability blogspot for further media and information about my work. http://artsanddisability.blogspot.com/

Digital musical instruments (DMIs) are subject to drastically fewer design constraints than their acoustic predecessors, and the possibility of minimizing physical interaction has inspired numerous interfaces intended for disabled users. However, the potential of DMIs remains only partially fulfilled. Informed by personal experience as a DMI designer and performer with a disability, concepts of affordances and repurposed technologies are used to make a case for the adaptability of users and durability of established instruments. Examples of unconventional performer-instrument fit are identified and a modified design process is proposed. This contemplates the suitability of established instruments before initiating new designs. Finally, the implications of this change are considered.

We present in this paper SingingFunction, a vowel-based sonification strategy for mathematical functions. Within the research field of auditory graphs as representation of scalar functions, we focus in SingingFunction on important aspects of sound design, which allow to better distinguish function shapes as auditory gestalts. SingingFunction features the first vowel-based synthesis for function sonification, and allows for a seamless integration of higher derivatives of the function into a single sound stream. We present further the results of a psycho physical experiment, where we compare the effectiveness of function sonifications based on either mapping only f′(x), or including hierarchically further information about the first derivatives f′(x), or the second derivative f″(x). Further we look at interactivity as an important factor and report interesting effects across all 3 sonification methods by comparing interactive explorations versus simple playback of sonified functions. Finally, we discuss SingingFunction within the context of existing function sonifications, and possible evaluation methods.

There are not many studies to help removing learning difficulties of children with mental disabilities by the help of technology. Complex structure of interface and input devices restrain people with special condition to use computers effectively. There are computer laboratories in special education schools; however those generally do not include special interfaces and input devices to eliminate physical and mental barriers. This study implemented a multi-touch screen as learning and assessment material for children with mental disabilities, such technology removes barriers of traditional input devices and increase interactivity. Learning materials included basic concepts of curriculum of special education: less-more concepts, sounds of animals and instruments, colors, and basic shapes. Implementation took part in special education schools. The researchers of this study observed the implementation and provided technical support. This study presents the critical design and development issues of the preparation of such instructional materials for mentally handicapped children