Research Summaries

Laling Hightower

June 11, 2010

Assistive Technology Device

1. Flip and talk retrieved (2010, June 6) from Enabling Devices website: http://enablingdevices.com/catalog/assistive_technology_devices_used_in_education/hip-talkers/flip-and-talk

This website is great those who have a disability that is non verbal. It is talk on the go! The device is straps on you waist. It is as simple and 1,2,3. You simply flip though four icons holder to select you desired message then squeeze the icon and your pre-recorded message plays. This is a wonderful device for some one the go. Great way to communicate while on out at the stores, neighborhood, school and many other places.

2. Talk icon retrieved (2010, June 6) from Enabling Devices website: http://enablingdevices.com/catalog/assistive_technology_devices_used_in_education/multi-coms/talking-icon

This website is great communication device for home, school or wheelchair usage. Great for all ages. This is a small communicators can be used alone or attached together on a tabletop or wheelchair tray to initiate language. It records and play one 10 seconds messages. It is equipped with great sound quality, velcro icon holder, velcro to attach to another talking icon, and many other features. The are sold icon holder set of 3, talking icon and taking icon set of 3. You are able get free Expert Guidance from Doctor who is Leader in Assistive Technology.

3. M3 Expression Simplified: Concrete Communication-Fast Messaging (2010, June 6) from DynaVox Mayer-Johnson website: http://enablingdevices.com/catalog/assistive_technology_devices_used_in_education/multi-coms/talking-icon

This device is called Expressions Simplified which is a concrete communication. The M3 is designed by DynaViox is a dynamic display AAC device for those with disability who is learning how to communicate. This device is great for those with special needs who have some physical abilities and great for all ages. The device is perfect for users who use images to establish the context topic of an interaction. It has a page that you are able to sets to accommodate the individuals vocabulary. This device is consist of concrete scenes and symbols representing ideas and objects which makes it a wonderful device for interaction with others with less time.

4. Gus communication devices, (2010, June 8) from Welcome to Gus Communication Devices, Inc. website: http://gusinc.com/2010/Home.html

This website is about different companies who sale speech therapy devices that are over priced. This company explains the history of the cost of making the devices and why it has gotten so costly. The person who was in the ad spoke about the product his company is selling. Depending on what the there are different types of product that they are selling, they have the program only, they have the program and device. This speech devices that are 75% less than the other companies.

5. Hincha-Ownby, M. (2008, Feb 3). Speech therapy for autism. Retrieved from http://autism-therapy.suite101.com/article.cfm/speech_therapy_for_autism

The website is about a hand held communication device system. The device is a picture exchange communication System (PECS). The is a method by which a person would communicate through the use of pictures or graphic symbols. This device would be great for children and adults who have a difficulty in communicating. This tool has received world wide recognition. It has been use by speech-language pathologist to help assist the individuals on the autism spectrum with their communication.

Assistive Technology Organization

6. Access & independence through technology. (2010). [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.disability.gov/technology

Disability.gov is an organization that connects the Disability Community to information & opportunities. The Assistive technology section of this organization contain information about equipment ,adaptive devices and computer software and hardware that can help with a person with disability to be independent in their daily task and work -related duties.

7. Assistive technology industry association. (2010, June 8). Retrieved from http://www.atia.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3267

Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) a non-profit membership organization. This organization is technology-based focusing on assistive devices and services. The ATIA represents the interest of those with special needs, educators, those agencies that serve people with disability and the government. The mission of ATIA is to be the voice of the Assistive Technology industry so that what is being put out on the market is the best products and services for those individual with disabilities. The goals of this organization is to establish and manage Assistive Technology (AT) conference yearly. This conference would provide a forum for education and communication to professionals whom services those with disabilities. Another goal is to "speak with the common voice" for the AT industry, and work closely with Electronics & Information Technology companies and the government, on common interest. This organization would support publications of itself and along with other non-profit partners.

8. Dreams for kids. (2010). [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.dreamms.org/

This organization was founded in 1988 by a parents of a child with Down syndrome. DREAMMS is a clearinghouse and search facility for kids to get information on Assistive Technology. DREAMMS stands for Developmental Research for the Effective Advancement of Memory and Motor Skills. The main focus for this organization is to help assist children with special needs increase the use of the computer and other high quality instructional technology and assistive devices. They bring awareness to the use of Adaptive Technology.

9. Florida alliance for assistive service and technology. (2010, June 10). Retrieved from http://www.faast.org/

This organization is called the Florida Alliance for Assistive Service and Technology (FAAST). This organization is located in Florida. Its mission is to improve the quality of life for those with disabilities living in Florida. They advocates and draw awareness activities to increase the use of assistive technology and services. This site has many information for those people with disabilities who live in Florida regarding activities, grants, loans and other announcements that may help them.

10. Ability found the miracle of freedom. (2010). [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.abilityfound.org/

This organization is called the Ability Found. This organization was started in 1993 by a parent of a who son died in 1999. The parents noticed that many individuals with disabilities languish because they do not have the equipment they need in order to live. Many of the insurance companies do not cover the equipment. This foundation provides those with disabilities that opportunity to receive the right equipment to be able to function in society.

Assistive Technology Research

11. Okolo, C., & Bouck, E. (2008). Research about assistive technology: what have we learned? . National Center for Technology Innnovation, 22(3), Retrieved from http://www.nationaltechcenter.org/index.php/2008/06/09/research-about-assistive-technology-what-have-we-learned/

This article was published in the National Center for Technology Innovation (NCTI) in the Journal of Special Education Technology Special Issue. The article main purpose is to offer assistance in the review of research on the use of assistive technology for students with special needs. It also offers some suggestions on the ideas on the researcher being produced. Journals from the year 2000 to 2006 relating to assistive technology were reviewed by their peers to make sure that they were keeping under the guidelines of the IDEA. The researchers sited 122 studies that fell in the criteria . The researchers “summarizes that the type and ages of students with who these studies were conducted, the outcomes, the types of designed, and the journals in which the studies were published. They “conclude with a discussion of implications of research practice.”

12. Koenig, K., & Rudney, S. (2010). Performance challenges for children and asolescents with difficulty processing and intergrating sensory information: a systematic review. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 64(3), Retrieved from http://ajot.aotapress.net/content/64/3/430.full

The article is published in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy. It is a review of literatures that relate children and adolescents whom have difficulties with processing and integrating sensory information. This is a Evidence-Based Literature Review which focuses on the abilities of children that may display in area of occupation such as play and leisure, social interaction and everyday living. The result of this review suggested that although children and adolescents may have difficulty processing and integrating information has displayed functional performance difficulties in the main area of occupation. Researcher has agree that more descriptive studies are needed to be done in order to find the relations with sensory and motor issues and their specific difficulties.

13. Brown, N., & Dunn, W. (2010). Relationship between context and sensory processing in children with autism. Americal Journal of Occupational Therapy, 64(3 474-483), Retrieved from http://ajot.aotapress.net/content/64/3/474.full

The article is published in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy. The main focus of this study was the relationship between the context and the sensory processing in relation to child who is autistic. Teachers and parents were involved in this study. The result of the study showed evidence that the sensory process and the context for a child with autism are related.

14.Takahashi, K., Tickle-Degnen, L., Coster, W., & Latham, N. (2010). Expressive behavior in parkinson's disease as a funcion of interview context. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 64(3 484-495), Retrieved from http://ajot.aotapress.net/content/64/3/484.full

This article is about what Parkinson’s disease and how it relate to behavioral motivation. The main purpose of this study was to see whether there is a relationship on the interview context and motivational behavior of a person with Parkinson’s disease. The topic that discuss were enjoyable activity vs. frustrating activity. Men and women with Parkinson’s disease were interviewed.

The results showed that while discussing the topic of enjoyable activities, the participants used more words, smiled a lot more and were using more facial expression. When interviewed about negative feeling the participants were less verbal and it seemed that they were unresponsive to the same gender with the interviewer. In assessments the Occupational therapist should vary the emotional tone of their question to help improve the validity of the motivation assessment.

15. About Us resna. (2010, March 8). Retrieved from http://resna.org/about/about-us president’s-message •

This organization was established in 1979 by a group of engineers and scholars. Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) it is set up for individuals doing research, development and applications of assistive technology and rehabilitation engineering. The main focus of this organization is to help people with disabilities be able to achieve their goals through the use of technology. It is an advocate supporter for promoting and supporting research development, education, and assistive technology.