Resources and Recommendation from your SIGs
SETSIG Resources: Assistive Technology 101
by Dave Edyburn, SETSIG President-Elect
Most people feel that assistive technology is a topic that doesn’t have much relevance to their daily life. However, I suspect it is difficult for a person to go through an entire day and not encounter multiple examples of assistive technology. For example, in the past 24-hours have you:
• worn eye glasses or contacts?
• watched a television program with closed captioning?
• opened a garage door with a remote control?
• used Google to locate information you couldn’t remember?
How did you do? Did you have at least one encounter with assistive technology in the past 24-hours? These examples illustrates how technology can be used to extend human abilities. Indeed, the essence of assistive technology involves using tools to augment and extend ability.
Over a life time, each of us will experience situations in which we personally, or, someone we know, will encounter limitations due to
• aging
• disease
• accident
• disability
that may impair basic life functions such as hearing, seeing, self-care, mobility, working, and learning. Whereas some of us may be born with a disability or disease that will require us to overcome limitations throughout our life, others will need to learn how to respond to challenges that arise from an accident or simply growing older. As a result, assistive technology has the potential to impact everyone, either directly as a personal user of assistive technology, or indirectly, as a means of helping someone we know.
To learn more about how the possibilities assistive technology can help you, or someone you know, visit the following two resources created by the federally-funded, Family Center on Technology and Disability:
What Is Assistive Technology?
http://www.fctd.info/resources/tech101.php
Assistive Technology Glossary
http://www.fctd.info/resources/glossary/glossary_en.php
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