Special Parents Confidential 05 Assistive Technology

Assistive Technology. Not so long ago ‘Assistive Technology’ meant a typewriter, special pencil grips, or maybe a cassette tape recorder. Today, parents of special needs children are constantly being bombarded with new ideas, devices, software programs, and apps that say they can help with our children’s learning disabilities, developmental disabilities, and even physical disabilities. There are more choices for Assistive Technology than ever – nearly a million or more Apps at the time we write this – and more on the way. For parents of special needs children, as well as special education teachers, the biggest challenge is how do you sort out all the available choices, how do you know which ones will work best for which situation, and how do you implement these technologies in the classroom and in your home? Our guest for this podcast has some answers. Kindy Segovia is the Assistive Technology Coordinator for the Kent Intermediate School District of West Michigan. She’s worked with Assistive Technology for over 20 years and today works with educators and parents in making the right choices on Assistive Technology for nearly every child who needs it. She has some valuable information for anyone who wants to know more about Assistive Technology and how to use it to the best potential. Links that Kindy mentions in the podcast: The Family Center on Technology and Disability. The FCTD web site provides thousands of assistive and instructional technology resources of interest to families of children with disabilities. Michigan’s Integrated Technology Supports. Michigan’s Assistive Technology Project. You can find other technology support programs for other States here: Assistive Tech Net. Able Data is a website that can help you find the assistive technology you need. Kindy’s Assistive Technology Website through the Kent Intermediate School District. And you can email Kindy at [email protected] to join her Assistive Technology email list, and the iPad Tidbit email list.