Assistive Technology and Associated Training

Abi James & E.A. Draffan with thanks to Deb Viney and Sue Wilkinson

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mwichary/2346230057/sizes/o/in/photostream/

Current situation

Action Required

Goal

GAP

Overview• Terminology – Facets of Assistive

Technology• Training – Review, Revise and Rethink• Future Trends – Support needs

http://tdevice.net/philips-flud-futuristic-flexible-smartphone-concept/

A Vision of Students Michael Wesch, Kansas State University (2007)

YouTube video – now updated Jan 2011 http://visionsofstudents.org/

Access

Personalisation and Accessibility

Productivity Tools

Free, Portable and Online Technologies

Many Facets of ATAs

sist

ive

Tech

nolo

gies

When is a technology

NOT assistive?

What is assistive?

What is assistive?

“I can wake up to my phone’s alarm and check the weather. This task previously required a specialized Braille or talking watch and/or lock and use of radio or television for weather information.”

Does the name matter?Assistive Technology (AT) is any product or service designed to enable independence for disabled and older people. (User group consultation at the King's Fund, 2001)

• Understanding the meaning of AT from the point of view of the student and the wider audience, supply, advice and training plus funding implications

“what's AT? do you mean IT? I learnt how to use my software/hardware. IT was also a great confidence booster.”“I doubt u could get someone who's pro in IT pro in grammar

and pro in art theory all together.”

Terminology“The boundaries between general and specialist IT equipment are blurred with a total interdependence of one upon the other.” BIS response 2013• “…I was able to store my important pieces of work on there

[the laptop] and use the 'Read & Write' software on there as well. This hardware has helped me to keep up with my work and completing them on time.” (Student with SpLD)

• “MS office. I could personalise documents and make them colourful to make them easier to read. I could print out and look at powerpoints and notes before lectures meaning i got more out of lectures. It meant i could work on my assignments at home at my own level and pace. Wouldn't have been able to it without it!” (Student with SpLD)

Discussion timeDoes the fact that there are blurred boundaries between the types of technologies available affect student, instructional and funders expectations, technology provision and training outcomes?

10 minutes

• Read the student comments provided then share the results of your deliberations with the wider group providing us with your thoughts on how to define Assistive Technology within the current funding structure.

Hardware Recommended & Usefulness

Laptop

Desktop P

C

Scanner/prin

ter

Handheld s

pell checker

Talkin

g dic

tionary

Digita

l Record

er

Personal D

igita

l Assis

tant

Smartp

hone

Tablet P

C/iPad

Audio/e

Reader

Magnifi

er

HI equip

ment

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

recommendeduseful

Per

cen

tag

e

DSA Survey 2012

Software Recommended & Usefulness

MS O

ffice

Ref Manager (

e.g. E

ndnote)

Optim

al Chara

cter R

ecognition

Text to S

peech

Speech to T

ext

Min

d Mappin

g

Screen R

eading

Screen M

agnificatio

n0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

recommendeduseful

Per

cen

tag

e

DSA Survey 2012

DSA benefits students by…

All

Asperg

ers, a

utisum sp

ectru

m

Chronic m

edica

l & fa

tigue

Hearin

g Impair

ment

Mental

Health

Mobility I

mpairmen

t & Pain

SpLD

, ADHD

Vis Imp

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

Classification of comments made by students about using Technology

Using shared facilities Keeping up & performing to abilities Accessing AT

Technology Training

Training by a specialist IT trainer in my home

Training by a specialist IT trainer on campus

Training by a member of the Disability Team

on campus

Training by the equipment supplier

on delivery

Grand Total0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

Rating of training by delivery method

Very helpfulHelpfulQuite helpfulNot helpfulNot at all helpfulTook up all the training hours

Technology Training

Diagnosed at FE/HE Diagnosed before FE/HE No AT before DSA Access to AT before DSA

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

Breakdown of training take vs. students pre-university experience

didn't take up trainingtook up training

Drop in Centres to ‘Review, Revise and Rethink’!

F2F and online?

27.2%

17.2%10.9%

35.9%reminder sessions each academic year

shorter sessions more regularly

one off training session

drop in facility

How could the AT training be better? (Survey 2012)

Discussion• 98.9% students indicated that the DSA technology support

had helped them overcome barriers to learning. • 60% took up training and of those, 54% found it helpful or

very helpful. Thinking about the ratings provided by students about training consider the reasons why 40% fail to take up training and 45% query its helpfulness?

10 minutes

• Read the student comments provided then share the results of your deliberations with the wider group providing us with some possible solutions to this dilemma

Cloud Computing, Mobile Apps, Social

Reading, Tablet Computing

Adaptive Learning Environments,

Augmented Reality, Game-Based Learning,

Learning Analytics

Digital Identity, Gesture-Based Computing, Haptic Interfaces, Internet of Things

Future IT Trends a help or a hindrance?

(Horizon Report HE shortlist 2012 followed by their 2013 report )

1 year or less

2-3 years

4-5 years

MOOCS & tablet computers (2013)

3D printing & wearable technology (2013)

“Digital literacy is less about tools &more about thinking.”

Learning Tech and the future“Students in the 2011/2012 survey showed a marked preference for equipment that was light and portable and easy to use when in lectures, around the university and for organisational purposes. “ (BIS survey 2013)

• “Ipad or tablet. I am quicker at writing on a keyboard but I am unable to carry my laptop everywhere with me due to its weight and size.” (Student with Mental Health issues)

• “Because of neck problems it is very difficult to read notes etcetera from a flat surface. An e-reader would be very useful because of the small print/feint print of books” (Student with Chromic medical condition)

Other Technologies

Requested General

IT

Self-fi

nance

d

Speech

reco

gnition

portable sp

ell checke

r

"stan

dard" A

T

Tablet/

touch

-scre

en device

eBook read

er

Smart

Phone M

ac

curri

culum so

ftware

Ergonomic

Request due to

portabilit

y / batt

ery power

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

Students commenting on the need for other technologies that may have been of benefit

Discussion timeConsidering the changes in portable technologies and the way students will be engaging with learning materials in the future via online learning portals with MOOCs etc – How will this affect the future supply and support of Assistive Technologies?

10 minutes

• Read the student comments provided then share the results of your deliberations with the wider group.

Explore options

Functional Response

Personal Changes

Evaluations and

Feedback

Personal Perceptions

Functional Demands

Environment and Context

Home Education or Work Community

External Support

Personal Resources

The Missing Piece

Agile Technology (AT) UserNeeds (e.g. Curriculum

tasks, activities, setting, social communication,

access and independence)

Strategies and Technology Choices

(e.g. Assistive / Productivity /

mobile /free and online)

Considerations (e.g. time, skills,

personalisation, training, attitude and preferences,

available technology, costs)

AT User

Research Strategies Evidence Based choices

Thank You

E-mail: a.james@soton.ac.uk and ead@ecs.soton.ac.uk http://www.slideshare.net/eadraffan/assistive-technology-and-associated-training

“It is only with this assistance that I can remain in University learn to think for myself have an opinion, gain knowledge and broaden my hoizens and future. I cannot thank DSA enough for this help and support and the boost it has given me in hopefulness and courage. Please keep this going to others in my position it is the best value for money I have seen in the public sector for many a year.” ( exact quote SpLD Student – DSA Survey 2012)