Just recently I started having problems with my eyes. The words on the page would often appear blurred . On several occasions i would close my eyes and wonder if there would be a form of technology that could just read aloud for me , and I thought that would be very nice.I am also reminded of many of my students who would put their head up so close to the computer that you wouldn't be able to see anything on the screen if you were to look at that screen. I imagine what it must be like for those people with even greater disability!
John Slatin , of Texas state University posits that there are about 500,000 sudents with disabilities in Texas alone. Six percent of all college students ,he claims have disabilities! and while children in K-12 have special programs to help them along , college students have to figure it out by themselves.Organizations tend to believe that people with disabilities walk around with their own assistive technology, which is far from the truth.
I think that technology developers should begin thinking about the many disabilities in our society today, and make more technology available for those people .
If we are an equal opportunity society then everyone should have te appropriate technology to use at their disposal.
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6 comments:
Hi Gloria,
I just went to my dermatologist and saw the most amazing thing. Each exam room is equiped with a computer now for her to input the patients information. All she had to do was talk into a microphone and the computer recorded all of my information. I was wondering for people that have trouble seeing if it could the computer could talk back to see if the recording was correct. This is just an eyeopener for me of what assistive technology could do.
We loaned a 7th grade student with special needs in motor coordination skills an AlphaSmart keyboard so he could write reports using this word processor. Some student like this young man have it written into their IEP's however I am unsure how the NYCDOE provides these materials. I had an extra alphasmart in my room so he took it home and returned it on the last day of school.
Imagine the possiblities if all people that needed assistive technology ahd the materials they needed.
Robin
Wow, that's so wonderful for you your student, Robin. I'd never heard of AlphaSmart technology. I suppose that means there is a lot of staff development waiting for me. Assistive technology is amazing.
It's so easy to take the simplest things for granted. When I was pregnant with my son, I was hospitalized for nearly three months in the hospital. I was not allowed to walk around. I had to stay put in bed. When I had to take a shower, I had to wait for someone to get a wheelchair to wheel me next door to the shower (to sit down). When I went for sonograms down the hall, I needed a wheelchair. Sometimes I was allowed a half-hour outside...in a wheelchair. It seemed as though there were either too many people or not enough people to help if I needed it. Some people saw that I may have needed help and did nothing. I have a whole new respect for people in wheelchairs. I don't usually wait for them to ask if they need help... I ask them. After all, who wants to ask for help all the time?
Hi Gloria,
Assistive technology is a great thing. This technology helps the people who need and depend on it and it can also help others who do not. Robin has an excellent example with the technology used in her doctor's office. Then all office personnel will be able to do the same job and access the information.
Hi Robin,
I must say that technology is doing great things today. At times we as librarians would want to feel that we know so much about information but if we look at the world in a realistic way we imagine that we are really up for a challenge. The producers of these technologies have been able to do so much to help make the world in general more comfortable , informaton more accessible and librarians less needed! I would dare to say.
I recall at the start of summer schooL I applied for the position of librarian , only to be told by the supervisor that "we don't need a librarian" Can you imagine ? These are students who have failed to do well on a reading test ! and they dont need the library !
Ridiculous!
Anyway lets continue to work hard .
Hi Stacy?
It is so true , until we have placed our feet in the other persons shoes we should never discriminate against them, because we dont know what they are going through.
I appreciate your attitude towards people with disabilities . I like to help them myself but sometimes they become so defensive , and I think that they do not want to be abother to anyone., so sometimes when you offer them help ,they will say that its Ok.
Lets remember not to take the things w e have for granted.
Thanks for that input Margie, because I agree with you. Great example fom Robin, I agree.
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