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Assistive Technology for Children with Hearing
Impairments
May 2000
Developed by the Department of Public
Instruction in collaboration with
the Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative
1. What is assistive technology?
Assistive technology (AT) is any item, piece of equipment, or product
system whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or
customized that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional
capabilities of a child with a disability.
2. What are some examples of assistive technology
appropriate for students with hearing impairment?
Assistive technology for a child with a hearing loss may be used
to either supplement or replace the auditory event depending upon
the needs of the child. Assistive technology for a child with a
hearing loss falls into three categories: Telecommunications equipment
and peripherals, Assistive listening devices, and Alerting devices.
Telecommunications equipment includes such things as amplified telephones
closed captioning, and TDDs. Assistive listening devices include
FM Systems and other classroom amplification devices designed to
improve the auditory reception of speech information. They are further
explained in Assistive Technology Fact Sheet #2. Alerting devices
are devices that let the person know something is happening in his
or her environment. They may provide a visual cue, amplify sound,
or vibrate.
3. Why may assistive technology for students
with hearing impairment be needed in the schools?
In addition to assistive listening devices which are discussed in
another fact sheet, assistive technology may be needed in the school
to support a student's independence for functional life tasks such
as using a telephone, alarm clock, or smoke alarm. Other items such
as vibrating pagers may be used to gain the child's attention. Videotapes
and television programs that are closed captioned provide visual
information, allowing the student access to the program.
4. Which Wisconsin students with hearing impairment
will benefit from assistive technology?
Any student with a hearing impairment may benefit from assistive
technology if it makes it possible for them to access their education,
progress in the general education curriculum, gain independence,
or achieve a specific educational standard. Individual need and
potential benefit of the assistive technology are determined by
the child's IEP team.
5. How do I find out about assistive technology?
You can begin by talking with your teacher for Deaf and Hard of
Hearing (DHH) or the Educational Audiologist. If you are not currently
working with either of these, then contact the special education
director in your local school district. In addition, the regional
coordinators for the Bureau for Deaf and Hard of Hearing may have
information. You can find the names and addresses for them at their
web site, http://www.dhfs.state.wi.us/sensory.
General information about assistive technology can also be obtained
from the Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative, which has a
consultant at each CESA. Their names and address can be found at
their website, http://www.wati.org.
6. Where do I get assistive technology for a
student with hearing impairment?
DHH teachers and Educational Audiologists are involved in procuring
assistive technology for students with hearing impairment. They
work with a variety of resources in Wisconsin. Some larger school
districts may have an assortment of assistive technology devices.
Many of the Cooperative Education Service Agencies (CESAs) have
assistive technology lending libraries. In addition, the Wisconsin
Assistive Technology Initiative, a statewide project of the Department
of Public Instruction operates a lending library that is open to
every school district and Birth to Three program in the state. Assistive
technology devices may be borrowed at no charge from their lending
library. In addition, the Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing- Universal
Link in Milwaukee and North Central Technical College in Wausau
rent or lease a variety of assistive technology and most vendors
will lease their products prior to purchase to help determine if
they provide the necessary help. Finally the Independent Living
Centers throughout the state all have assistive technology for individuals
with hearing impairment, including alerting devices, telephonic
devices, and assistive listening devices. These can be borrowed
for children as well as adults.
7. How does the IEP team determine which assistive
technology is needed?
The determination of when assistive technology is appropriate !
and necessary ! is based on the needs of the child. It involves
consideration of the student’s unique needs related to the
hearing loss and should also include his or her age, social interests,
physical abilities and needs, maturity, and cognitive ability. For
example, while one student might be able to use an older style assistive
listening device with wires, another may be embarrassed by it, or
find it gets constantly bumped due to a related physical disability.
Each IEP team must think about all factors and then should try the
specific assistive technology in the environment in which it will
be used, before committing the school district to provide it on
a permanent basis.
8. Is the school district required to pay for
assistive technology?
The school district is required to provide a free appropriate public
education (FAPE). If the IEP team determines that assistive technology
is needed in order for a child to receive FAPE, then the school
district will need to provide it at no cost to the child’s
parent. "Provide" however, does not always mean "pay
for". They may borrow an item, lease it, or receive it as a
donation from some other source, as long as they provide it at no
cost to the parent when needed to implement the IEP.
9. Can just anyone decide to use it?
Federal and state law specifically empowers the IEP team to determine
what is needed in order for a child to receive FAPE at school. Therefore,
they are the group that must decide if assistive technology is an
appropriate part of the child’s program at school. Every IEP
team is required to consider the need for assistive technology during
the IEP meeting. During this consideration, any member of the team
can suggest specific assistive technologies. If it is decided to
try assistive technology, a trial period of use is recommended.
The trial period can determine if the assistive technology is appropriate
and has the desired outcome, before the school district commits
to the long-term provision. Families may independently decide to
use assistive technology at home for activities that take place
there and which may not be part of their child's IEP, such as use
of a TDD, a visual or vibrating alarm clock, or a visual doorbell.
10. How do I include assistive technology in
the IEP?
Assistive technology can be part of the specially designed instruction,
a related service, or a supplementary aid or service. There is no
one right ! place to write it. Rather the task is to write it where
it best fits and best explains what the IEP team intends to have
happen.
11. What is the school district’s responsibility under the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?
The ADA has a different standard than IDEA. It requires effective
communication ! and consideration of consumer preference !. School
districts are impacted in two ways by the ADA. They must meet ADA
requirements in making information and events accessible to the
community and to their staff, in addition to considering it in the
provision of services to their students with disabilities. Safety
and access to information are general provisions for all students
and others entering
the school building. For students with hearing impairments, this
could include providing captioned TV programs whenever possible
and visual fire alarms in isolated areas where a student might be
left alone, such as the rest rooms, study carrels, etc. Another
example of a school supporting effective communication and independence
of a student with a hearing impairment would be to provide a TDD
along with the phone number to the telephone relay system. Using
the TDD and relay system will promote greater independence and facilitate
the achievement of communication standards.
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