Journal 8

Disabled Bodies, Able Minds: Giving Voice, Movement and Independence to the Physically Challenged
By Diane Curtis

This article encourages schools to invest in assistive technology for disabled students. The author talks about 4 students (Adrian, Niara, Susanna, and Lukas) who are disabled students that have benefited tremendously from assistive technology.

Adrian is unable to use any of his limbs, walk or speak and can only move his eyebrows to communicate. He participates in a program at his school called TACLE (Technology and Augmentative Communication for Learning Enhancement)which developed a headband for him to use that sensed his eyebrow movement. With this headband he could move the computer cursor to a row or line, select it, and the computer would speak those words for him.

Niara is in the same program and has Cerebral Palsy. She uses her cheek to communicate to the computer in the same way Adrian does.

Susanna is an outgoing college student who wants to be a TV anchor. She states "Without a computer, I couldn't do my homework, without my [wheel]chair, I couldn't get around. Without my cell phone, I couldn't call for help."

Lukas was born with very limited use of his arms and legs and is now a sophomore. He decided to play the euphonium (horn similar to a tuba) but could only play one note because he couldn't press the keys to open and close the valves. He was happy to do just this, but a school employee found a music store which agreed to create a euphonium with a joystick that would be used to open and close the valves. His music teacher states that the key to his success was his smile and great attitude.

Sheryl Burgstahler, director of DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) states "If they have access to their own computers, they can take their own notes, they can take their own tests, they can write their own papers, they can use the Internet and do their own research," She goes on to ask schools why they wouldn't want to invest in these students.

Aside from the financial aspect of including assistive technologies in schools, what might other reasons be to NOT use or invest in it? I'm sure different schools would come up with different answers or reasons but one could be that there is not much need seeing as many disabled students already have their own assistive technology.

On the opposite note, How responsive would students and parents be to a program offered to disabled students which created a specialized assistive technology for them? I think this program would be tremendously successful as was evidenced in the article! If I had a disabled child I would want the best there was to offer him/her and a program that tailor fit a device for my child to learn to their full potential is exactly what I would choose!