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| Executive Director Sheri Piercy and Assistant Directors Donna Morris and Kris Dean with Tri-County's AT Toolbox. |
Assistive Technology
Assistive Technology (AT) means using tools and services to help students with disabilities to do the things that are expected of all children.
Sometimes AT looks complicated, like a computer that can be programmed to talk for someone who can't speak. Specialized computer software programs are also available that read aloud to students and perform other essential learning tasks that students cannot yet do for themselves.
Other forms of AT are simple devices -- a timer or switch to turn something on or off; a chart to aid the efficient multiplication of multi-digit numbers; or lined paper to assist a student in keeping handwriting legible.
In still other situations, AT is a service. Such a service might be teaching a child, parent, or teacher to use a tool. It might be note-taking or reading a test to a student. It might even be setting up or repairing a tool for student use. All AT serves the same purpose-compensating for skills that are yet unlearned, or that may be impossible for people with certain disabilities to perform. AT enables all students to learn and participate as much as possible in school activities.
AT also refers to Instructional Technology -- software and learning tools that are considered useful for teaching and learning, but not essential for a specific student to learn. This overlap occurs because some tools are considered good for the learning of many students, while for a few students, these tools are essential for learning.
Tri-County is an active leader in the use of assistive technology in regional schools. Access to tools and instruction for the adults who use those tools with students occurs through Tri-County's collaboration with partner organizations: the Heart of Illinois Low Incidence Association, the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois State University Special Education Assistive Technology Center, Infinitec, and the Mid-State AT Coalition. Tri-County offers AT Use Workshops & Courses for teachers, related services providers, and parents. AT Toolboxes (Tub of Tools) were disseminated during the 2004-2005 school year as a way of informing, encouraging, and supporting the use of instructional and assistive technology in area schools. Parents and educators may view the contents of the toolboxes on this web site; view the toolboxes themselves in all public school buildings. AT Contacts are listed for each Tri-County school building.
For more specific information about assistive technology, please explore the contents of this web site, including the links to the web sites for the above-named partners. We also invite you to contact a Tri-County administrator about becoming involved in HILIA workshops.
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