Sensory Disabilities and Assistive Technology

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Sensory Disabilities and Assistive Technology
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Causes

• Conductive sensorineural and mixed hearing loss
• Hearing loss and the outer ear
• Hearing loss and the middle ear
• Hearing loss and the inner ear

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Levels of Hearing Impairment

• Mild
• 15-30db loss
• Minimal difficulty hearing
• Some articulation problems
• Possible reading/writing delays
• Preferential seating visual cues

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Levels of Hearing Impairment

• Moderate
• 31-60db loss
• Delays in speech language
• Difficulty hearing w/ background interference
• Amplification speech/language instruction

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Levels of Hearing Impairment

• Severe
• 61-90db loss
• Great difficulty w/ normal speech
• Significant delays in speech/language
• Abnormal voice quality
• May benefit from amplification
• Speech reading or sign language

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Levels of Hearing Impairment

• Profound
• 91db loss
• Little residual hearing
• Reliance on visual/tactile cues
• Manual communication or total communication

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Degrees of Deafness (http//yourmedicalsource.com/
library/hearingloss/HL_whatis.html)
Mild (25-40dB) Moderate (40-55dB) Severe
(55-90dB) Profound (90dB)
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Topics in Deafness

• Language Issues
• Early versus Late Onset Deafness
• Communication Systems
• Sign Systems
• Aural/Oral
• Cultural Issues

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Educational Considerations

• Oral approach
• Auditory-verbal approach
• Speech reading
• Criticisms of the oral approach
• Total communication
• The bicultural-bilingual approach
• Service delivery models
• Technological advances
• Hearing aids
• Television, video, and movie captioning
• Telephone adaptations
• Computer-Assisted Instruction (CAI)
• The Internet

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Deafness AT

• Alarm Clocks

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Deafness AT

• Signaling Devices

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Deafness AT

• Telecommunications

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Deafness AT

• Assisted Listening/Amplification

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Vision Impairments

• Types
• Low Vision
• (20/70 to 20/200)
• Blind
• (20/200 to 20/500)

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Definition and Classification

• Legal Definition
• 20/200 or less with correction
• Field of vision less than 90 degrees
• Low vision
• Acuity between 20/70 and 20/200 with correction.
• Educational Definition
• Ability to function in the classroom
• Blind
• Low vision

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Vision Impairments Issues

• Mobility
• Access to Print
• Independent Living Skills/Adaptive Skills
• Social Issues

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Educational Considerations

• Braille
• Use of remaining sight
• Listening skills
• Orientation and mobility (OM) training
• The long cane
• Guide dogs
• Human guides
• Technological aids
• Communication
• Orientation and mobility
• Cautions about technology

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Vision Impairment AT

• Mobility
• Canes
• Standard
• Laser
• GPS

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Vision Impairment AT

• Print Access

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Vision Impairment AT

• Print Access
• Tactile Graphics
• Homemade
• Pictures in a flash (PIAF)
• http//www.taevisonline.purdue.edu/

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Vision Impairment AT

• Daily Living