According to enrollments in schools for the deaf and data from the national census and neonatal hearing screening programs, the incidence of severe and profound childhood deafness in Australia is, and has been, less than commonly assumed. Factors implicated include improved medical care, mainstreaming, cochlear implants, and genetic science. Data…

Special education teachers and individualized education program (IEP) team members throughout the country are struggling to make appropriate decisions regarding assistive technology (AT) for students with high incidence disabilities. Although numerous authors and organizations have developed tools to assist IEP teams when considering AT, the task…

Physical therapists and occupational therapists frequently assist parents with the exploration and use of powered wheelchairs for their children with physical disabilities. The purpose of this study was to explore parents' experiences and perceptions of their children's experiences with the receipt and use of powered mobility. Qualitative methods…

Students with physical impairments often have difficulties with reading and writing skills. As a result, they are behind when compared to their non-disabled peers. This requires teachers of students with orthopedic impairments to know the obstacles that effect reading and writing instruction for their students. They also need to be able to use…

In two analyses, transcripts from 21 children (ages 3-6) reading and retelling stories with a parent over a six-week period were studied. Ten children with moderate-to-profound hearing loss used assistive technology and the Auditory-Verbal approach for language learning; 11 had typical hearing. In Analysis 1, no significant difference between…

Assistive Technology (AT) devices and services have been legally mandated for several years. However, the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Act Amendments P.L. 105-17 (IDEA1997), which states that every student with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) must be considered for AT, had enormous implications impacting approximately six…

Electronic technology can be used to overcome many of the barriers and other factors that restrict delivery of services to rural schools; it can also expand the world of rural gifted students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Online college and high school Web sites that offer courses are listed, as well as a Web site for tutoring and one offering…

Vocabulary acquisition traditionally has been a struggle for students with special learning needs. This study involved an eleven year old fifth grade student with learning disabilities in reading and writing and limited English proficiency. Assistive technology assistance was provided from the Franklin Language Master 6000b and Microsoft's Power…

The University of Alabama at Birmingham, School of Education, as lead institution, initiated a collaborative PT3 project to infuse technology into the teaching/learning experience for prospective teachers in the Greater Birmingham Holmes Partnership. It featured the following projects: (a) assistive technology, (b) mentoring between K-12 and…

This report's 13 chapters address disability statistics and research, civil rights, education, health care, long-term services and supports, youth, employment and the workforce development system, welfare reform, housing, transportation, assistive technology and telecommunications, international affairs, and homeland security. Each chapter…

The Midwest Center for Postsecondary Outreach developed this guide to offer administrators, parents, students, and potential service providers an overview of the various speech-to-text service options available in postsecondary environments to students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. Speech-to-text services are support options for students who…

Interactive Technology Literacy Curriculum Online (ITLC Online) was a Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Students with Disabilities Phase 1 (Development) project awarded to the Center for Best Practices in Early Childhood (the Center) at Western Illinois University (WIU). ITLC Online's goal was to improve services for young children with…

This policy paper explores key trends in information and communication technology, highlights the potential opportunities and problems these trends present for people with disabilities, and suggests some strategies to maximize opportunities and avoid potential problems and barriers. Specifically, this paper discusses technology trends that present…

The main purpose of this paper is to provide real-life examples for the assistive technology, which are used to enhance preservice teacher-faculty and online designer partnerships in special education. Therefore, a framework developed by the researchers will show the needs, expectations and strengths of preservice teachers, faculty and online…

This report discusses a project that compared the rate of use of assistive technology (AT) services and devices by American Indians and Alaska Natives with that of other ethnically diverse groups, identified barriers, and examined consumer satisfaction regarding AT. The project drew on four sources of data: the Rehabilitation Services…