Monday, 9 April 2012

What is Assistive Technology?


A technology used by individuals with disabilities in order to perform functions that might otherwise be difficult or impossible. 

This technology can be any products, devices or equipment, whether acquired commercially, modified or customized, that are used to maintain, increase or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities..."  according to the definition proposed in the Assistive Technology Act of 1998. 

The following video explains assistive technology in an interesting way. 


How do you define Disability?

A physical or mental condition that limits a person's movements, senses, or activities. According to government of Canada, the followings are major disability types:

Cognitive Impairment
Elderly
Mobility Impairment
Deaf-Blind
Hearing Impairment
Speech and Language Impairment
Dexterity Impairment (Arms/Hands/Fingers)
Learning Disability
Visual Impairment
   

 

How Can Science and Technology Help People with Disability?

The following links are videos about assistive technology in practice. Case studies showing how technology has changed peoples' lifes. 

People with disability who made a difference using technology

 A renowned Scientist, who defies the odds
The following link is interesting and controversial in my opinion. she is an amazing woman who definitely pushed the boundaries and fought with stereotypes but ....

Posted by at

8 comments:

  1. Sherry MacLean14 April 2012 at 23:03

    Farnoush, I like how you integrated your love for science with what we covered in our first AT class.
    Sherry Neville-MacLean

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Farnoush Zadeh16 April 2012 at 06:55

      Thanks, you are always very supportive.

      Delete
    2. Barbara Avery23 April 2012 at 15:12

      Farnoush, my background is also science and am very interested incorporating mobile devices into my classes. Found this website of a news report of a grade 10 science class that has gone paperless and are using the iPad as their main learning device. Shows them doing a lab, pretty neat, worth a look!
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlpzKnYBwIY

      Delete
    3. Farnoush Zadeh28 April 2012 at 09:44

      Thanks Barbara, it was really great. I am absolutely pro technology in the classroom. they were talking a curriculum that they design for iPads and I was wondering if there is possibility to get a hold of it.

      Delete
  2. Sherry MacLean16 April 2012 at 19:14

    Thank you for providing the link to the TED video with Aimee. I was inspired while listening to the beginning of her speech when she discussed children seeing her as abled (or maybe even super-abled) rather than disabled because one child asked why she would limit herself to jumping a house and wouldn't want to be able to fly. The ingenuity of children amazes me. I like her ideas about prothetics as augmentation and potential rather than a way of overcoming deficiency.
    (Yes, I realize that second sentence may be classified as a run-on sentence.)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Nicole27 April 2012 at 11:58

    I have to admit that I had never heard of Aimee Mullins until I looked at your blog and watched the links. She is an amazing woman!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Farnoush Zadeh28 April 2012 at 10:16

    Dear Sherry and Nicole,
    I also admired her spirit but we have to also consider that she is very privileged in terms of where she lives and how she looks. Not all people with disability have the opportunity or the capacity even if they try. I posted this video to inspire and also make people think. Thanks for your comments.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Kenny P6 May 2012 at 08:52

    Awesome links and videos Farnoush. Very inspiring. Thanks again for your help during Thursday's class as well. I think I need to purchase a new mic.

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)