Assessing Student's Needs for Assistive Technology (ASNAT)

Chapter 8 – Assistive Technology for Vision and Hearing
Assistive Technology for Vision and Hearing
Penny R. Reed, Ph.D.
This chapter provides a very brief overview of assistive technology for students with sensory
impairments. We have not attempted to cover this in depth, but have included resources and references
to other places where you can get additional information. It begins with a continuum of assistive
technology for students with vision impairments. Assistive technology for individuals who are totally
blind are near the end of the continuum as they typically use more “high” technology devices.
The first part of this chapter is a brief overview of AT for students with vision impairments. In it we
tried to give you a general idea of the three main ways that print materials can be made accessible to
students with vision impairments: magnification, speech output, and Braille.
Next in this chapter is an assessment tool developed by the Minnesota State Assistive Technology
Workgroup for Blind and Visually Impaired. They have incorporated the WATI process into a document
that considers the unique needs of students with vision impairments.
The second half of this chapter is about assistive technology for individuals with hearing impairments. It
includes a continuum of assistive technology and two fact sheets developed by the Assistive Technology
and Hearing Impairment Task Force of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
Assessing Students’ Needs for Assistive Technology (2004) 191