Webliography: Information Sources on the Internet
Donna M. Owens

A wide range of assistive technology is available to support individuals with disabilities. Very simply, the purpose of assistive technology is to help people with disabilities to do what people without disabilities do. Assistive technology is anything from a simple tool, like a cane, to a sophisticated electronic device that allows a person with no manual control to move the cursor on a computer with an infrared signaling device. Assistive technology is not defined by what it is, but rather, by what it does. It is anything that assists a person in carrying out an activity that they wouldn’t be able to perform, or perform as well, or for as long, without the device. We should consider the possibilities of assistive technology for our children and family members with disabilities and explore resources to pursue it and assess its value for particular activities. The following is a list of web resources on assistive technology with a brief description of content for each.

http://www.mdtap.org/tt/2002.08/art_3.html

This article is found on a page of the Maryland Technology Assistance Program site which was funded through the Assistive Technology Act of 1998. The article provides a description of student’s rights to assistive technology both through IDEA and Section 504. While it is written in lay language, its concepts may not be easily understood by all readers. Still, it provides citations to specific court rulings that required the provision of specific assistive technology devices for students, including tutorial software and a laptop for a student with narcolepsy, an assistive hearing device to be used in the classroom, and a text-to-speech scanner for a learning disabled student. Professionals, parents and consumers will find this website to be useful.

http://www.mainecite.org/ptguide

This is the site for the Maine Technical Assistance Project which is funded under the Assistive Technology Act of 1998. It provides access to a comprehensive Parent Guidebook to Assistive Technology which reviews laws and legislation regarding assistive technology. The Guidebook is a thorough review of assistive technology information from advocating for it to finding appropriate assistive technology. In addition to information on law and policy, the site offers information on assistive technology funding, Universal Design, and available training opportunities on assistive technology. This website is useful to parents, professionals, and consumers.

http://www.uiowa.edu/infotech/Legal.htm

This is the website of Infotech, the Iowa Program for Assistive Technology. It provides a comprehensive and understandable review of a child’s legal rights to assistive technology under IDEA, Section 504 and the ADA. It conveys the clear message that children have a right to assistive technology and accommodations as a part of a free and appropriate public education It also covers the provision of assistive technology through private insurance and the Medicaid program, including tips for making an appropriate request and what to do in the case of a rejection and the need to appeal. This website is useful to parents, consumers, and professionals.

http://www.katsnet.org/fact4.html

This website, hosted by the Kentucky Assistive Technology Project, provides a wide range of information on assistive technology. This particular fact sheet discusses assistive technology grounded in student rights specifically as assistive technology is related to the IEP. The authors make clear that a parent’s request for assistive technology must be related to identified IEP goals. It also makes a point about the student’s right to use assistive technology at home, whether it was purchased by the school or not. This website is useful to parents, professionals and consumers.

http://www.nls.org/atiep.htm

This site is hosted by Neighborhood Legal Services, Inc. in Erie County New York. The organization, while providing services to western New York, also houses a state and a National Assistive Technology Project. The materials produced for the project are written in a manner that is parent-friendly and accessible to the lay person. This particular page provides step-by-step directions on IEP development with a focus on including assistive technology in the IEP. There are also example statements of goals and objectives that incorporate assistive technology. The article is an excellent guide to IEP development for parents.

http://ataccess.org/resources/fpic/default.html

This website is hosted by The Alliance for Technology Access (ATA). It is a network of community-based resource centers, developers, vendors and associates dedicated to providing information and support services to children and adults with disabilities, and to increasing the use of standard, assistive, and information technologies. The site contains resources from a variety of AT-focused web pages and hosts a page devoted to addressing commonly asked questions. The site includes a general description of Assistive Technology, as well as frequently used acronyms and abbreviations. Although the site does not focus specifically on legal and IEP issues, it does provide valuable information and links for families.