Tutorial Eight: Assistuve technology

Tutorial Eight: Assistive technology

Provide a definition of Assistive technology (your Cook and Hussey reading may be helpful with this).

“Any item, piece of equipment or product system whether acquired commercially of the shelf, modified, or customized that is used to increase or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities”. From the public law Technical Assistance to the state Act in the USA.

Describe one piece of equipment introduced in the assistive technology tutorial. Provide information on size, cost and functions.

Blink Switch

Size: Small clip pad with small black box with a sensor light in the black box.

Function: Switch that controls radios, tv and any other device that plugs into power. The blink controls the use other that device such as turning it off and on.

Cost: Fibre-Optic Eye-Blink Switch with Power Control Module (PCM-2) $1,068.00 +$133.50 (from spectronics web site).


How does your chosen piece of equipment increased functional capacity for the user? Provide examples here from the tutorial and lecture.

Gives the user more independence and more control over what they want to do. For example turn the radio off and on using the blink switch.