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VI AT Resources

The following organizations and companies provide information specific to AT for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. 

AbilityHub

Ability Hub offers assistive Technology solutions for people with a disability who find operating a computer difficult, maybe even impossible. This site includes resources to adaptive equipment and alternative methods available for accessing computers.

AbleData ​

AbleData is a publicly funded organization through the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research of the U.S. Department of Education. It provides objective information on assistive technology and rehabilitation equipment available from domestic and international sources to consumers, organizations, professionals, and caregivers within the US. 

AccessWorld ​

AccessWorld is a branch of the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) that offers comprehensive product evaluations, user-friendly explanations of current technology, practical tips on using technologies, news, and reports from the field specific to technology. It also features interviews with industry leaders. All current and past issues and articles can be accessed online or through the AFB Access World app, AFBAW.

Alliance for Technology Access (ATA)

​ATA is a national network of community-based resource centers, product developers, vendors, service providers, and individuals that provides information and support services to persons with disabilities. Their mission is to increase the use of technology by children and adults with disabilities and functional limitations. 

Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA)

ATIA is a membership organization of manufacturers, sellers, and providers of technology-based assistive devices and services. They hold an annual conference on assistive technology. 

Beyond Sight

Beyond Sight specializes in independent living aids and adaptive technology. Products include braille embossers, computer technology, games, kitchen aids, magnifiers and mobility aids. Also, they provide training for using the products

Bookshare

Bookshare provides access to books that are legally scanned for people who are visually impaired or print disabled. The books can be read with adaptive technology or in embossed braille.

CANnect

CANnect is a consortium of schools, and philanthropists who provide courses designed toward people who are blind or visually impaired. Accessible and comprehensive online courses cover a wide range of subjects specific to visual impairments as well as the core curriculum and workplace tools like spreadsheets and word processing. CANnect solves problems for people with visual impairments so they can get on with learning. 

Closing The Gap

Closing The Gap provides information and training necessary to best locate, compare and implement assistive technology into the lives of persons with disabilities. They hold an annual international conference, online magazine and live webinars.

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is a membership association for educators and education leaders who are engaged in improving learning and teaching through the advancement of technology in pre-k-12 and teacher education.

Michigan DOE Assistive Technology Resources List 

The Michigan Department of Education has compiled a great list of Assistive Technology Resources. Visit their site and view all the resources or use the filter feature to locate the exact AT support you are looking for. 

Paths to Technology

​Paths to Technology is designed to assist educators and families in learning and staying current on ever-changing technology for students with visual impairments and blindness.  The goal of the project is to enable students with visual impairments and blindness to succeed in paperless mainstream classrooms and post-school opportunities for employment by achieving digital literacy and by staying current with rapidly evolving technology.  Paths to Technology is a resource for defining and disseminating best practices, training, and support for teachers of the visually impaired, braille transcribers, other education professionals, parents, and students.

National Center on Accessible Instructional Materials

The National Center on Accessible Instructional Materials features the AIM Navigator. The AIM Navigator is an interactive tool that facilitates the process of decision-making around accessible instructional materials for an individual student. The tool helps teams determine the need of AT; select the format; consider the acquisition of formats; and select the supports for use.

Technology Olympics

The VI/Assistive Technology program at the Region 10 Education Service Center in Richardson, TX has developed Technology Olympics, a great activity for motivating students with visual impairments to develop their Assistive technology skills. Technology Olympics provides students the opportunity to compete at their skill levels using the latest technology equipment available for individuals who are blind and visually impaired. Check out the information and forms on their site to develop a Technology Olympics for your area! 

Assistive Technology Forms

Sign up for free membership to access the FREE VI AT forms and references on the Free VIAT Printables page. Simply click on the Log In | Register link in the navigation bar. If you haven't joined yet, you will be prompted to create a password. ​Below are just a few examples of the free VI AT Printables.

Selecting the Right AT for Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired Recorded Presentation

$25.00

Are you overwhelmed by the process of selecting assistive technology for your students? This presentation will encompass the process and steps of selecting the right assistive technology for students who are blind or visually impaired using the SETT framework. Key points covered in this presentation include identification of the current problem; consideration of current skills; understanding unique visual and learning needs; awareness of AT for VI; AT equipment considerations; the process of building a toolkit; instructional strategies; and next steps. 


Objectives:


  • Identify required steps in conducting an AT evaluation for students with visual impairments.
  • Analyze student’s current skills and unique needs to make appropriate AT recommendations
  • Develop strategies for selecting low, mid and high tech Assistive Technology  


Includes:


  • Recorded PowerPoint Show
  • Transcript
  • Presentation handout
  • Printables & Links to Resources discussed in presentation


Request a Certificate of Completion

To receive a certificate of completion for 1 contact hour, complete the short "Selecting the Right AT" quiz on Google Forms and receive a score of at least 80%. Don't worry. If you don't pass, you can re-watch the presentation and retake the test! If you have any accessibility issues with the form, please don't hesitate to let me know and we can make other arrangements.  ​


System Requirements:

Presentations are recorded PowerPoint presentations. You must be able to access PowerPoint to view the PowerPoint presentation. Please note that the presentation pages are closed member pages available to individuals who have purchase access to the presentation. 


*Please contact me if you need to purchase using a purchase order. I am happy to help guide you in the process of adding Teaching Students with Visual Impairments as an approved vendor for your school or program or you can visit the product support page for information on using a PO.
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