Brookline Books/Lumen Editions

Family Guide To Assistive Technology 

January 2000 
ISBN 1-52129-074-5 $15.95  

Beginning early in life, technology is making it possible for children with disabilities to do more for themselves. A child who cannot use her hands can operate a computer with a computer with a switch and an on-screen keyboard. A Child who cannot speak can communicate using a portable electronic device that speaks. A child who is unable to get in and out of the bathtub can be safely and easily lifted using a mechanical device. These are just a few examples of the wide variety of equipment, called assistive technology, that is available today.

Assistive technology can mean anything from simple, homemade devices to highly sophisticated environmental control systems. It can be adapted toys, computers, powered mobility, augmentative communications devices, special switches, and thousands of commercially available or adapted tools to assist an individual with learning, working, and interacting socially.

This Guide is intended to help parents learn more about assistive technology and how it can help their children. The Guide includes tips for getting started, ideas about where to look for money, and suggestions for what to do when applying for funding. Places to contact for more information or to find software and equipment are listed in the Appendix at the end of the Guide.