One of the many aspects to take into account when considering the use of Assistive Technology is the way in which a device or piece of instructional technology will affect or assist a student. Team members are, at times, reluctant to make decisions regarding Assistive Technology because of the belief that a device or instructional technology will give a student an unfair advantage. Assistive Technology equipment and specific instructional skills can be construed as “illegal” aids, or accommodations that could, in all fairness, make everyone’s tasks a lot easier.
It is important to reiterate that technology is of no importance, or has little academic and social relevance, without an interaction, a state of “mindful engagement” or “mindfulness”. In their article entitled “Partners in Cognition: Extending Human Intelligence with Intelligent Technologies”, Salomon, Perkins and Globerson, remind us that the success of Assistive Technology is directly related to “mindfulness” or the deliberate interaction between user and “equipment”. This interaction has to be initiated, directed, and modified by the user, and with specific intent. The student must be engaged with the technology, and one can assume that the higher the level of engagement, the higher the possible success rate. Intelligent technology, or a device that “undertakes significant cognitive processing on behalf of the user” is limited by the users’ initiative, commitment to task, effort, inferences, conflict resolution ability and, ultimately, willingness to interact.
When making individual consideration regarding the use of Assistive or Instructional Technology the IEP team must take into account how much “mindful engagement” will be required for a successful interaction.
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