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ENVIRONMENTAL
CONTROL
To determine whether an individual will benefit from
assistive technology in the area of Environmental Control,
AT professionals should ask themselves the following
consideration question: “Can the individual independently
control tools and materials regularly available in the
environment? (Reed, 2004)” If the answer to this
question is “no,” then teams may want to
assess this area further to determine if AT is needed.
A variety of low and high tech aids are available to
assist individuals who need assistance to improve their
interaction and independence in controlling the environment.
Examples include reaching devices and extended handles
for turning switches on and off, opening/closing doors,
and accessing materials; switches used in conjunction
with a battery adapted toy or device; switches used with
radio waves or ultrasound to control devices and appliances
remotely; and computer-based systems that control a variety
of functions in the home such as the T.V, lights, stereo,
oven, and so on.
Below is a collection of articles, handouts/forms, and
useful links related to the area of environmental control.
Reference:
Reed, P (Ed.). Assessing Student’s Needs for Assistive Technology: A
Resource Manual for School District Teams (4th ed.). Wisconsin Assistive
Technology Initiative: 2004. |
