Assistive technology in occupational therapy enables people with disabilities to gain independence and control over their learning and functioning. According to a definition in Cook and Hussey, assistive technology is “Any item, piece of equipment or product system whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customised that is used to increase or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities” (1995, p.5). Put simply, assistive technology refers to a variety of equipment, services and practices that help people with disabilities improve their functional capacities.
An assistive technology device used to help people with learning difficulties like dyslexia, allows the user to hear speech instead of reading it - by turning the text into speech. It also provides assistance for writing text and spelling. This software can be easily downloaded off the Internet for $30 USD, converting any text into speech and allowing the user to dictate the pace and pitch of the voice that is speaking.
In using the text-to-speech, the user can gain independence with their written work, whereas previous to the software, they may have had to rely on others to read documents out loud for them. Mastering the control of the programme, allowing the user to choose the type, pitch and speed of the voice also allows for increased independence.
http://actualdownload.com/Microsoft-Text-To-Speech_popular.html (Link for downloading ‘text-to-speech’).
Cook, A.M & Hussey, S.M. (1995). Assistive technologies: Principles and practice. USA: Mosby.
