USING ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT

This article classified assistive technology (AT) for children with visual impairments into seven domains based on school activities, including reading, writing, maths, sciences, games & sports, mobility and activities of daily living. Considerations when selecting and using AT for children visual impairment are related to their abilities, needs, multidisciplinary coordination, and the ongoing evaluation of using AT. The authors also conducted a survey on the use of AT by 30 children with visual impairment at primary schools in Hanoi. The survey results show that the percentage of children with visual impairment who access and use AT is very low, especially using high AT. On such basis, some suggestions are made for improving the effectiveness of using AT in education for children visual impairment, including having a list of priority assistive products in schools and centers, building the target of using AT into IEP, enhancing the number of AT, training teachers for awareness and skills to use AT as well as coordinating the health and education sectors in care, education, and rehabilitation using AT