Definition - AT - May 30 Draft
May 30 Draft > Working Copy of Definition - Assistive Technology
- Subcommittee: Subpart A
- Section: Subpart A: Definitions
Current Draft (for reference only)
Assistive Technology means any item, piece of equipment, SERVICE, or system, whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized, that is commonly used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities IN ACCESSING E&IT.
Comments or suggested edits
Updated version for June 30
(Additions are shown in CAPS. Deleted text is marked by [brackets].)
Assistive Technology means any item, piece of equipment, or system, whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized, that is commonly used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities. AS USED IN THIS PART, THE TERM INCLUDES TRADITIONAL ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE ALONG WITH VIRTUAL ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY DELIVERED AS A WEB SERVICE AND INTEGRATION OF PRODUCTS INTO A SYSTEM THAT PROVIDES ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FUNCTIONS WHICH ALLOW INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES TO ACCESS ELECTRONIC AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.
Discussion or Rationale
Rationale: Added language clarifying that assistive technology includes web based and integration services.
Subcommittee could not reach consensus on suggestion to add list of required AT to the defintion (one subcommittee member dissented because a list of AT was not included.) Support for an AT list was to ensure more ready access to items on the list. Many subcommittee members were opposed to an AT list due to concerns with lists becoming too long, outdated, misapplied as absolutes, etc. An alternative suggestion was for technical assistance that would reference AT resource lists such as the federal CAP listing of assistive technology used in accommodations (http://www.tricare.mil/cap/acc_sol/Assistive_Technology.cfm) or the Assistive Technology Act federally funded National Public Website on Assistive Technology (http://assistivetech.net). Another alternative suggestion was for the Access Board to recommending that each agency compile a list of the AT typically used in that agency.
