Citation: Fichten, C.S., Asuncion, J., Barile, M., Judd, D., Alapin, I., Lavers, J., Généreux, C., Reid, E., Guimont, J.P. (1998). What computer and information technologies do postsecondary students with disabilities use? The Able Informer [On-line], 4(8). Available at e-mail: RosemaryMusachio@COMPUSERVE.COM

WHAT COMPUTER AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES DO POSTSECONDARY STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES USE?

Catherine S. Fichten, Jennison Asuncion, Maria Barile, Darlene Judd, Iris Alapin, Jason Lavers, Christian Généreux, Evelyn Reid, Jean-Pierre Guimont
Dawson College, Montréal, Québec, Canada

Our goal here is to inform you about some of the findings of our research on computer use by postsecondary students with disabilities. In the context of the ADAPTECH Project we recently surveyed 33 students and 25 postsecondary service providers from universities, colleges and postsecondary distance ed. institutions across Canada.

The overall goal of our research is to provide information needed to ensure that recent advances in computer and information technologies reflect the needs and concerns of students with disabilities and the service providers who make technological and other academic supports available. An interesting aspect of our findings concerns what computer, information and adaptive technologies students with various disabilities use.

The listings that follow are based on the information obtained from our 58 research participants in the Spring of 1998.

(1) EQUIPMENT FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE BLIND

Notable aspects are that 81% of postsecondary educational institutions have equipment for these students and that 90% of students use DOS based software rather than Windows or Mac products. Equipment used by these students includes:

Voice

Scanner Hardware and Software

Software

Braille

Portable

(2) EQUIPMENT FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE PARTIALLY SIGHTED

82% of institutions have equipment for these students, and these students can use equipment listed for students who are blind. Equipment used by these students includes:

Voice

Scanner Hardware and Software

Monitor

Software

Portable

(3) EQUIPMENT FOR STUDENTS WHO USE SIGN AND THOSE WHO USE THE ORAL APPROACH

While 78% of postsecondary educational institutions have equipment for Deaf students who sign, only 9% have equipment for students who are hard of hearing and use the oral approach. Equipment used by these students includes:

Software

Portable

(4) EQUIPMENT FOR STUDENTS WITH A LEARNING DISABILITY

Of the educational institutions we surveyed, 70% reported that they had equipment for these students. Equipment used by these students includes:

Voice

Dictation program

Scanner Hardware and Software

Monitor and image

Software

Portable

(5) EQUIPMENT FOR STUDENTS WITH NEUROMUSCULAR IMPAIRMENTS

64% of institutions have equipment for these students. Equipment used by these students includes:

Adjustable work station

Keyboard

Mouse

Voice Input

Sip and puff Morse input hardware and software

Scanner hardware and software

Monitor and image

Software: Word prediction software

Portable: Laptop

Our results also show that advantages of using computer, information and adaptive technologies far outweigh the disadvantages, and that good access to computer and information technologies for postsecondary students with disabilities is a vital component of success.

To reach the ADAPTECH project, you can visit our web site http://www.adaptech.org or join our moderated electronic discussion group by e-mailing Jennison Asuncion at asuncion@alcor.concordia.ca