An Occupational Therapy View of Disablity Toilets

Tutorial Eight: Assisstive technology

Provide a definition of Assistive technology (your Cook and Hussey reading may be helpful with this). Assistive technology: "...technology designed to be utilized in an assistive technology device or assistive technology service." Assistive technology device: "...any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities." Assistive technology service: "...any service that directly assists an individual with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device." Retrieved on June 6, 2008, from http://www.section508.gov/docs/AT1998.html.

Describe one piece of equipment introduced in the assistive technology tutorial. Provide information on size, cost and functions. Gooshy Steptalking Sequencer Cost: $146.54 Nz or $117.95 US Size: 10 1/4 inches x 7 1/4 inches x 3 inches Requires 4 x AA batteries "Perfect for the non speaking adult or child. Allows the user to express a sequential series of pre-recorded messages (300 second total). The sequencer allows people with even the most limited communication skills to carry on a simple conversation. Ideal for a number of different purposes including sequencing, testing, directions, multiplication, memorization, medical instructions, storytelling and singalongs." Retrieved on June 6, 2008 from http://enablingdevices.com

How does your chosen piece of equipment increase functional capacity for the user? provide examples here from the tutorial and lecture. If a child has trouble communicating this is a good piece of equipment for them because it has a fun look to it and makes people want to touch the pad. The pad that the child touches to use the device is soft and feels like a stress ball. This device would enable the child to communicate with others. This in turn helps to keep their mood more level because they are not getting frustrated that no-one understands what they want/need. We also used it in classes to get a beater going when we were making pancakes, this shows that the child would be able to take part in activities that they otherwise might not be able to. All this leads to better learning and living environments and situations for the child which is what the parents, teachers, carers and child want.

A Typical Day

Tutorial Seven: Posting You Tube Videos and Flickr Badges to Blogs: Explaining the process

Task One: Explain the step by step process required to embed You Tube videos into your Blog . Consider using screen captures to provide a visual representation of these steps. Step 1: Log on to You Tube. Step 2: Find a video you want to add to your blog. Step 3: Copy the URL address of the video. Step 4: Paste the URL address on a new posting. Step 5: Publish the new post on your blog and the video will appear!

Task Two: Explain the step by step process required to embed a Flickr Badge into your Blog . Consider using screen captures to provide a visual representation of these steps. Step 1: Log on to your blog. Step 2: Log on to Flickr. Step 3: Click on the tools at the bottom of the Flickr page. Step 4: Instructions will guide you on how to do this task to a certain point. Follow these until the URL address comes up. Step 5: Copy this address. Step 6: Go back to your blog, go to customize at the top of the page, then add element. Step 7: Out of the options provided click on script and paste the URL address in the box there. Step 8: Name your badge, then save the changes that you have made and publish the post!

Tutorial Four and Five Technical Description

Provide a brief summary of the services offered by U Tube. Information can be drawn from the week five tutorial hand out. You Tube is a site which has videos from all over the world and people can sign up and view them. It is easy to sign up as all you need to have is an email address. You can search videos under a variety of different headings eg. most recent, most viewed etc. You can also search them under what is called channels which is when things are under things from gurus to politicians. Lastly there is a section called community which has competitions, groups and more. Members can load videos on or watch videos that are already there.

Provide a brief account (1-2 paragraphs) on how the use of planning (storyboarding and scripting aided your groups short film. Scripting was a great way for us to plan what we wanted the scene to turn out like and gave us a base to work with. We did not script traditionally but at each scene we discussed what we wanted to say and all our thoughts were collated so that Ingrid could get our point across in the dialogue. Storyboarding was helpful because it gave us a visual feel for where we were wanting the movie to go. We then had a plan on which disability toilets to include in the movie and didn't waste time debating about where we wanted to film next due to it being premeditated. As a group we then had something on paper which is good to refer to if we started going off on a tangent.

Tutorial Six: The internet and online communities

Either search online for a community which interest you or choose one of the provided online communities to investigate. Make sure your selected a community that comprises some form of online forum, discussion page or chat room. You may also wish to see if your community has a Wikipedia entry.

Provide the web address and the name of the community you are investigating http://www.thelowdown.co.nz/ The Low Down

What is the brief or focus of this community The focus of this site is to give people with depression an online forum through which they can talk to others who are trained to help or talk to people who have had like experiences with their mental health. It is aimed to make the users feel comfortable as they are anonymous and to make them feel that they are not alone in their battle with depression.

What services are provided? How interactive is this site? How can people contribute? The services provided by the site are: Send the Low Down team a text or email Chat to other members of the community online (this is monitored) View stories on the site, recorded by well known New Zealanders like Scribe See the different types of help available that aren't necessarily on the site The site is very interactive and you can work your way round it quite easily. If you look at the site using Adobe it is formatted in an interesting way, in the form of a room, so that as you go to each page it is like another wall of the room. If you don't have Adobe you can look at the html version and it is still all there.

Consider material presented during the lecture and make comment on why people choose to contribute to this community. What is it they are seeking? When people join an online community they often find that they get more back, the more they put in. There is a sense of community that members get when they communicate with other members and often these people can be empathetic or have as much enthusiasm for the subject (depending on what the online community is about) as they do. Also members like to get a sense of being a specialist in the field that they have a interest in, whether they are a specialist or not. Often receiving comments back from other members and getting a positive reinforcement from others gives them a confidence boost.

Cut and paste an example of the type of topics being discussed (you may have to provide a context to your excerpt). The community I have chosen to have is from Bebo, a site where people have their own page which is about themselves, what they get up to and has photos, quizzes etc. This particular page is a group I am part of. It is a site which one of my fellow Moyles Supervalue employees set up and it is dedicated to our workplace. Here are some examples of things people post on the site: "...someone should upload xmas party fotos ...i wana c them lol" "Hey I got some photos of moyles, its just random s*** of the produce, the aisles, and the checkout oh and the bread. I'll upload them some time, yuss!" "(Person) you random!!! What are you doing here!!! Moyles represent... jealous are we???"

Considering material presented during the course and make comment on the potential ethical issues that may arise in this community e.g. lack of identity and accountability. The most major ethical issue surrounding this site is the use of the "Supervalue" logo which, as far as I know, the person who designed the site did not ask permission to use this on the site. If a figure of authority felt that this was not good enough they could probably have the site shut down.

Consider material presented during the lecture and make comment on the benefits this community holds over traditional notions of community e.g. communities reliant on geographic proximity This online community is not limited to members all coming from the same geographical place. However it is predominantly people from one area who are a part of it. Other people from different Supervalues around New Zealand could join if they wanted but many probably haven't searched it as a group. It does have community spirit, as people who are a part of it mostly know each other from work and enjoy sharing photos from Christmas parties etc. There are also people on the site who are family members of some staff or friends of others. The thing about this online community that makes it more beneficial to be a part of than a traditional community is the fact that it is open for discussion at times that suit the member, you can write comments when it suits you rather than having to actually meet the people. I have found that it is a good way to keep in touch with people that used to work at the supermarket, or people that I ordinarily wouldn't talk to out of work time.

Consider material presented during the lecture and make comment what this community lacks or can not provide which traditional communities can. It is not as personal as going out for a coffee with someone, and even though it is more convenient, because people can go on it when it suits them, there is a loss of that person to person contact. People don't have to put as much effort in, or give up their time. The other problem I have with online communities as well as other technological devices (such as cellphones) is that people are often much more brave in what they will say to someone, compared to what they would say in person. This is negative in my mind because people lose that diplomatic way of saying something and often things can be misinterpreted.

Tutorial Three: Blogger

Provide a brief summary of the services offered by Blogger.

Blogger provides a service which allows people from all walks of life and with all ranges of knowledge on technology to create their own website on which they can put postings, pictures, articles, ideas, really anything they like. They could design a blog about something they're interested in, or it could be like a diary of their life. Visitors to blogs can link to the page, email them or leave comments on their postings. It is possible to limit who has access to the blog and comments left by others can be deleted. The blog can be personalised by getting a choice of templates, colours and fonts, as well as adding personal photos. It is even able to recieve photos and postings sent from cellphones. In short it gives people a way to get across their opinion on something, express their interest in something, share knowledge, or keep in touch with others.

Name one other blog host.

MySpace