EDAC250 - Technology and Communication Systems in Action

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

EDAC150 Understanding Technology and Communications Systems

Incompatible

EDAC139 Technology and Communication

Unit rationale, description and aim

This unit is one of a series of units in which students develop and apply professional skills in responding to the needs of individuals living with disability. Other units that are part of this suite of professional skills units are EDAC150 Understanding Technology and Communication Systems, EDAC135 Inclusive Learning, EDAC223 Instructional Delivery, EDAC317 Supporting Learning, EDAC224 Understanding Behaviours and Disability and EDAC314 Positive Behaviour Approaches.

This unit develops students' ability to achieve the overall course outcome by exploring and recognising the issues related to the use of assistive technology devices. Students will apply knowledge gained from completing unit EDAC150 Understanding Technology and Communication Systems to further develop their skills in assessment, implementation and evaluation of assistive technology. This unit requires students to assess assistive technology needs, research and implement assistive technology devices or systems. To do this they will prepare and implement an assistive technology program consistent with systematic instruction as covered in the unit EDAC223 Instructional Delivery.

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1 - Develop an effective communication system (GA8, GA9)

LO2 - Develop and implement Assistive Technology interventions/programs/education/system (GA9, GA10)

LO3 - Evaluate, monitor and manage technology and communication assistance programs (GA9, GA10).

Graduate attributes

GA8 - locate, organise, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information 

GA9 - demonstrate effective communication in oral and written English language and visual media 

GA10 - utilise information and communication and other relevant technologies effectively.

Content

Topics will include: 

• Design of assistive technology programs
• Instructional programs to support the implementation of assistive technology programs
• Monitoring and evaluation of assistive technology programs
• Professional collaboration in the development and support of assistive technology programs.

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

150 hours in total with a normal expectation of 36 hours of directed study and the total contact hours should not exceed 36 hours. Directed study might include lectures, tutorials, webinars, podcasts etc. The balance of the hours then becomes private study.

The teaching and learning organisation may take a number of forms, depending on specific course/subject requirements at the time of delivery, this may include a combination of face to face and/or online learning delivered on a weekly or intensive schedule. Tutorials and/or synchronous learning will enable students to participate in cooperative and supportive learning opportunities. All learning modes will be delivered and/or supported by a range of resources and activities on ACU’s technology learning platform (LEO).

Assessment strategy and rationale

Students are required to complete three assessment tasks. The first assessment task asks students to develop a communication system for someone with communication impairments (LO1). The second assessment task requires students to develop or adapt an assistive technology device with the aim to enable greater independence for the user (LO2 &3). The purpose of the third assessment is to use skills that were developed in EDAC223 to develop, deliver and evaluate an instructional training program (LO3). 

This strategy allows students to progressively develop their ability to identify, manage, evaluate and monitor a technology and communication assistance program.

Assessment Tasks

The assessment tasks and their weighting for this unit are designed to demonstrate achievement of each learning outcome. In order to pass this unit, students are required to submit and participate in all assessment tasks.

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Bodine, C. (2012). Assistive technology and science. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Cardon, T.A. (2016). Technology and the treatment of children with autism spectrum disorder. Cham: Springer International Publishing.

Davis, J. M., & Broitman, J. (2011). Nonverbal learning disabilities in children: Bridging the gap between science and practice.New York, NY: Springer New York.

Encarnacao, P., Azevedo, L., Gelderblom, G.J., Newell, A., & Mathiassen, N. (2013). Assistive technology from research to practice: AAATE 2013 Assistive Technology Research Series 33. Amsterdam, Berlin, Tokyo, Washington: IOS Press.

Borg, J., S., Larsson, & Östergren, P. O. (2011). ‘The Right to Assistive Technology: for whom, for what, and by whom?’ Disability & Society 26(2), 151-67.

Gillespie, A., Best, C., & O'Neill, B. (2012). 'Cognitive Function and Assistive Technology for Cognition: a systematic review', Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 18(01), 1-19.

Lindsay, S., & Tsybina, I. (2011). Predictors of Unmet Needs for Communication and Mobility Assistive Devices Among Youth with a Disability: the role of socio-cultural factors. Disability & Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology 6(1): 10-21

Rigby, P., Ryan S., & Campbell, K.A. (2011). ‘Electronic Aids To Daily Living and Quality of Life for Persons with Tetraplegia’. Disability & Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology 6(3): 260-7.