Adaptive devices (special needs equipment) are tools and machines used by people with disabilities to help with daily activities. They include specialized toys that promote sensory, cognitive, and social development and safety supplies. While adaptive equipment and assistive technology have similar definitions, some key differences exist. These distinctions are important as they affect accessibility.

Mobility Devices

Many types of devices can help people with disabilities. They can assist with daily tasks, including eating, dressing, and bathing. They can also make it easier to travel around and get things done.

Among the gadgets that can assist those with mobility concerns are:

• Walkers, canes and crutches.
• Wheelchairs and scooters.
• Vehicle modifications for transportation.
• Home/workplace adaptations like ramps, lifts and modified bathroom features.

Some of these devices may require an evaluation and fitting by a medical professional. Adaptive devices can help people with disabilities live more comfortably, so it’s important to take the time to find the right one for your needs. If you have questions about what adaptive equipment would be best for your situation, talk to a physical or occupational therapist. They can recommend the most effective equipment and help you learn how to use it. They can also tell you what types of adaptive equipment Cleveland OH, are appropriate for your situation.

Communication Devices

A person with a disability may need devices to help them perform daily activities. These devices can help them reach objects, drive a car or use a computer. Often, these devices are created in collaboration with occupational, physical or speech therapists. They might be temporary aids to help people with disabilities while they recover from surgery or injury, but they can also become a part of a person’s life for the rest of their life. These devices include keyboard adapters, keyguards to prevent mistyping due to involuntary movements, and text-to-speech software that allows a non-verbal individual to communicate using simple pictures or words. They can even be installed on a smartphone or tablet. Other low-tech devices include utensils with weighted handles for a weak grip, talking scales and medication bottles, label scanners, hearing aids and alarms that can alert someone to fire, smoke or carbon monoxide dangers. These devices can also send signals through flashing lights, increased amplification or vibration.

Health and Wellness Devices

The health and wellness category of adaptive devices includes tools that improve a person’s quality of life by reducing healthcare costs, improving access to professional or social opportunities, and helping them stay in their homes longer rather than in long-term care facilities. These products include bathing, eating, grooming, and sports items. Most of the time, these devices are prescribed by an occupational or physical therapist with a background in assistive technology. They can also be purchased from several online and offline companies.

Some of the equipment in this category is very common, such as utensils with larger handles for easier gripping or plates with a lip guard that prevents food from being pushed off the scale. Other items in this category might be more complex and able to be customized to meet the unique demands of a person with a handicap. These may include communication management devices like communication boards, screen readers, and speech-generating devices.

Education Devices

Students with visual disabilities can benefit from various educational aids, like adapted pencil grips, book holders and auto page-turners. Some of these devices are low-tech, and others are pretty fancy. Many smartphones and tablets, for instance, have text-to-speech software that can read anything aloud on the screen. Other educational aids help students improve their reading fluency by creating customized learning programs and tracking student progress. These assistive devices can help people with disabilities live their lives to the fullest. Many are available at reduced costs through national and state programs and may be tax deductible.