This T.R.E.A.T. Resource Guide has been prepared as a tool for teachers and parents interested in how assistive technology might benefit a student with an acquired brain injury.

Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) An ABI is an injury to the brain which is not hereditary, congenital or degenerative.  The category ABI includes both traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke (CVA).

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) TBI is defined within IDEA as an acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment, or both, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.  The term applies to open and closed head injuries resulting in impairments in one or more areas, such as cognition; language; memory; attention; reasoning; abstract thinking; judgment; problem-solving; sensory, perceptual, and motor abilities; psychosocial behavior; physical functions; information processing; and speech.  The term does not apply to brain injuries that are congenital or degenerative or brain injuries induced by birth trauma.  [Code of Federal Regulations, Title 34, Section 300.7 (b)(12)]

The regulations for Public Law 101-476, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), formerly the Education of the Handicapped Act, now include Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) as a separate disability category.  While children with TBI have always been eligible for special education and related services, it should be easier for them under this new category to receive the services to which they are entitled.

Stroke (CVA) is a form of cerebrovascular disease that affects the brain's arteries.  It occurs when an artery bringing oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood becomes clogged or ruptures.  A stroke on the right side of the brain may cause; weakness (hemiparesis); paralysis (hemiplegia) or lack of coordination of the face, arm or leg on the left side of the body; lack of feeling and position on the left side of the body; decreased ability to judge distances, size, position, rate of movement and form; impaired executive functioning (reasoning, problem solving, judgment); loss of awareness or forgetting objects on the left side (left-sided neglect); quick and impulsive behavior; difficulty drawing, dressing, or following a map. A stroke on the left side of the brain may cause: weakness (hemiparesis), paralysis (hemiplegia) or lack of coordination of the face, arm or leg on the right side of the body; lack of feeling and position on the right side of the body; difficulty in speaking (slurred or distorted speech) listening, writing, reading, calculating with numbers or understanding what others say (aphasia); behavior changes (slow, cautious and somewhat disorganized); loss of awareness or forgetting objects on the right side.

ORGANIZATIONS & INTERNET RESOURCES:

American Stroke Association

A Division of American Heart Association, 7272 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, TX 75231; Tel: (888)- 4STROKE or (888) 478-7653; E-Mail: strokeassociation@heart.org

Website:  http://www.strokeassociation.org

BRAIN INJURY ASSOCIATION

1776 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20036; Family Helpline:  800-444-6443; Tel:  202-296-6443; E-Mail: FamilyHelpline@biausa.org

Website:  http://www.biausa.org

BRAIN INJURY ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK STATE

10 Colvin Avenue, Albany, New York 12206-1242; Tel: (518) 459-7911; Family Helpline: (800) 228-8201; Fax: (518) 482-5285

Website:  http://www.bianys.org

BRAIN INJURY.com

“A medical, legal and informational resource for TBI”

Website:  http://braininjury.com

BRAIN INJURY RESOURCE CENTER – ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY

Website:  http://www.headinjury.com/resources.htm#assitech

EPILEPSY FOUNDATION OF AMERICA

4351 Garden City Drive, Suite 406, Landover, MD 20785 – 7223; Tel: 800-332-1000; 800-332-2070(TTY); E-Mail: postmaster@efa.org; Website: http://efa.org

INTERNATIOANL BRAIN INJURY ASSOCIATION

505 Wythe Street, Alexandria, VA  22314; E-Mail: info@internationalbrain.org

Website:  http://www.internationalbrain.org

NATIONAL APHASIA ASSOCIATION

156 Fifth Ave., Suite 707, New York, NY 10010; Tel: (800) 922-4622; 

E-Mail:  naa@aphasia.org; Website: http://www.aphasia.org

NATIONAL STROKE ASSOCIATION

9707 E/Easter Lane, Englewood, CO  80112; Tel: (800) STROKES

Website:  http://www.stroke.org

TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY FACT SHEET

Website:  http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/factshe/fs18txt.htm

TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY RESOURCE GUIDE

Website:  http://www.neuroskills.com

NIH Consensus Statement Supports the Use of Computerized Cognitive Training:

The National Institute of Health has published a consensus statement supporting the use of computerized cognitive training to improve attention, memory and other skills.  For a copy of the full NIH Consensus Statement, call 1-888-NIH-CONSENSUS (888-644-2667).

Excerpt from the NIH Consensus Statement

Volume 16, Number 1, October 26-28, 1998

Rehabilitation of Persons with Traumatic Brain Injury

"Cognitive exercises, including computer-assisted strategies, have been used to improve specific neuropsychological processes, predominantly attention, memory, and executive skills.  Both randomized controlled studies and case reports have documented the success of these interventions using intermediate outcome measures.  Certain studies using global outcome measures also support the use of computer-assisted exercises in cognitive rehabilitation."

Because deficits associated with ABI are so vast and are individual to the person with the ABI it is impossible to give a complete list of assistive technology that could be used to aid in the recovery process.  Given the individual nature of ABI many "off-the-shelf" products could be used to address for example deficits in math skills or problem solving.  The following companies market products that address deficits commonly associated with acquired brain injury.

This is a partial listing.  No endorsements are intended.

Adaptivation Incorporated is a source for a wide variety of switches, communication devices and mounting equipment.  For more information please call 1-800-723-2783 or visit their website at http://www.adaptivation.com.

Aphasia Therapy Products is the maker of C.H.A.T. a program designed to provide therapy at home for when formal therapy ends.  For further information they can be reached at: (216) 932-0552 or Aphasia Therapy Products, 3266 E. Scarborough Road, Cleveland Heights, OH, 44118.  Visit their website at http://www.aphasia-therapy.com

Attainment Company offers products for both children and adults with special needs.  Software addresses basic skills and life skills among other things.  For more information call 1-800-327-4269 or visit their website at http://attainmentcompany.com.

Aurora Systems has word prediction with speech synthesis and augmentative communication software for Windows.  Visit their website at http://www.aurora-systems.com

Brain Train makes programs such as Captain’s Log Complete Mental Gym, SmartDriver and IVA-STAR aimed at remediating various cognitive deficits.  For more information call (800) 822-0538 or visit their website at: http://www.braintrain.com

Don Johnston is the maker of Co:Writer (work prediction software) and Write:Outloud (text-to-speech software).  They can be reached at 1-800-999-4660 or www.donjohnston.com.

DynaVox is the maker of the well known communication devices DynaVox and DynaMyte.  To reach them call 1-800-344-1778 or 412-381-4883 or go to their website at: http://www.sentient-sys.com

Edmark/Riverdeep is the creator of the series Thinkin’ Things.  This series addresses various aspects of cognition.  They also have other programs addressing content area studies.  Their website includes free downloads of some of their programs.  http://www.riverdeep.net/edmark

IntelliTools is the maker of the popular IntelliKeys membrane keyboard.  IntelliKeys is also a source for software to address content area studies.  They can be reached at 1-800-899-6687 or http: www.intellitools.com.

Laureate Learning Systems creates software to train cause and effect, turn taking, early vocabulary, syntax, cognitive concepts, auditory processing, and reading.  For more information please call 1-800-562-6801 or go to http://www.LLsys.com.

Parrot Software sells programs designed as treatment software.  Their programs can be purchased per copy, in packages and/or rented via the Internet.  For further information please call 1-800-727-7681 or http://www.parrotsoftware.com.

Upstate Communication Resource is a NYS distributor of many lo-tech and hi-tech AAC devices, software and assistive devices.  For further information, please call (585) 264-0527 or visit their website at http://www.upstatecommunication.com

WordQ Writing Aid Software is a word prediction program.  For further information and a demo CD, please call (866) 629-6737 or visit their website at http://www.wordq.com

Zygo makes products for people who have communication limitations.  Some of their more well know products include the MACAW and the LightWRITER.  To learn more about their products please call 1-800-234-6006 or go to their website at http://www.zygo-usa.com.

This T.R.E.A.T. Resource Guide is a publication of the Technology Resources for Education (T.R.E.) Center, Maywood School, Capital Region BOCES, 1979 Central Avenue, Albany, NY 12205; (518) 464-6346; Toll free in NY (800) 248-9873; Fax: (518) 464-6353; Website: http://www.trecenter.org The T.R.E. Center is a co-sponsored project of the Capital Region BOCES and the New York State Education Department’s Vocational Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID)

September, 2002