Assistive technology that puts the curriculum within reach.
I’m Marcel Verstraete, an assistive technology consultant with more than 10 years of experience. I specialize in students with physical and orthopedic impairments, from birth to age 26.
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Technology
Assistive technology (AT) is any tool that helps a student do what the lesson asks. For students with physical and orthopedic impairments, that often means another way to point, select, write, or turn a page. It can be as simple as a slant board or as involved as a computer run entirely by eye gaze.
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Switches
A switch is a button the student presses with whatever movement is most reliable: a hand, their head, a knee, or a foot. With scanning, where choices light up one at a time, one or two switches can run a whole tablet or computer.
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Eye gaze
A camera follows where the student looks, so their eyes can do the pointing and clicking on a computer or tablet: answering questions, writing, and moving through a lesson.
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Alternative keyboards and mice
Keyboards in different sizes and layouts, keyguards, trackballs, joysticks, and head tracking, matched to how the student moves.
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Writing supports
Speech-to-text, word prediction, and on-screen keyboards cut down the effort it takes to get words onto the page.
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Mounting
Mounts hold a switch, tablet, or eye gaze device right where the student can use it: on a desk, a table, or a wheelchair.
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Digital books and worksheets
Books and worksheets in digital form, so the student can read, turn pages, and fill in answers with a switch, eye gaze, or a keyboard instead of paper and pencil.
About
I support students at every stage, from early intervention through K–12 and on to post-secondary transition. I work alongside families, teachers, and Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams to find, trial, and implement the tools that help each student access the curriculum.
Access matters on my own website too: it works by keyboard, with larger text, and in high contrast. Read how this site is built for access.
At home I answer to three cats: Carrot, Pickle, and Cheddar. They supervise most of my paperwork.
Contact
marcelverstraete@gmail.com