Technology

Technology has come along way in assisting people with special needs. There are various kinds of people with special needs, these people just like any other need to live and do things the normal way. For example those who cannot walk need to have some form of mobility in one way or another, those who cannot talk need to communicate in one way or another, those who are deaf need to hear in a way and many other examples.
These paper looks at the various disorders and the way technology is made to assist. Here we look at five most special needs areas that we can tackle. We also look at the kind of technology used to assist the needs in each area.
First these are the special needs areas that the paper is going to analyze
Autism
Hearing
Sight
Mobility
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) (Lou Gehrigs Disease)
Autism
This is a disorder of some kind of neural development that has some attributes related to impaired social interaction and communication.
It is a disorder that takes place early in a Childs life, in North-America it is one of the fastest growing disabilities.
This kinds children with this disorder tend to fixate a times. Some do things for a very long time like gazing TV for a long time or coloring for a long time. There is no medical cure for this kind of disorder but, through technology autistic children are able to communicate using virtual peers.
Virtual Peers
Virtual peers are computer animated and enhanced children capable of carrying on realistic conversations. All these are carried out by researchers who would have autistic children shown virtual peers and then invite them to play together. The main communication between the two is a video game control interface.
Hearing
Hearing is one of the most important senses in all the sense there are. When one is incapable of hearing then he or she will not be able to communicate properly. There are two great technologies that can assist those with that kind of a disorder.
Personal Communications Software
The PSC is a system that actually puts together audio communication and hearing support that is used for the elderly and even the hearing impaired through a Personal Hearing System. The whole system uses the Wireless Body Area Network (WBAN).
This system has a perspective of giving the impaired a solution to enhance hearing.
Basically the Personal Communications System is a hand held device it has what is called concentrator information that helps in the facilitation of personal communication.



Cochlear implant
This complex electronic equipment that is small in size and assists in the provision of sound to those who are profoundly deaf, it consists of a microphone, a speech processor, a transmitter and receiver and an electrode array.
Its used to assist hearing and not to restore normal hearing. It normally gives a deaf person a representation of sounds in the area and also assists to understand speech.
Sight
This is a disorder that renders a person not able to see. There are several technologies put in place to assist this disorder.
Artificial retina implant

This is a small electrical implant that is attached to the retina. When used it may one day restore some sight.
This artificial retina is made to take the place of photoreceptor cells inside the brain that have the function of capturing and processing light.
Computer-assisted vision technology
This is the use of electronics and software to make images seen well. There is the technology of e-sight, it looks like a pair of sunglasses which has an added electronic device that is clipped to a belt of the user. The glasses have built in special camera and image processing software in the belt mounted part-that manipulates the cameras image in different ways to assist those with vision impairment to have a clear vision.  
Mobility
The disorder of mobility renders one incapable of moving around. The following are technologies that assist one to move around.
Standing wheelchair
This is simply a normal wheel-chair that assists people who are not able to walk. The only difference is that this wheel chair is able to move up to a considerable height making one think that it is standing. There are various types of this technology. There are some that can balance and climb stairs, and still some can support one on hisher legs and move around.
Artificial limb
This is a type of prosthesis that replaces some missing part of a body like a leg or an arm. The actual type of limb used is usually determined by the extent of loss and place of the missing part.
Artificial limbs are used for many reasons
Disease
Congenital defects
Accidents
Congenital defect create the need of having an artificial limb when one is born with a damaged or even missing part.
Emerging technologies related to this include Robotic limbs and Direct bone attachment.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
This is an auto neuron disorder that causes degeneration in the whole of the brain and even the spinal chord. It makes one be weak and robs himher of the ability to communicate.
Speech technology
 There is Voice for Joanie, it is operated using a computer screen. It creates and provides the gift of speech to those suffering from the disorder. It has been in existence for a long period of time.
This kind of system offers technical assistance and voice communicators for as long one needs when the person using it passes on then it is donated to another one with a similar complication.
Speech therapy and Assistive Devices
Since ALS mostly affects the muscles used to speak, one suffering from the problem can employ a speech therapist, who can teach the patient how to better understood. As it progresses they may learn how to use speech synthesizers and computers to communicate.
These devices can also help the patient to maintain mobility.
Conclusion
In a nut shell, the people who have special need like autism, hearing disorder, sight disorder, ALS, and mobility problems are well taken of by technology.  The various kinds of technology that are in place for these disorders are virtual pals, personal communications software, cochlear implant, artificial retina implant, computer assistance vision technology, standing wheelchair, artificial limb, and speech therapy. All these are some of the technologies put in place to help the people with special needs. There are researches that are in place to seek improvement in some technological aids so as to make the lives of the impaired much better.