University Highlights Assistive Tech Guide App
California State University, Long Beach highlighted its Assistive Technology Glide app, a curated guide to high- and low-tech devices. The app helps students with disabilities find tools to enable their full participation in Adapted Physical Education (APE) classes.
The Assistive Technology Glide app was developed using the no-code platform Glide, which allows creators to build apps from Google Sheets data. This approach enables easy updating and management of the app's content without requiring programming expertise. The platform is used in various educational settings to create informational and resource-based applications. Dr. Melissa Bittner, a professor in the Kinesiology Department at CSU Long Beach, is associated with the promotion and use of the Glide app as a resource in the field of adapted physical education. Dr. Bittner is a co-director of the Adapted Physical Education program and is involved in Project CARE, a federally funded grant to train APE and Speech-Language Pathology professionals, which includes providing technology support to its scholars. The app serves as a guide to both low-tech and high-tech assistive devices. Low-tech options can include simple, non-electronic tools like specialized grips for writing utensils, weighted pens, non-slip mats, and adapted sports equipment such as sensory balls that are heavier and louder for students with visual impairments. High-tech assistive technologies featured in such guides can range from software to sophisticated hardware. Examples include screen readers and magnification software, speech-to-text and text-to-speech applications, and adaptive electronic devices like specialized keyboards, mice, and switch-adapted tools that allow for alternative methods of interaction. The development of such resources aligns with the upcoming Department of Justice (DOJ) Title II compliance deadline. By April 2026, public colleges and universities must ensure their digital content and services are accessible, meeting the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA standards. This initiative at CSULB is part of a broader effort within its Adapted Physical Education program, which provides hands-on experience for its students through various on-campus programs. These include Camp Nugget, a summer day camp, and the After School Adapted Physical-activity Programs (ASAPP), which serve children with disabilities from the local community.
