Make a Difference with Assistive Technology

If you鈥檙e a hands-on learner and a problem solver who is inspired to make a difference in the lives of others, UNE鈥檚 minor in Assistive Technology may be the perfect addition to your college transcript. Assistive technology refers to devices, equipment, software, and apps that help people live with more independence. As the only assistive technology minor for undergraduates in Maine, this cross-disciplinary program provides a wealth of opportunities for you to engage in innovation within the healthcare arena. This minor also positions you with enhanced career flexibility, either as a certified assistive technology professional (ATP) or as a professional in another health discipline such as OT or nursing, who would like to develop a career-boosting skill set.

Two students talk over equipment in an assistive technology class
A student assembles a wheel

Why 51小黄车for your Minor in Assistive Technology

UNE鈥檚 Assistive Technology minor is designed to give you the tools and experiences you need to incorporate assistive technology practices into your academic major and career. The minor focuses on experiential learning through engagement with technology. You will acquire a new range of skills that sets you apart from other health care professionals in your field. 

  • Offers diverse courses and small class sizes 
  • Close working relationships with faculty members
  • Accelerated pathway to Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) certification through RESNA (Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America)
  • Career boosting skill enhancements as a future OT, PT, or nursing professional
  • Promotes interdisciplinary study and interprofessional career prospects
  • Unique opportunities to create assistive technology-related devices in the 51小黄车Makerspace
  • Several local clinical and internship opportunities related to assistive technology

Something that really excites me about assistive technology is how life-changing it can be. Watching someone who is unable to see or hear gain the ability to communicate using assistive technology is one of the most rewarding things. From communication devices to certain buttons in a home that open doors for wheelchair users, it鈥檚 the small things that can make a difference.鈥

 鈥 Jared Benoit 鈥24, Occupational Studies/Assistive Technology

Career Paths for Assistive Technology Minors

UNE鈥檚 Assistive Technology minor applies to health, educational, and business careers in diverse ways. At the core, the minor will prepare you to become board-certified and practice as an assistive technology professional (ATP). An ATP assesses the needs of clients with disabilities to determine the potential benefit of a health-related device. Beyond this viable post-baccalaureate career option, you can use an assistive technology minor to complement the specialties of an occupational therapist, physical therapist, or speech and language pathologist. At the intersection of health, technology, and education, this minor could also prepare you for a career in entrepreneurship, data science, or special education. 

Majors That Pair Well With an Assistive Technology Minor 

  • Occupational Studies
  • Applied Exercise Science
  • Public Health
  • Medical Biology
  • Special Education
  • Data Science

Potential Career Settings 

  • Occupational and Physical Therapy Practices 
  • Public Schools
  • Private and Special Education Schools
  • Nursing Homes and Geriatric Centers
  • Speech Language Pathology Practices
  • Product Development Companies
Three students and a professor assemble part of a wheelchair together

What will you study? Assistive Technology Minor Curriculum

Experiential Learning

At UNE, we believe in learning by doing. The Assistive Technology minor offers opportunities to perform hands-on work to complement your area of study and prepare you to step off of the graduation stage into a successful career. Whether you鈥檙e working with people in wheelchairs as an occupational therapist, programming communication devices as a speech-language pathologist, or practicing as an assistive technology professional (ATP), experiential learning allows you to polish these skills as a student.

Internships

There are a number of possible local internship sites that will enhance your studies as an assistive technology minor. Internship sites such as the Kennebunk School System and AllTech Portland provide a hands-on learning experience.

Classroom Activities

Our assistive technology classes take you way beyond the textbook to a variety of activities that put you in the context of a health care professional or innovator.

  • Programming and setting up voice to text devices to be used with older adults
  • Designing and building custom wheelchairs in the Makerspace
  • Attending trips to local schools to learn about cognitive aids, sensory aids, computerized learning adaptations, and more

Experience an Assistive Technology Community Mobility Course

Examples of Available Courses

As an Assistive Technology minor, you鈥檒l complete a total of six courses, including five foundational courses that cover a broad range of topics and one elective. The following are just some of the choices available: 

  • Assistive Technology in the Schools
  • Assistive Technology for Aging in Place
  • Assistive Technology of Community Mobility
  • Disability Studies and Inclusive Communities
  • Innovation through Technology
  • Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Curriculum

Program Required CoursesCredits
OS 201 鈥 Foundations of Assistive Technology3
OS 301 鈥 Assistive Technology in Schools3
OS 302 鈥 Assistive Technology for Aging in Place3
OS 402 鈥 Assistive Technology for Community Mobility3
OS 432 鈥 Disability Studies and Inclussive Communities3
Program Specific Elective (see below)3
Minimum Total Required Credits18
Program Specific ElectivesCredits
BUMG 120 鈥 Innovation through Technology3
BUMG 313 鈥 Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship3
OS 490 鈥 InternshipVariable
SPE 220 鈥 Introduction to Special Education3
SPE 301 鈥 Creating an Inclusive Classroom Culture3
SPE 315 鈥 Supporting Students with Autism3

Assistive Technology by the Numbers

$71,583

national average yearly salary of an assistive technology professional

glassdoor.com
$7.4%

Projected assistive technology industry annual growth

boia.org

Contact

Undergraduate Admissions

Contact Undergraduate Admissions at (800) 477-4863 or email admissions@une.edu. You can also stop by our office on the Biddeford Campus Monday鈥揊riday from 8 a.m.鈥4:30 p.m.