1. OVERVIEW
What is Assistive Technology?
Assistive technologies (AT) are the tools and strategies that act to liberate the use of technology for all students as well as to provide new ways to “assist” interactions and learning. They act to “augment abilities and bypass or compensate for a disability” (Lewis, 1994)
AT is anything that makes it easier for a student to: read, write, speak, see, get around or move and play. Educational and assistive technology give students with disabilities greater possibilities to master content, organize and control behavior. Recent technology innovations are changing the ways teachers teach and children learn. Students with disabilities are capable of participating in the general education curriculum to varying degrees with some adaptation and modifications that AT can provide. For more information about AT visit www.atto.buffalo.edu .
Assistive technology includes devices and services. According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Regulations Governing Special Education Programs for Children with Disabilities in Virginia, the terms are defined as:
“Assistive technology device” means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a child with a disability.
“Assistive technology service” means any service that directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device. The term includes:
- 1. The evaluation of the needs of a child with a disability, including a functional evaluation of the child in the child’s customary environment;
- 2. Purchasing, leasing or otherwise providing for the acquisitions of assistive technology devices by children with disabilities;
- 3. Selecting, designing, fitting, customizing, adapting, applying, maintaining, repairing, or replacing assistive technology devices;
- 4. Coordinating and using other therapies, interventions, or services with assistive technology devices, such as those associated with existing education and rehabilitation plans and programs;
- 5. Training or technical assistance for a child with disability or, if appropriate, that child’s family; and
- 6. Training or technical assistance for professionals (including individuals providing education or rehabilitation services), employers, or other individuals who provide services to employ or are otherwise substantially involved in the major life functions of that child.
The Use of Instructional Technology vs. Assistive Technology
Computers have become an essential literacy tool in our society. Over 76% of American students use a computer at school; 83% use one at home for school assignments/word processing Internet access in public schools has increased to 78%, with 27% of classrooms with Internet access (National Center for Education Statistics, 2001). This raises questions as to how school systems are providing access of this available technology to their students and their teachers. One technology that can help all learners is universal design (UD). With UD, students can access content using their strongest learning mode. For example, a social studies text may be presented in print and electronically at a lower reading level with graphics to add clarity or be read aloud by the computer. Also, the text could be highlighted, the font enlarged, or the background changed. Additionally, with universally designed materials, there will be less need for teachers to make adaptations because most will be imbedded (Council for Exceptional Children, November 2003). For more information about Universal Design visit www.cast.org.
The Virginia Department of Education and York County School Division are working hard to provide resources in the area of AT. YCSD has worked closely with our William and Mary Technical/Training Assistance Center to develop a vast array of resources in the area of assistive technology. Visit the T/TAC training website at www.ttaconline.org for more information on events, resources, Enhanced Scope and Sequence Plus, webshops and workshops.
1. PROCEDURES
The above overview outlines Assistive Technology as a concept while the following guidelines denote how assistive technology services are integrated into YSCD programming. The following guidelines provide a step by step outline as to our assessment procedures to determine eligibility for assistive technology.
Assistive Technology Assessment Guidelines
School Student Grade
Team Members
Date Completed Comments
Gathering Information:
Step 1: Team Members Gather Information Date completed
- Team reviews existing information regarding child’s abilities, difficulties, environment, and tasks.
- If there is missing information, you will need to gather the information by completing formal tests, completing informal tests, and/or observing the child in various settings.
- Remember, the team gathering this information should include parents, and if appropriate, the student.
Step 2: Schedule Meeting Date completed
- Schedule a meeting with the team.
- Team includes: parents, student (if appropriate), service providers (e.g. spec. ed. teacher, general ed. teacher, SLP, OT, PT, administrator), and any others directly involved or with required information and proficiency.
- Complete Committee Meeting for AT Consideration form(s).
Decision Making:
Step 3: Team Completes Problem Identification form. Date completed
at the Meeting. (Choose someone to write all topics where everyone participating can see them.)
The team should move quickly through:
- Identifying the tasks the student needs to be able to do (5-10 minutes).
- Listing the student’s abilities/difficulties related to tasks (5-10 minutes).
- Listing key aspects of the environment in which the student functions and the student’s location and positioning within the environment (5-10 minutes).
(Note: The importance in problem identification is identifying tasks the student needs to be able to do and the correlation of the student’s abilities/difficulties and environmental characteristics to the child’s performance of the identified tasks.)
Assistive Technology Assessment Guidelines
Step 4: Prioritize the List of Tasks for Solution Date completed
Generation
- Identify critical task for which the team will generate possible solutions. This may require a redefining or reframing of the original referral question, but is necessary so that you focus on the most significant task
- Complete Environment Observation Guide and Summary form
Step 5: Solution Generation Date completed
Brainstorm all possible solutions.
Note: The specificity of the suggested solutions will vary depending on the knowledge and experience of the team members; some teams may generate names of specific devices with features that will meet the child’s needs, other teams may simply talk about features that are important, e.g. “needs voice output,” “needs to be portable,” “needs few (or many) messages,” “needs input method other than hands,” etc.
Step 6: Solution Selection Date completed
- Discuss the solutions listed, thinking about which may be most effective for the student.
- It may help to group solutions that can be implemented 1) immediately, 2) in the next few months, and 3) in the future.
- At this point try to list names of specific devices, hardware, software, etc.
Step 7: Implementation Plan Date completed
- Develop implementation plan (including trials with equipment) – being sure to assign specific names and dates, and determine meeting date to review progress (follow-up Plan).
- Complete AT Trial Guide form
Reminder: Steps 3-7 occur in a meeting with all topics written where all participants can see them. Use a flip chart, board or overhead during the meeting, because visual memory is an important supplement to auditory memory. Following the meeting, ensure that someone transfers the information to paper for the child’s file for future reference.
Assistive Technology Assessment Guidelines
Trial Use:
Step 8: Implement Planned Trials Date completed
- Follow AT Trial Guide
- Gather data from Student Use
Step 9: Follow Up on Planned Date Date completed
Review trial use.
- Complete AT Trial Summary Guide form
Step 10: Completion
- Make any needed decisions about permanent use.
- Plan for permanent use.
- Complete Summary of AT Assessment form
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