Demystifying Assistive Technology

Our Mission

We believe technology transforms the way teachers teach and how students learn. It allows a child with special needs to reach their potential and exceed. Technology gives a child a voice, fosters independence, and allows students to succeed in their school, home, and community environments. When we use technology effectively it opens doors for students that otherwise may be closed. Technology at Cove includes instructional technology, assistive technology and informational technology. These branches work together to provide services to students and staff to foster improved outcomes for students. 

The Assistive Technology Facilitator helps teams in the consideration, acquisition, implementation and effective monitoring of assistive technology. This is accomplished through the use of trials of low tech through high tech tools to provide augmentative and /or alternative communication and individualized supports to help students access curriculum and achieve success in their educational program. 

Services

What We Do:

• Partner with classrooms/educational teams to ensure an environment for optimal access & participation within the curriculum (e.g. speaking, writing, listening, reading)

• Use a continuum of technology to support an optimal learning experience

• Facilitate problem-solving to identify & reduce barriers

• Provide strategies to increase expressive and/or receptive communication

• Collaborate, dialogue, brainstorm and share ideas

• Analyze student data to increase student growth

• Provide resources and information for best practice across the continuum of services

• Facilitate the use of assistive technologies to support the curriculum and functional performance

How:

• Coach and Model

• Work directly with teachers, therapists, assistants, and students

• Clinical observations as a component of a collaborative consultative assessment process

• Provide Professional Development (1:1 instruction, small group)

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) defines Assistive Technology (AT) as:

"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 functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities (34 C.F.R. 300.5)."

AT at a Glance – What are AT Services?

It is critical to remember that delivering AT Services is bigger than providing a student with a technology tool.
 

IDEIA 2004 defines AT Services as any service that directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition and use of an assistive technology device. This term includes:

1. The evaluation of the need of a child with a disability, including a functional evaluation of the child’s customary environment

2. Purchasing, leasing, or otherwise providing for the acquisition of assistive technology devices by children with disabilities

3. Selecting, designing, fitting, customizing, adapting, applying, retaining, 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 a disability or, if appropriate, that child’s family

6. Training or technical assistance for professionals (including individuals or rehabilitation services), employers or other individuals who provide services to employ, or are otherwise substantially involved in the major life functions of children with disabilities.

Source: 20 USC § 1401(2)

Key Concepts:

• AT Services are more than merely providing the AT device or equipment.

• AT Services are a process by which AT is considered, selected, provided, supported, and periodically evaluated to determine its effectiveness for a student.

AT a Glance – What is the AT Process?

It is important to remember that AT is not just tools but an ongoing process as illustrated below. 

Key Concepts of the AT Process

Step 1 Consideration: The IEP team determines whether or not a student needs AT in order to receive a FAPE.  During this determination, the IEP team may already have the knowledge, skills, and information to make a decision or may decide that they need to access other resources or gather additional information to make a decision. 

Step 2 Provision:  This point in the process involves determining how the AT will be acquired and provided to the student. Funding sources should be identified and accessed. It is important to make every attempt for the time between when the decision of what AT to provide to a student and when the student actually receives the AT to be as short as possible.

Step 3 Implementation: Teams must identify who may need training in order for the AT to be used effectively by a student. This may include the student, teachers, therapist, paraprofessionals, family members, and others who work with the student. An action plan identifying where, when and how, a student should use the AT along with any supports needed to effectively use the AT should be put into place. AT may not be ready to use ‘out of the box’ and will need to be customized to meet a student’s individual needs. Similarly, as the student becomes more adept at using the AT or the needs or skills of the student change over time, the AT may need to be customized further to better meet the demands of the tasks for which the AT is being used. During this step, a contingency plan should also be developed and initiated if the AT becomes damaged or unavailable for student use. Finally, a plan for routine maintenance of the AT should be developed and enacted.

Step 4 Performance Monitoring:  Team will collect data in order to demonstrate that the student’s performance continues to be impacted by his or her use of the AT.  If the student’s performance is not impacted by the use of the chosen device, the Team should return to the consideration process of this cycle.

At any time during the student’s use of the AT, should the data show that the AT is no longer effective or that the student no longer needs the AT, then the IEP Team should return to the Consideration of AT step to either discuss and identify additional AT or determine that no AT is needed.

AT at a Glance – How is AT Provided?

If a student’s IEP team determines that assistive technology is needed, it is the school’s responsibility to provide that technology.  Schools have options when looking for funding. Non-profit disability associations, such as the National Easter Seal Society, March of Dimes, Muscular Dystrophy Association, United Way, and United Cerebral Palsy Association

Service organizations within the state and community such as the Lions Club, Masons, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Elks Club, Rotary Club, Kiwanis, and Knights of Columbus

Governmental programs (e.g., instructional materials centers or federal quota funds)

Family insurance policies can also be used to pay for AT.

Understanding the Rules Surrounding Assistive Technology When the School Provides it.

• AT that is purchased by a school is owned by the school. 

• School-owned AT can and should be used in home settings if it is determined by the IEP team that it is required for the student to receive a FAPE.

• Should the AT become damaged and, thus, unusable, it is the responsibility of the school system to make arrangements to repair the AT, as the school system has the burden of providing the AT (that has been identified by the IEP team as necessary for the student) for the student to receive a FAPE (34 CFR § 300.6(e)(f)).

• Schools are not required to insure AT.

Understanding the Rules Surrounding Assistive Technology When the Family Provides it.

• If the family chooses to purchase technology that has not resulted from an AT consideration process, IEP teams may consider the technology to determine whether or not the technology would qualify as AT for the student but are under no obligation to accept or implement the technology.

• AT that is purchased by a family’s private insurance policy is owned by the family.

• When this AT has been identified as necessary for the student, arrangements need to be made to ensure that it is available for use by the student during the school day.

• Should the AT become damaged and, thus, unusable, it is the responsibility of the school system to make arrangements to repair the AT, as the school system has the burden of providing the AT (that has been identified by the IEP team as necessary for the student) for the student to receive a FAPE (34 CFR § 300.6(e)(f)).

Can a student use AT that the school already owns?

If a classroom contains a technology tool that has been identified for a particular student as AT by the student’s IEP team, the classroom technology tool may be used by the student as AT. However, the tool must be accessible to the student so that it can be used by the student as AT in accordance with the student’s IEP in order to receive a FAPE.
 

Key Concepts for the Provision of Assistive Technology:

AT must be provided at no cost to a student or their family; however, schools have flexibility on how to meet this financial responsibility.

AT is owned by the school but can be used at home by the student if the IEP team determines it is necessary for the student to receive a free and appropriate education (FAPE).

AT can be paid for by a student’s private insurance or other third party funder, however, that cannot be required by the school in order for the student to receive Assistive Technology.

AT at a Glance – How is AT Monitored?

Understand Performance Monitoring of Assistive Technology Use

Performance Monitoring should be used to measure a student’s functional performance on a particular task both with and without the use of AT. The difference in the student’s performance on the task when using AT and not using AT determines the impact of the AT on the student’s ability to perform that particular task. The student’s performance should be measured and evaluated over time.

Why do it?

AT, like any other intervention, needs to be monitored to ensure that the intervention is working in the way that it is desired. The goal of monitoring a student’s performance while using AT is to determine whether or not the AT continues to be needed and/or whether or not the AT continues to be meeting the needs of a student.

Key Concepts of Progress Monitoring:

• Measure the functional performance of a student both with and without assistive technology on a particular task.

• Be sure to determine the variable that will be measured.

• Be sure there are repeated performances over time.

• Observed performance on a task must be observable, measurable and target a behavior that can be recorded.