Information Gathering

Prior to the observation:

• Clarify the purpose of the observation:
  1. Record successful assistive technology use in educational environments
  2. Observe a student using assistive technology in educational environments
  3. Record characteristics of the educational environments
• Select a time and place:
  • Review the student’s IEP for specifics about the student’s AT use.
  • First preference – Schedule the observation for the place and time indicated in the IEP as to when AT is supposed to be used during the day.
  • Second preference – If it is not specified in the IEP, talk to a teacher to schedule a time and place when the student uses AT the most during the day.
  • Third preference – If the student uses the AT across the entire day, observe in the setting where he spends the most amount of his instructional day
• Meet ( or communicate) with the teacher(s), therapists, and assistants to determine:
  • What will happen in the class that day;
  • Is it a typical day?
  • What the student using assistive technology will be doing that day.
  • Inform them what you will be doing during the observation.

During the observation:

• Record observations:
  • Complete the environmental assessment checklist.
  • Record direct student observation field notes.
  • Record impressions and comments.
  • Record time markers in the observation notes to determine length of activities.
  • Participate in the class only if invited to do so.

After the observation:

• Thank the teacher for allowing you to observe.
• If time allows in the teacher’s schedule:
  • Probe for additional information directly related to your observations for clarity.
  • Share a brief summary of what you saw.

The observer’s role is to capture what is occurring, not to make decisions or even formal recommendations; that comes later in the decision-making part of the assessment process.