Today’s technologies have the ability to dramatically change the lives of students with disabilities, enabling them to access the curriculum, participate in learning activities alongside their peers, personalize their learning, and achieve their full potential. An understanding of assistive technologies and accessibility will help school personnel make informed decisions when they evaluate students’ needs. Better still, this knowledge will help schools develop educational environments and programs that can meet the needs of all students, regardless of whether they have disabilities.

Assistive Technology & the Law

definition of assistive technology devices and services

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (Public Law 105-17) offers clear definitions of assistive technology devices and services.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a federal law on special education that was reauthorized in 2004, requires schools to consider a student’s possible need for assistive technology devices and services whenever an Individualized Education Program (IEP) is developed. In addition, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act require schools to provide assistive technology for students with disabilities, if needed to assure equal access to the school’s programs and services. Both of these laws also require that schools provide instructional materials in accessible formats to students who need them.

For more information about IDEA, you can visit the following website:

• U.S. Department of Education IDEA Website

Assistive Technology Device

• OAR 581-015-2000 (2) Assistive Technology Device
  • “...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 children with disabilities. The term does not include a medical device that is surgically implanted, or the replacement of such a device.” (Section 300.5)
  • The definition of an assistive technology device as provided in IDEA is very broad and gives IEP teams flexibility that they need to make decisions about appropriate assistive technology devices for individual students. Although IDEA uses the term "device", IEP teams should remember that assistive technology also includes assistive technology hardware and software. Assistive technology may also include technology solutions that are generally considered instructional technology tools, if they have been identified as educationally necessary and documented in the student's IEP. For example, a classroom computer or Chromebook with a word processing program can be considered assistive technology for a student who demonstrates difficulty in writing and spelling if the IEP team has determined that it is educationally necessary.
  • A range of Assistive technology devices are available. Some are relatively "low tech" and inexpensive. For example, a pencil grip is an assistive technology device that may be used by a student with a physical disability to improve handwritten communication through increasing their grasp and control over their pencil. A student who has difficulty holding a standard cup may use an adapted cup with enlarged handles. Other devices are more "higher technology" tools and are often more expensive. An example of a "high technology" tool is an augmentative communication device in which the student types in messages on a communication display and they are spoken aloud.

Assistive technology devices are available in a variety of categories to address functional capabilities of students with disabilities/ These categories include, but are not limited to:

Academic & Learning Aids: Electronic and non-electronic aids such as calculators, spell checkers, portable word processors, extensions/software programs or apps that are used by a student who has difficulty achieving in his or her educational curriculum.

Aids for Daily Living: Self-help aids for use in activities such as eating, cooking, dressing, toileting, etc.

Assistive Listening Devices and Environmental Aids: Electronic and non-electronic aids such as amplification devices, closed captioning systems, and environmental alert systems that assist a student who is hard of hearing or deaf with assessing information that is typically presented through an auditory modality.

Augmentative & Alternative Communication: Electronic and non-electronic devices and software solutions and/or apps that provide a means for expressive communication for students with limited speech.

Computer Access and Instruction: Input and output devices, alternative access aids, modified or alternative keyboards, switches, special software, and other devices, software solutions, or apps that enable a student with a disability to use the classroom computer or Chromebook.

Mobility Aids: Electronic and non-electronic aides such as wheelchairs (manual and electronic) walkers, scooters that are used to increase personal mobility.

Pre-vocational and Vocational Aids: Electronic and non-electronic aids such as picture based task analysis sheet, adapted knobs, adapted times and watches that are used to assist a student in completing pre-vocation and vocational tasks.

Recreation and Leisure Aids: Electronic and non-electronic aids such as adapted books, switch adapted toys, and leisure computer-based software apps that facilitate independence in recreation and leisure activities.

Seating and Positioning: Adaptive seating systems and positioning devices that provide students with optional positions to enhance participation and access to the curriculum.

Visual Aids: Electronic and non-electronic aids such as magnifiers, taking calculators, Braille writers, adapted tape players, screen reading software applications for the computer, and Braille note-taking devices that assist a student with a visual impairment or blindness to access and produce information that is typically presented in a visual (print) modality.

(Adapted from the Assistive Technology Guidelines for Kentucky Schools, Department of Education)

Assistive Technology Services

• As defined in IDEA, an Assistive Technology services means any service that directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition or use of an assistive technology device. This includes:
  1. The evaluation of the needs of a child with a disability, including functional evaluation of the child in 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. Coordination with other therapies (OT., PT., ST, BCBA.), interventions or services (special education services, etc) with the assistive technology devices
  5. Training or technical assistance for the child, or, if appropriate that child's family, and caregivers.
  6. Training or technical assistance for professionals, employers, or other individuals who provide services to employ, or are otherwise substantially involved in the major life functions of children with disabilities (section 300.6)

A knowledgeable, supportive network of people working together to help every IEP Team choose and provide appropriate AT devices and services is best practice.

Resources

Quality Indicators in Assistive Technology Consideration: The Quality Indicators in Assistive Technology Consideration Consortium, 2007.

The SETT Framework: Region IV Educational Service Center, Houston, TX.

Using an AT Checklist to Facilitate Consideration, Assessment, and Planning: Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative, 1997.