Keys to Success:

1. Keys to Success: Assistive Technology Overview For SEPAC Jeff Crockett Assistive Technology Coordinator Northville Public Schools October 18, 2013

2. What is Assistive Technology? The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act IDEA ‘97 (Public Law 105-17) mandates the provision of assistive technology and offers clear definitions of assistive technology devices and services.

3. Legal Definitions Assistive Technology Devices 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 children with disabilities. (Section 300.5)

4. Legal Definitions Assistive Technology Services Any service that directly assists an individual with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device. (Section 300.5) • Evaluating • Providing devices • Selecting, Designing, Customizing • Maintaining, Repairing • Coordinating • Training/Technical Assistance –student, family and school service providers

5. IDEA Facts • Schools are required to provide AT at no cost to the parents if it is needed for a student to receive a free appropriate education. • The IEP team is responsible for determining whether a child requires assistive technology to benefit from their educational program • IDEA ‘97 requires IEP teams toconsiderthe assistive technology needs of students during the development of an IEP

6. Assistive Technology Consideration Where do we start?

7. A Team Approach • Multiple perspectives from a number of disciplines will ensure that the needs of the student will be addressed and services are provided across all environments. • Members may include: Student, Parent(s), Assistive Technology Specialist, Special Education Teacher, General Education Teacher, Occupational Therapist, Speech and Language Pathologist, School Administrator, Physical Therapist, School Psychologist, Para-Educator • The IEP team is responsible for determining whether a student requires AT to achieve goals and objectives.

8. Assistive Technology Consideration • Student centered focus • Multidisciplinary team approach which includes the student and family • Provides information about the student from multiple perspectives across all environments • IEP team is empowered to make decisions regarding AT devices and services

9. Consideration Process Features of a consideration process: • Identifies area of concern • Identifies barriers to learning and participation • Explores potential solutions • Implements solutions • Gathers and documents information • Tracks and monitors progress and adjusts plan as needed

10. Example of a Framework for AT Consideration SETT Student Environment Tasks Tools by Joy Zabala www.joyzabala.com SETT is a framework that assists teams in the consideration process. Critical elements of SETT: • Process • Communication • Multiple perspectives • Collaboration • Flexibility • Pertinent information and resources

11. SETT By Joy Zabala (1994) What are the students special needs and abilities? What does the student need to be able to do that is difficult or impossible to do independently at this time? STUDENT What are the functional areas of concern? What are the students current abilities? Where will the student participate- classroom, home, community, therapy? What activities take place in the environment? ENVIRONMENT What materials, equipment, supports, resources are available? What is the physical arrangement? What specific tasks occur in the environments which enable progress toward mastery of IEP goals and objectives? What activities is the student expected to do? TASKS Tools are devices and services- everything that is needed to help the student succeed. Tools must be student centered. TOOLS Describe tool features that are needed. Tools are on a continuum from no/low, mid, high.

12. Documenting Assistive Technology • IDEA regulations do not identify how or where to address assistive technology in the IEP however they do specify that “consideration” is documented somewhere in the IEP • AT should be identified in the part or parts of the IEP that best fit with the type of assistive technology provided and correspond to the areas addressed by IEP goals and objectives. • Describe the type of assistive technology, include enough detail of features, and device categories without specifying the brand name.

13. Data Collection and Documentation Data collection and documentation is an ongoing process that is used to review and revise a student’s plan. This includes: • Formal or informal assessment data identifies baseline performance, specific needs, and initial assistive technology implementation. • Performance data supports or disproves solutions tried (tool trials). • Performance data evaluates outcomes and measures student performance toward goals.

14. Assistive Technology Continuum Assistive Technology is a continuum of tools, strategies, and services that match a student’s needs, abilities and tasks. Explore possible solutions needed to meet goals Low Tech Strategies Pencil grips Color coding Highlighters Study guides Reading and writing guides Enlarged worksheets Notes provided Mid Tech Strategies Etext Talking spell checker, dictionary Word processor Word predication BookshareOnline courses High Tech Strategies Text readers Voice recognition iPads Augmentative communication device Laptops/Notebooks Electronic books

15. Resources Local National Regional State NorthvilleAT Coordinator Northville Public Library Center for Applied Special Technologies (CAST) www.cast.org Wayne RESA AssistiveTechnologyResourceCenter(ATRC)http://www.resa.net/specialeducation/specialed/assistivetechnology/ Michigan Integrated TechnologySupports(MITS)http://mits.cenmi.org/

16. Our NPS Assistive TechnologyLearning Community Students Teachers Parents Administrators Parapros