ATIP in Every Classroom (Assistive Technology Implementation Plan)

1. ATIP in Every Classroom(Assistive Technology Implementation Plan) Prekindergarten Program for Children with Disabilities

2. Objectives • Know when and why an ATIP should be written • Know how to choose appropriate tasks and tools for the ATIP • Know how to implement the ATIP and when/how to obtain assistance

3. WHY an ATIP?

4. WHY an ATIP? • All students should make good progress in all areas • If the regular classroom supports clearly are not helping a student perform as s/he should, additional supports or accommodations are needed to be successful

5. WHY an ATIP? • Documents the efforts of the school/family team and tracks student progress over time • Facilitates smoother transition to another pre-k class or kindergarten by documenting successful strategies for the next teacher to use

6. WHY an ATIP? • Parents/caregivers need to be aware that their child is not making adequate progress in certain areas and that additional support or accommodations are necessary • Parents should be a part of the process and the use of AT should carry over to the home • Sometimes parents do not realize the extra lengths teachers go to in order for their child to be successful

7. WHY an ATIP? • It WORKS! • Students show progress • You will be a better, more prescriptive teacher

8. WHEN should you write an ATIP?

9. WHEN an ATIP? • When a student you have had in class for 1-3 months is not showing adequate progress with regular classroom materials/strategies • If it is documented in the student’s IEP that one needs to be completed • Before an Assistive Technology Assessment or a FAB is requested from the Pre-SPED staff • BEFORE January if a student is transitioning to kindergarten

10. WHERE to start an ATIP? • Observe, observe, observe... • ...even if you think you know what the problem is! • Take time to observe (and ONLY observe) the child in the problem task

11. WHERE to start? • Observe • Observe • Observe

12. WHO is available to help you get started? “SWAT” Team (Success with Assistive Technology): • Pre-K Tech Team: Dearta Smith and Sheila Miguel • Pre-K Multiply Impaired Specialist: Laura Seminario • Pre-K Autism Support Teachers: Kathy Velazquez and Claudia Monsalve

13. HOW will they help you? • Email - answer questions or direct you to helpful web resources • Over the phone • Classroom visit to guide your student observation • Attend your first ATIP meeting and guide you through the process • Email - give feedback on draft ATIP

14. HOW to write the ATIP • Think of the ATIP as an investigation • Tasks should be related to IEP goals, but broken down to a first step or first manageable piece • ATIP should be a fluid document, results change strategies, etc.

15. HOW to write the ATIP • The ATIP is completed by the teacher with team members, including the parent in an informal meeting - no formal notification is needed since the IEP will not be amended • After implementation, an IEP meeting should be held to document results and add accommodations to the IEP

16. Question #1 - What does this student like to do? • Helps you choose motivating activities • Helps you choose communication topics that interest student • Helps you choose more effective reinforcers

17. Question #2 - What does this student do well? • Use this as a base to begin intervention so you will build on the student’s strengths

18. Question #3 - What task(s) do you want this student to do that s/he is not presently able to do A task ... • is functional • has a beginning and an end • can be visualized • needs to be stated using action verbs • regarding behavior needs to be stated in positive terms

19. BE SPECIFIC Instead of: “play” or “participate” • draw/paint • sing along with songs at Greeting Time • join in play with a peer • ride a trike • use materials purposefully during Work Time

20. BE SPECIFIC Instead of: “attend” or “stop hitting” • stay at the table for Small Group Time • complete a multi-step fine motor task • follow verbal directions • calm when upset

21. Question #4 - Describe materials/strategies that have been used already and the results • Documents your efforts • Helps rule out tools/strategies already tried • May help you decide to refine tool or strategy already tried • Gives SWAT team background info in order to assist you

22. Adaptation Station • The Adaptation Station (pages 2 & 3) is a foundation of the Assistive Technology Implementation Plan (ATIP) document • It is a compilation of classroom materials, instructional strategies, and assistive technology devices that are recommended for use with young children with disabilities to access the curriculum.

23. Adaptation Station: http://prekese.dadeschools.net/adaptationstation.html • Each entry corresponds to an item on the Adaptation Station pages of the Pre-K SPED website. It is essential to become familiar with the resources in the Adaptation Station in order to write a comprehensive ATIP for a student.

24. Adaptation Station • On pages 2 & 3, use only the sections that correspond to the tasks you have chosen • This is not a shopping list - the idea is to focus on the one or two “best” tools for now • Indicate items that have been tried and items that will be tried, skip items if N/A

25. Adaptation Station • If you choose a tool for Communication - you must choose one or more strategies from the AAC Strategies section • Devices are not magic! Appropriate and consistent strategies are what make communication experiences meaningful, not just devices or pictures.

26. Question #6 - Make a Plan! • No ATIP is complete until at least one table is filled in, including documentation of results after an appropriate implementation period.

27. Writing the Plan • WHAT: Fill in the task directly from Question #3. Fill in the tool(s) you chose on the Adaptation Station • WHERE: Check off where the tool will be obtained - if “Tech Team” be sure to request item(s) by contacting us • WHEN: Think about the student’s needs throughout the daily routine and check off the times that this task will naturally occur

28. Writing the Plan • HOW: Describe specific instructional strategies for the use of the tool • Be detailed enough that someone can get a picture of the interaction just from reading it • This is THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP in a successful ATIP! When progress is not made, this is the first stop in looking for revisions - ESPECIALLY for Communication and PBS tasks

29. Writing the Plan • RESULTS: What does “appropriate implementation period” mean? • Document (on the original) how the tools/strategies are working

30. Writing the Plan • What if it is working? • GREAT! • Keep it up or fade if not needed over time (PBS) • Expand the use if appropriate (AAC) to other parts of the daily routine • Contact Tech Team if student will need more comprehensive AAC • Send teacher-made materials or arrange with SWAT Team for similar AAC device if student changes class or transitions to kindergarten

31. Writing the Plan • What if it is not working? • Make sure your tool does what it is you thought it would do for the particular task; if not, change tool • Make sure you are consistently providing the tool and using the strategies • Give it time, especially with Comm. and PBS • Observe (and only observe) with an eye toward revising the strategies • Try different strategy, repeat • Contact (email) SWAT Team ANYTIME to ask for help

32. Communication, Behavior & Physical Access • Very common areas of need for our students in Pre-K SPED • Very common reasons for writing an ATIP • Let’s look at these areas in more depth...

33. Communication A child has been in your class 1-2 months and demonstrates: • receptive language difficulties • expressive language difficulties • reduced participation in oral activities • difficulty with concept development (cognitive issues)

34. Does “cognitive” really belong with Communication / AAC? • If you have a way to talk about what you are learning, you are more likely to learn • When you see it, hear it, do it, practice it, you can learn more • EX: difficulty with functional play, shapes, colors, matching/sorting, number concepts, multi-step tasks, etc.

35. Can every child communicate and learn? • Yes. • If we believe they can, they can • Yes! • Usually more than we give them credit for • Yes!! • If given the support and understanding they need

36. Communication - Why is language support so important for a child who is minimally verbal? • Typical children learn to talk and then talk to learn. If learning to talk is too difficult and has not been very successful, they are not able to talk to learn without some form of AAC.

37. Communication - Why is language support so important for a child who is minimally verbal? • Lack of opportunity to participate verbally (even via AAC), may keep a child from showing what they know as well as learning what they can. It is through meaningful interaction that children learn how the world works and begin to understand what words mean.

38. Communication - Why is language support so important for a child who is minimally verbal? • Lack of verbal language does not indicate lack of intelligence. Presence of verbal language does not necessarily indicate higher intelligence.

39. Communication - Why is language support so important for a child who is minimally verbal? • Children who have language difficulties are at risk for social-emotional difficulties

40. Communication - Why is language support so important for a child who is talking, but does not understand what you say? • A child who is talking can be very social and appear like s/he is learning when s/he is not taking in the higher level academic information or is struggling with comprehension in pre-academic tasks

41. Communication - Why is language support so important for a child who is talking, but does not understand what you say? • Children who do not understand what you are saying may appear as behavior problems

42. Communication - Why is language support so important for a child who is talking, but does not understand what you say?`` • Children who do not understand may fail to make connections between oral language and the activities in which they participate and may fail to gain even basic concepts

43. Positive Behavior Support / Organizational Strategies (PBS) A child has been in your class for 1-3 months and still has difficulty with: • self control • following routines • staying with the group • maintaining attention to activities • playing (purposefully) alone or with others • interacting with peers in socially appropriate ways

44. Behavioral - Why is PBS important for a child who has little self-control? The child will... • learn what is expected • learn how to regulate him/herself when feeling out of control • need less verbal attention from the teacher, resulting in fewer interruptions of the class • will develop positive self-esteem

45. Behavioral - Why is PBS important for a child who has trouble following routines? PBS... • gives the message that you believe they can do it! • decreases classroom disruption for redirecting or helping children • builds receptive language skills • helps child learn to attend and seek out supports when needed

46. Behavioral - Why is PBS important for a child who can’t stay with the group? PBS... • make expectations clearer and more understandable • keep teachers from having to stop so often to physically redirect With the group = available to learn With the group = awareness that there is a place and time for everything

47. Behavioral - Why is PBS important for a child who has difficulty playing? PBS helps child ... • learn how to join ongoing play with others • follow group rules/expectations • learn what to do with materials • learn to play independently or in groups • understand that the teacher believes they are capable!

48. Behavioral - Why is PBS important for a child who has difficulty interacting with peers? PBS gives the child tools to... • accept and respond to social greetings • to greet and engage peers • to ask for and give toys/materials • express frustration (and other feelings) in social situations

49. Physical Access • Positioning/Seating/Mobility • Play/Participation • Pre-Writing/Creative Representation • Activities of Daily Living/Self-Help • Computer Access • Vision • Hearing

50. Physical - WHEN do I write an ATIP for Physical Access needs? A child has been in your class for one day - 2 weeks and: • what you are doing in class is not helping them to participate actively • you think they should be able to do more, but you are just not sure how • child cannot sit, stand, or move independently/safely • child has difficulty grasping/using writing tools or fine motor toys • child cannot access playground equipment or outdoor play • child has a visual or hearing impairment