AT Consideration

Considering all special education students AT needs

As mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004 Individual Educational !rogram "IE!# teams must consider the students need $or assistive technology devices and services annually% Consideration is de$ined in the &erriam'(ebster dictionary as )continuous and care$ul thought * a matter weighed or ta+en into account when $ormulating an opinion or plan%, IE! teams are re-uired to document the outcomes o$ this )care$ul thought, in the students IE!% In &acomb County assistive technology consideration must always be addressed in the Consideration o$ .pecial /actors section o$ the IE!% .ome general rules about AT Consideration include* 0ecause the students annual goals and ob1ectives will be the $ocus o$ the discussion about assistive technology AT consideration should occur later in the IE! process a$ter these components o$ the educational plan have been developed% In order to thin+ care$ully about the whether to include AT devices and services into a students program at least one person on the IE! Team must have ade-uate +nowledge about assistive technology% Consideration should be a brie$ process one that can ta+e place within every IE! meeting without unduly e2tending it% It should last at least two minutes but no more than 34 to 20 minutes% I$ a decision cannot be reached in a timely way then AT needs may need to be addressed in another $orum such as an assistive technology evaluation% 5uality AT Consideration means* Considering every student regardless o$ their disability Consideration comes $rom an in$ormed decision ma+ing team Consideration is based on progress in the general curriculum Consideration occurs using data'based decisions Consideration is documented in the IE! In order $or IE! teams to ade-uately consider whether assistive technology supports are necessary at this time the $ollowing set o$ guided -uestions should addressed annually% 3% (hat tas+s related to the students IE! goals and ob1ectives is the student unable to do at a level that re$lects his6her s+ills6abilities7 8ist the tas+s% 2% Can these tas+s be remediated through intense direct instruction7 The team should list instructional programs that may bene$it the learner% 9% Could the student complete these tas+s with new strategies or accommodations7 The team should list the strategies and accommodations that may meet the students needs%

4% (ould the use o$ assistive technology tools help the student per$orm the tas+ more easily e$$iciently e$$ectively or independently in the least restrictive environment7 The team should list the assistive technology tools that may meet the students needs% The process should include a generation o$ potential solutions including assistive technology i$ the students needs are not being met% The decision made by the IE! team must be documented in the IE!% .ee below%

AT Consideration Tool Guide Written Production

.tudents who have di$$iculty producing written communication with standard writing tools may bene$it $rom assistive technology% .amples o$ tools to support written production are listed below%
!encil grip :aised line paper .lantboard Audio recorder "recording pen# !ortable word processor ;etboo+ with word processor Computer with word processor Computer with word processor and abbreviation e2pansion Computer with word processor and word prediction <oice recognition so$tware

Written Composition
.tudents who have di$$iculty composing written material may bene$it $rom assistive technology% .amples o$ tools to support written composition are listed below% (ord cards6word boo+ (riting template =raphic organi>ation so$tware =raphic organi>ation so$tware with genre writing sca$$olds Tal+ing wor+ processors Template writing so$tware

Reading
.tudents who demonstrate di$$iculty with basic reading s+ills or reading comprehension s+ills may bene$it $rom assistive technology% .amples o$ tools to support reading are listed below% :epeated line boo+s Enlarged print spacing bac+ground change :eading window !age $lu$$ers !ictures6symbols to support te2t Tal+ing electronic word device ' spea+6de$ine challenging words :ecorded boo+s ' "Any0oo+ 0oo+worm .tep'by'step# Audio boo+s ?and held scanner Electronic boo+6te2tboo+ with reading so$tware :eading so$tware $or web

Spelling
.tudents who demonstrate di$$iculty spelling may bene$it $rom assistive technology to identi$y and correct spelling errors% .amples o$ tools to support spelling are listed below%
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Tal+ing dictionary6spell chec+er (ord processing with spelling so$tware Tal+ing word processor with spelling support (ord prediction so$tware <oice dictation so$tware

Math
.tudents who demonstrate di$$iculty with basic math s+ills may bene$it $rom assistive technology% .amples o$ tools to support math are listed below% &ath grid &oney calculator Tal+ing calculator Tal+ing watch Calculator with print out 8arge display calculator <irtual manipulatives @n screen graphing calculator .o$tware $or math computation "&ath !ad# <oice recognition so$tware

Organization/Study
.tudents who demonstrate di$$iculty with completing tas+s turning in assignments in a timely manner or staying organi>ed may bene$it $rom assistive technology% .amples o$ tools to support organi>ation6studying are listed below% !icture schedule ?ighlight tape tabs $lags <isual timer Digital voice recorder to set reminders $or tas+s6assignments Electronic organi>er "handheld# ?and held scanner :ecording pen .o$tware $or organi>ing ideas ?andheld personal computer and picture cuing system Cloud'based organi>ational tools and handheld personal computer "e%g% Evernote and i!od Touch# ?andheld personal computer and cuing system

Communication
.tudents with e2pressive communication impairments have bene$it $rom assistive technology to supplement their communication s+ills% .amples o$ tools to support communication are listed below% Communication board with pictures6symbols6words Eye ga>e board .imple voice output <oice output with levels <oice output with dynamic display Device with speech synthesis $or te2t display

Computer Access
.tudents with physical or sensory impairments may bene$it $rom assistive technology used to provide better access to the computer% .amples o$ tools to support written production are listed below% 0uilt in operating system accessibility $eatures "e%g% stic+y +eys large cursor >oom te2t etc%# (ord prediction6abbreviation e2pansion so$tware Aeyguard Boom caps Arm support Alternate mouse " e%g%trac+ ball trac+ pad 1oystic+ touch screen mouse emulator head mouse# Alternate +eyboard "e%g% one handed enlarged +ey small +eyboard on screen# .witch scanning <oice recognition so$tware

Vision
.tudents with a visual impairment may bene$it $rom assistive technology to access print produce written communication access the computer and navigate their environment% .amples o$ <ision Aids are listed below% !rint magni$ier 8arge print Auditory materials Closed circuit television "CCT<# .creen magni$ier over monitor .creen magni$ier so$tware .creen reader 0raille note ta+er 0raille embosser 0raille label $or +eyboards :e$reshable 0raille note ta+er :aised line picture embosser

earing
.tudents with a hearing impairment may bene$it $rom assistive technology to access spo+en words and environmental sounds% .amples o$ tools to support the hearing impaired are listed below% TDD $or phone access <isual signaling device "$or a phone alarms etc# Closed captioning :eal time captioning Computer aided note ta+ing phone ampli$ier /& system In$rared system
Adapted $rom the (isconsin Assistive Technology Assessment !ac+age

AT in the IE!
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As mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004 Individual Educational !rogram "IE!# teams must document the students need $or assistive technology devices and services annually% Assistive technology may be addressed in one or more components o$ the IE!% The need $or assistive technology may be addressed in the present levels o$ per$ormance in the listing o$ special education and related services and in the annual goals benchmar+s and ob1ectives% Assistive technology may also be addressed in the supplementary aids and services section in the modi$ications re-uired $or participation in statewide and district wide assessments and in the modi$ications and supports re-uired $or school personnel% In the Tie;et system on the .pecial /actors !age section e IE! teams must indicate their consideration outcome% Teams select one o$ the $ollowing* The IE! Team considered whether CnameD needs assistive technology devices and services in order to progress toward CnamesD IE! goals and ob1ectives andE% 3% AT is necessary% C;ameD is using "type o$ AT Tool# to support "8earning Area# a% All tools the student needs in order to progress in his IE! goals and ob1ectives should be documented here% ;ote* !rogram level assistive technology tools tools that all students use in the classroom may or may not meet the above criteria% It is up to the team to determine i$ the student needs any given tool to improve tas+ productivity independence -uality -uantity or per$ormance to allow progress toward their IE! goals and ob1ectives% 2% It has not yet been determined whether C;ameD needs AT in order to progress toward his IE! goals and ob1ectives% The Team plans to ma+e this decision in the $ollowing way* a% The IE! Team has agreed to implement and document a trial o$ AT supports to determine need% "An AT Trial plan will be generated when this item is chec+ed# ;ote* I$ during the consideration process the team identi$ied Assistive Technology tools to trial this option should be used% Data collected will determine the e$$ectiveness o$ the tool% The team will then amend the IE! $ollowing the AT Trial to indicate the trials outcome% b% The IE! Team has agreed to initiate an AT evaluation% "This will re-uire a :EED and will trigger a district AT evaluation and sta$$ing# ;ote* I$ the IE! Team determined they did not have enough in$ormation to ma+e a ade-uate decision about whether assistive technology would support the students IE! goals and ob1ectives this option would be selected% 9% Assistive Technology is not necessary at this time% ;ote* The team should be prepared to show documentation o$ the discussion as it occurred in the IE! meeting to 1usti$y this decision% Documentation o$ assistive technology devices and services may also appear in*

!resent 8evel o$ !er$ormance* This section provides a natural place to address assistive technology needs as an integral part o$ the students curriculum ta+ing into account the students strengths as well as wea+nesses% (hen documenting assistive technology in the present per$ormance levels the type o$ technology that is needed as well as the manner in which it will be used should be described% .upplemental Aids and .ervices* Assistive technology is o$ten provided as a supplemental aid and service when it is re-uired $or the children to $unction in the general education setting% =oals and @b1ectives* (hen developing annual goals benchmar+s and ob1ectives the IE! team should determine whether or not the student re-uires assistive technology in order to accomplish them% /irst the goals should be developed and then the need $or assistive technology should be addressed% Assistive technology is not the goal% :ather it is the means to achieving the goal $or many students% .tate Assessment* .ince the re'authori>ation o$ the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act the IE! teams must address the modi$ications that the student re-uires in order to participate in state'wide and district'wide assessments% /or some students with disabilities assistive technology may be a re-uired modi$ication% Assistive technology devices and services re-uired by a student with a disability should be clearly documented in the students IE!% The type o$ technology that the student re-uires and the manner in which it will be used should be speci$ied so that all parties to the IE! including parents have a clear understanding o$ the technology and how it will be used% @nce assistive technology has been documented in the IE! it should be provided in the manner in which it was speci$ied%

Addressing most students AT needs outside o$ the IE!

3% 2% 9% 4% 4% :ecogni>e a need% .elect an activity and an AT tool to try develop a sound data collection system% Implement% Collect data% Analy>e the data% The AT strategy* a% (or+ed* Include it in the ne2t IE!% /ollow the districts AT !lan $or steps to $ollow $or device purchase% b% Didnt wor+* i% Try something else ii% Decide AT is not necessary iii% !lan your AT Evaluation

;@TE* In$ormal consultation with the &I.D AT Team can occur at any time during the AT evaluation process%

Data Collection
=athering and recording the outcome data o$ implemented AT strategies and devices is an essential component to -uality AT services% AT e$$ectiveness must be measured in order to determine a students progress toward educational goals to 1usti$y continued services and technology to identi$y any unmet needs and to guide $uture decisions% 5uality AT data collection means that team members share clearly de$ined responsibilities $or data collection data is collected on speci$ic student behavior based on IE! goals and ob1ectives and the evaluation re$lects -ualitative and -uantitative measurement o$ change in student per$ormance% Evaluation should occur across environments be dynamic responsive on'going process and should include changes to student services based on the data collected%