Have You Considered AT Lately? Answers to your questions about Assistive Technology as members of the IEP team Michigan's Integrated Technology Supports (MITS) is a Mandated Activities Project (MAP), funded under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) through the Michigan Department of Education, Office of Special Education.

Collaboration Partnered with Michigan Alliance for Families to create brochure that describes Assistive Technology consideration process in an easily understood format for IEP Teams

Goals for today: Answer the questions What is Assistive Technology - Law What is consideration? – Definition; process Who provides Assistive Technology – Providers How is it documented? Before, during and after the IEP Is Consideration for AT a one-time deal? Ongoing Process Who is responsible? Team

Assistive Technology Defined 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. The term does not include a medical device that is surgically implanted, or the replacement of such device. (Authority 20 U.S.C. 1401(1)) AT is NOT a person

Dave Edyburn, U of Wisconsin

Assistive Technology Defined Services: – Any service that directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition, and use of an assistive technology device. The term includes- – (a) The evaluation* of the needs of a child with a disability, including a functional evaluation of the child in the child’s customary environment; – (b) Purchasing, leasing, or otherwise providing for the acquisition of assistive technology devices by children with disabilities; – (c) Selecting, designing, fitting, customizing, adapting, applying, retaining, repairing, or replacing assistive technology devices; – (d) Coordinating and use other therapies, interventions, or services with assistive technology devices, such as those associated with existing education and rehabilitation plans and programs; – (e) Training or technical assistance for a child with a disability or, if appropriate, that child’s family; and – (f) Training or technical assistance for professionals (including individuals or rehabilitation services), employers, or other individuals who provide services to employ, or are otherwise substantially involved in the major life functions of children with disabilities. (Authority 20 U.S.C. 1401(2)) * WATI –Evaluation = A group of activities conducted to determine a student’s eligibility for special education. Assessment = A group of activities conducted to determine a student’s specific needs.

What do You know about AT?

Which of these is NOT AT?

Assistive Technology in Action

Consideration of AT

Definition of Consideration Consideration is defined in the American Heritage Dictionary as “to think carefully about, to form an opinion about, or to look at thoughtfully.” Each year, at every IEP, for every student, teams are required to “consider” assistive technology. But have you “thought carefully about, formed an opinion about or looked thoughtfully at” the goals you have selected?

Consideration in the IEP

Provision of FAPE in every IEP School districts are required by law to provide appropriate AT to students with disabilities to support their acquisition of a free and appropriate public education (FAPE). – In order to support the inclusion and participation of students with disabilities in regular education classrooms, all IEP's developed for children identified as needing special education services, must indicate that AT has been considered to "to provide meaningful access to the general curriculum" (IDEA, 1997).

Start with simple, readily available tools Is the classroom equipped with low tech tools for intervention? – Math: calculators, raised number rulers/finger grip, math grids, coin-u-lators, number stamps, etc. – Reading: magnifiers, highlighter tape, post-it flags, electronic spellers, color filters – Writing: various pens/pencils, grips, lined paper, graph paper, letter stamps, whiteboards (personal), colored paper, electronic spellers – Organization: transparent/colored file folders, recorders, time timer, post-it flag, visual supports – Communication: visual supports, communication systems If these tools are NOT allowing children with disabilities access to the general curriculum, it’s time to look further.

Not just one Process… SETT – Student Environment Task Tools SAM – Student Access Map QIAT – Quality Indicators for Assistive Technology QIAT – Quality Indicators for Assistive Technology Education Tech Points Has Technology Been Considered? UKAT

Who provides AT

Who Provides AT? Services: – Any service that directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition, and use of an assistive technology device. The term includes- (b) Purchasing, leasing, or otherwise providing for the acquisition of assistive technology devices by children with disabilities; If the IEP determines that the AT is necessary to receive FAPE, the tool must be allowed to go home with the student.

Who Provides? Classroom Building District ISD/RESA State-wide lending resource

MITS Michigan’s Integrated Technology Supports Lending Library – K-12 Public Schools can sign up to borrow items from the lending library for up to 8 weeks for trials of Assistive Technology. –

Consideration Outcomes in IEP Student independently accomplishes tasks using standard classroom tools – no AT Student accomplishes tasks with accommodations/modifications – no AT Student accomplishes tasks with current available AT – AT is needed Student does not accomplish tasks. Required devices are known – AT is needed Student does not accomplish tasks, appropriate solutions are not known to the IEP team – assistance is needed to determine AT

Match the tools to the student need Simple, readily available tools (Universal supports) Tools specific to one student (PROCESS) – Determine the student need, preferences, strengths – Determine features the student may need to meet the needs – Brainstorm list of possible solutions – Determine availability of tools (local, ISD, lending library) – Trial tools – Document success/need for changes May need multiple trials

Where do we put AT in the IEP? Special Education – Documentation in annual goals – Determine goals, then address AT for each goal – Example “Susie will express basic wants and needs in 80% of the opportunities using single word utterances and a voice output augmentative communication system”

Where do we put AT in the IEP? Related Services – Include amount of time, frequency and location of services Related ServicesFrequencyDurationLocation Speech-Language therapy (including training to use a voice output communication device) 1 hour per week to Across all school environments AT Specialist Support for Access to Computers 2 hours per month to Classroom

Where do we put AT in the IEP? Supplementary Aids and Services – Often required for a student to participate in general education settings or among children without disabilities.

Three Main Questions What is it we want the student to be able to do within the educational program, that they are not able to because of the disability? What has been tried to meet the need? – What tool(s)? – For how long? – How was it tried? (In what environments, for which tasks?) Is it working? – Documentation

Is it working? Yes: Documentation: Major areas of change and what is the expected change? – What does this look like? Observable, measureable. – What, how, and by whom will the data be collected? No: Documentation: What factors undermined the success? – Are there continuing barriers? – Under what conditions will the plan be modified? – Who will change the plan? When?

Consideration is an Ongoing Process Factors which may influence the process: – Change in environment – Change in student needs/skills – New Technology

Consideration every year at IEP But don’t wait! Data collection will tell you if you need to make a change.

Responsibility

Teachers in Michigan with Special Education Certification R Teachers of students with disabilities; endorsement requirements. Rule 81. – A teacher seeking an endorsement or full approval by the state board of education or its designee shall meet all of the following requirements, before being employed by an intermediate school district, local school district, public school academy, or other agency operating special education programs and services: (a) The requisite knowledge, understanding, skills, and dispositions for effective practice related to all of the following: – (iv) Using assistive technology devices to increase, maintain, or improve the capabilities of students with impairments.

Responsibility Team responsibility to provide AT devices and services and to have the requisite knowledge to provide. If the team does not have the knowledge or skills necessary to provide, then they must look outside to gain the insight necessary

Remember: Guiding Questions What specific tasks in this area are difficult or impossible at this time at expected level of independence? What strategies (accommodations and tools) are currently being used to lower barriers? Are there continuing barriers when the person attempts the task?

Focus on Quality Indicators for Consideration of AT 1.AT devices and services are considered for all students with disabilities regardless of type or severity of disability 2.During the development of the individualized educational program, every IEP team consistently uses a collaborative decision- making process that supports systematic consideration of each student’s possible need for AT devices and services

Focus on Quality Indicators for Consideration of AT 3.IEP Team members have the collective knowledge and skills needed to make informed assistive technology decisions and seek assistance when needed 4.Decisions regarding the need for AT devices and services are based on the student’s IEP goals and objectives, access to curricular and extracurricular activities, and progress in the general education curriculum

Focus on Quality Indicators for Consideration of AT 5.The IEP team gathers and analyzes data about the student, customary environments, educational goals and tasks when considering a student’s need for AT devices and services 6.When AT is needed, the IEP team explores a range of AT devices, services, and other supports that address identified needs.

Focus on Quality Indicators for Consideration of AT 7.The assistive technology consideration process and results are documented in the IEP and include a rationale for the decision and supporting evidence

Comments, Questions, Concerns… Thank you for attending today’s session! Contact information: Laura Taylor Technology Integration Specialist MITS