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Assistive Technology? What Does It Have to Do with Me?

Assistive Technology? What Does It Have to Do with Me?. Joy Zabala,, M.Ed., ATP Assistive Technology and Leadership Lake Jackson, Texas Email: j oy@joyzabala.com. The Legal Evolution of Access. EHA, 1975 Access to schools IDEA, 1990 Access to classrooms

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Assistive Technology? What Does It Have to Do with Me?

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  1. Assistive Technology? What Does It Have to Do with Me? Joy Zabala,, M.Ed., ATP Assistive Technology and Leadership Lake Jackson, Texas Email: joy@joyzabala.com

  2. The Legal Evolution of Access • EHA, 1975 Access to schools • IDEA, 1990 Access to classrooms • IDEA ’97 Access to and progress within the general education curriculum

  3. IDEA ’97 • Improved student performance • Increased accountability • Strong parental participation • High expectations for student achievement • Linked to the general education curriculum

  4. No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 • Improved Performance by all students • Accountability for Student Achievement • Increased Parental Involvement • Focus on What Works • Flexibility

  5. President’s Commission on Excellence in Special Education • Focus on results • Embrace a model of prevention • Consider children with disabilities as general education children first

  6. Congressional Intent of IDEA ’97 Increased Emphasis on Assistive Technology • Requires consideration of AT in the IEP process • Places responsibility for decision-making with IEP teams

  7. FAMILIES and PERSONAL SUPPORT General Educators STUDENT Related Service Providers Special Educators We’re All in This Together…

  8. How can I tell if a student needs AT? What IS Assistive Technology? How can I help make good decisions for students?  How can I be a good steward of public funds? Where do I go for help when I need it?

  9. Five Things Everyone Needs to Know about Assistive Technology

  10. A Team Approach is Required!

  11. Big Ideas about Teams • Team membership is flexible and based on the needs of the student • Multiple perspectives are vital • Team members bring different gifts - knowledge, skill, observations, ideas, suggestion • Focus is on the common interest in student progress and aligning thoughts on how to best foster it

  12. What is Assistive Technology?

  13. Big Ideas about AT • A legal term related to use and need, not specific items • Any item that enhances capabilities and removes barriers to performance • Related to function, not disability category

  14. Instructional/Functional Skills • Seating/Positioning • Hearing • Seeing • Self-care • Mobility • Behavior • Other areas • Reading • Written Expression • Math • Communication • Recreation • Daily organization

  15. Big Ideas about AT • Applicable to all disability groups • Applicable in all phases of education • Not replacements for instruction in academic and social skills • Part of a system

  16. How Can I Tell if a Student Needs AT?

  17. Big Ideas – Decisions • Try what you know • Work collaboratively • Use a systematic approach to problem analysis and solution seeking • Recognize that assessment and intervention form a continuous, dynamic process

  18. Student Environments Tasks Tools The SETT Framework

  19. The Goal of SETT Framework … to help collaborative teams create Student-centered, Environmentally-useful, and Tasks-focused Tool systems that foster the educational success of students with disabilities

  20. Areas of concern Strengths Current educational performance Evaluation information Student

  21. The Student • What is the functional area(s) of concern?What does the student need to be able to do that is difficult or impossible to do independently at this time? • Special needs? • Current abilities?

  22. The customary environments in which the student is (or can be) expected to learn and grow Environments

  23. The Environments • Arrangement • Support • Materials and Equipment • Access Issues • Attitudes and Expectations

  24. The specific things that the student needs to be able to do to reach expectations and make educational progress Tasks

  25. The Tasks What tasks are a part of being actively involved in educational environments ? • Communication • Instruction • Participation • Productivity • Environmental Control

  26. Whatever is needed by the student and others for the student to do in tasks in order to meet expectations Tools

  27. Strategies Accommodations Modifications Devices Supports Services Etc. Tools

  28. How can I make good decisions for students and be a good steward of public funds?

  29. Big Ideas – Decisions and Stewardship • Make least complex tools that will remove barriers to performance a first consideration • Recognize that assistive technology can BE a barrier • Try to determine tool systems that remove more barriers than they create

  30. Big Ideas – Decisions and Stewardship • Avoid device abandonment and underutilization • Try before you buy • Plan for implementation • Identify expected change • Evaluate effectiveness • Think Return on Investment (ROI)

  31. When do I need help and where can I get it?

  32. Big Ideas – Getting Help • On Campus – Others using AT/IT • In District- Assistive Tech Leaders • In State • MICCA • JHU Center for Technology in Education • Maryland Assistive Tech Network • MATN Summer Institute

  33. Big Ideas – Getting Help • Online • Policy to Practice for Assistive Technology (http://cte.jhu.edu) • MATN Electronic Learning Community • QIAT (http://www.qiat.org) • Me  (http://www.joyzabala.com) • Search for Assistive Technology • Search for Technology and Disability

  34. Big Ideas in Action!- Kathryn and Mr.Weber

  35. Freda Adler “We measure progress not only by the questions we have answered, but also, by the questions we are still asking or have just begun to ask… for knowledge alters what we seek as well as what we find.”

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