Assistive Technology

1. Assistive Technology LesaCearley - Occupational Therapist Hannah Markowitz – Speech-Language Pathologist 512-464-5688 Deep Wood Elementary

2. What is Assistive Technology (AT)? • Any technology that a student requires to make progress on goals and objectives that is not available for all students. • It can be high tech (computer) or low tech (visuals) • Communication devices • Picture Schedules, Picture Cues and other visuals

3. What is the AT Consideration Guide • The AT consideration guide acts as plan for implementing new technology. It allows you determine technology to try and outcomes to look for. • It sets up responsible people and checkpoints. • It acts as a paper trail for the next case manager to see what has been tried, what has been successful or unsuccessful, and how it has helped. • Two types – Regular and High Incidence

4. Two AT Consideration Guides • AT Consideration Guide • Use the this AT Consideration Guide for any student including those served in the LID Classrooms and general education. • This AT Consideration Guide is more detailed. • High Incidence AT Consideration Guide • Use the High Incidence AT Consideration Guide for students who qualify in the High Incidence Areas, like LD • Use the High Incidence AT Consideration Guide for students whose only Special Ed areas of concern are in the Academic areas or Organization.

5. When do we need to use the AT Consideration Guides? • Anytime new technology is being tried or considered. • Anytime the current technology is no longer deemed beneficial. • Anytime assistance from the AT team is requested. • The AT Consideration Guide does NOT need to be completed to continue use of AT already determined to be needed and successful. • The AT Consideration Guide does NOT need to be completed at every Annual ARD.

6. What is an AT Action Plan • An AT Action Plan should be completed after the AT Consideration Guide. • The AT Action Plan describes the steps to be taken to implement the trial use • Identifies results the team is looking for each step of the way • Identifies responsible parties • Sets due dates for the different steps

7. How do we document current AT in ARD? • On the page titled Communication/Physical/AT Needs • AT MUST be considered at every ARD meeting for every student. On the two next slides, see an explanation about this section on eSTAR.

8. How it looks in eStar • Assistive Technology needs of the student • In reviewing the student's needs, the ARD Committee considered assistive technology needs and determined that:   • Edit Assistive Technology(here you can add information about the AT discussions) • (AT=No) The student will be able to participate in the educational program, accomplish expected tasks, and make reasonable progress toward mastery of his/her IEP goals and objectives with typically available supports and services. No assistive technology, devices and/or services are recommended at this time.  (This is the default selection in eSTAR. If you do nothing, it will default to no AT needs at this time.)

9. How it looks in eStar continued • (AT=Yes)  Select one or both of the choices below  • The student will NOT be able to participate in the educational program or make reasonable progress toward mastery of IEP goals and objectives WITHOUT assistive technology, devices and/or services. The specific devices and/or services are documented in the IEP.    (Use this for students who already access AT and are successful. You can explain the AT being used in EXPLAIN under the next bullet. Be sure to explain and describe the technology being used without naming the actual piece of technology. It is always best to describe the important features) • Additional information is needed to decide whether or not the student requires assistive technology, devices and/or services to participate in the educational program and make adequate progress toward mastery of IEP goals and objectives. An AT evaluation is recommended to assess the specific educational needs of the student.  (Use this when an AT evaluation is being requested because the student is not making adequate progress on their goals and objectives using current AT. The AT Consideration Guide can serve as an evaluation since it identifies needs, actions, and outcomes.) •  Explain (Here is where you should explain either the current AT being used or information about the AT evaluation being requested. )

10. What is an AT evaluation? • An AT evaluation is trials with various AT equipment to meet the specific needs based on progress on goals and objectives. • Data should be taken regularly on the impact of the AT on progress on goals and objectives. • In most cases, the AT evaluation can and should be done at the campus level with support from the AT team. • The AT team will help guide the campus team and provide available technology to campus staff for the trials, help develop an implementation/action plan, and look at the data to help determine effectiveness.

11. What is an AT Evaluation? continued • The AT team can help the campus team set up the technology, train the staff to use the technology and observe the student and guide the campus staff. • The campus team will need to write a report documenting the trials and the data and making decisions about the effectiveness of the AT.

12. When do we need an AT evaluation? • The AT can provide technology for trial use without an AT evaluation being requested. • The campus team should contact the AT team when they have AT concerns, and the AT can provide technology for trial use without requesting an AT evaluation.

13. Do we need to document AT on the Schedule of Services? • AT should ONLY be documented in the Schedule of Services under Supplementary Aids and Services when specific training on the use or implementation of the device is required by the staff, parents or student. • AT time should not be documented in the schedule of services for the time the student will be accessing the technology. For example, if a student will be using a calculator for math 60 minutes/day, that should NOT be documented in the schedule of services. That should be documented in the Explain of the Assistive Technology section of the ARD. (Example: Jon will have access to scientific calculator during math and science each day.)

14. When should we contact the AT team? • If you are considering new technology, you should contact the AT team prior to the ARD to determine the available technology to try and to alert the AT team of your upcoming needs. • When you need assistance with training and/or implementing a new technology. • When you need assistance looking at the trial data and determining where to go. • When you are completing an AT evaluation to alert the AT team to what technology will be ongoing or stopped. • You do NOT need to request an AT evaluation in order to have one or both of us be a part of your team. Contact us and we would be happy to help you problem solve.

15. How do I contact the AT Team • The AT team is housed at Deep Wood Elementary. • Phone – 512-464-5688 • Emails: Lesa_Cearley@roundrockisd.org • Hannah_Markowitz@roundrockisd.org • Both Hannah and Lesa have other jobs within the district so email and chat are often the best way to get in touch quickly.