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What You Need to Know About Assistive Technology Wendy Homlish Assistive Technology Consultant CLIU 21

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Does your child need a passport to get to the foreign land called Inclusion? Have you ever traveled to a country with a foreign language, strange alphabet, and different acceptable cultural behaviors? Could Assistive Technology BE that passport??

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Assistive Technology is based on function and need NOT on diagnosis One size does NOT fit all The goal of Assistive Technology is to provide ACCESS to..academics, communication, recreation and leisure, text, and more.. And to do this in the most INDEPENDENT way possible

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A system of tools which match a persons needs, abilities, and tasks

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Participation including recreation and leisure Communication Environmental Control Computer Access Productivity for academics including writing, reading, math Mobility Vision and hearing

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Which students need assistive technology? Those for whom AT is necessary to receive FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education) and to make progress in their educational program What kind of technology is needed? Determined on a case by case basis Related directly to what is needed for a student to receive FAPE

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Who is involved in making these decisions? IEP team May also include others significantly involved in the students education (medical personnel, IA/para, outside agency personnel)

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What sort of data should the team gather to aid in the decision-making and recommendation process? Information regarding the Student, Environments, Tasks, and Tools Information should be sought in a collaborative process designed to build team consensus

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Educationally assessment process vs. evaluation IEP Consideration Customary environment Facilitated by the IU AT Consultants (in IU 21) Referral process

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Whose input might be included? Student School personnel (SLP, OT, PT, teacher, IA, Guidance Counselor) Parents Social Services personnel as appropriate Medical personnel as appropriate

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Primary goal of AT is the enhancement of capacities and removal of barriers to performance. AT can BE a barrier! AT is related to function, not disability The least complex intervention needed to remove barriers to performance should be the first consideration Assessment and intervention form a continuous, dynamic process

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Competitive Participatory Involved in the same room (the island in the stream)

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The principle of partial participation Doing part of a task Real and functional Valued part Results in everyone having valued input

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Adapted computer access For students who have difficulty using the standard keyboard and mouse Often related to motor issues (tone, fatigue, motor planning, sensory)

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Hardware and/or software that allows use of the computer with or without standard input/output devices (TouchWindow, IntelliKeys, voice recognition, switches, screen enlargement)

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Plastic or Plexiglass overlay device covering standard or alternate keyboards with holes cut out for each key avoids accidental activation of neighboring keys

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Settings for the standard keyboard that facilitate use. Available in Control Panel (PC) or System Preferences (MAC). They include: Options for motor needs Options for text Options for vision Options for hearing

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Monitor or screen placed over the standard monitor which takes the place of other input methods activated by touch Many classrooms now using built-in touch monitors

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Any hardware device that replaces or works with the standard keyboard

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Virtual keyboard on computer screen Can include text to speech (talks) Can be customized Input thru mouse or other pointing device Built in on all computers and iDevices

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Memory-resident utility software for keyboard assistance As user inputs letters the software predicts possible words/phrases User selects from list text to speech option Statistical weighting & grammatical knowledge

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Alternate access method that replaces the physical task of using a mouse May be a different mouse May replace the mouse entirely

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Reading access to print material Writing Math

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Difference between READING and ACCESS to text and curricular materials Reading programs Vs. grade level content

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CD/mp3 of text Learning Ally, etc. Highlighting tape (main idea, etc) Study guides Word banks Adapted material lower reading level, same basic content Physical access through page fluffers, etc Symbol Supported material Clicker 5 BoardMaker Writing with Symbols Other symbol supported materials

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Text to speech In MSWord Bookshare Web based Powerpoint Free programs Commercial products

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LISTENING EXPLORING OBJECTS, OR PROPS. Listen to someone read (teacher, volunteer, peer). Listen on a CD or MP3 player. Listen to a digital book or electronic text. Provide objects connected to content material to support the reading experience read with your hands. Use objects to read the text place the objects in order to tell the story, or give information about the concept being taught. Take a digital picture to record a snapshot of the event. Use puppets finger puppets, characters mounted on Popsicle sticks. Mount symbols, pictures or tactile objects that represent concepts being taught through a textbook. Provide a fact bag/basket or story bag a collection of items representing the written material (Dacey, 2002).

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ADAPTED TEXTLOW TECH SOLUTIONS reading an adapted book reading an adapted book (same content at lower reading level) images. symbols. by discussing drawing augmentative communication using sign language Take a book apart and place pages in page protectors. Add page turners/fluffers as necessary (Dacey, 2003). Add textures and objects to the pages. Use puff paint to outline graphics or underline text. Use highlighter or highlighter strip to highlight words.

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using technology. Create a story or content material with Microsoft PowerPoint - a talking book.Microsoft PowerPoint Videotape a story; add captions and audio. Convert digital text to MP3. Create dynamic displays for communication. Use multi-media tools to create interactive documents for student use, e.g. Classroom Suite, BoardMakerBoardMaker Bookshare Digital text plus audio (text to speech) Bookshare

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text supported with symbols. Read text supported with symbols and read it on paper or on the computer with audio and highlighting.Read text supported with symbols Emphasize the text, reduce the size of the graphic. Eliminate the graphic to reduce the level of support. text supported with photos. pictures, or sounds. Make text come alive with the use of photos. Add sound. Add video. a text-reader. Use digital text and read with a text reader. Read from the web, or cut and paste text into a text reader. Read from scanned material. Search for electronic text from non- copyrighted material. just a few words. Select words from a passage that students can read, highlight the words. Create material that has a reduced number of words in simple language. Read words of high interest. summarized text. Summarize the text use the auto- summarize feature of the word processor. Write a few sentences from the focus material.

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Production issues Illegible handwriting Poor mechanics, including spacing, misspellings, etc. Process Organization Vocabulary issues Word retrieval

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Pencil grips Slant boards/special writing surfaces Different writing tools Raised line paper Extra time/reduced work load

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Computer modifications Font, color, size Templates/forms, other built-in features Templates/forms Specialized software Word prediction Talking word processor Visual organization Inspiration/Kidspiration Word processors with symbol support Keyboarding programs Voice Recognition software Issues and solutions

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Math is a WRITING task Graph paper Manipulatives Software solutions MathPad Other software solutions

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iPod iPad iPad Android Based Tablets

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IDEA 97 - Consideration of Special Factors Goals and Objectives Focus on curriculum, not AT Specially Designed Instruction Naming AT Addressing Back-up Related Services Provided by IEP team member (SLP, teacher) Supports for School Personnel

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Consideration of AT, in the context of IEP development, review, or revision, is intended to be a collaborative process in which team members determine whether AT devices or services are needed for the student to access the general education curriculum or meet IEP goals. Consideration may be brief or extended, and may necessitate that the IEP team include (or have access to) someone who has knowledge about AT or who can guide the team in considering AT in the context of what they know about the student.

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What are possible outcomes to AT consideration? When the team agrees that AT is not a necessary part of the IEP for the student, it is appropriate for the team to check no on the IEP document. When AT that is already in place is considered effective or sufficient for the student (as specified in IEP), it is appropriate for the team to check yes on the IEP document. When it is determined that the team needs more information, particularly if they are not certain if a student needs AT, or how AT may benefit the student, it is appropriate to check yes and further specify steps to be taken in the IEP. The team may decide to obtain AT consultation or conduct targeted AT assessment. These steps may introduce well-planned trials of AT for identified curricular tasks, including data collection to determine effectiveness.

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It is the responsibility of the local educational agency (LEA) to provide AT as identified within the IEP. It is appropriate for LEAs to purchase, rent or borrow AT, or to utilize AT that is acquired through the students insurance. LEA may not require the family to utilize insurance or any other funding source. In the event that no alternative funding is available, the LEA remains responsible for the timely provision of AT needed as specified in the IEP.

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When AT is provided for a student through a funding source other than the LEA, the LEA remains responsible for any costs related to repair, maintenance, or replacement of AT that is specified in the IEP.

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On a case-by-case basis, the use of school purchased AT devices in a childs home or in other settings is required if the childs IEP team determines that the child needs access to those devices in order to receive FAPE (34 CFR 300.105). This may include providing AT devices or software when needed for homework, or for functional skills that are necessary across environments, such as communication using an augmentative/alternative communication (AAC) device.

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