Today we are focusing on assistive technology and its importance in assisting the scholar in accessing their education. We frequently do not consider the many accommodations and modifications and the profound effect on the ease of access that they provide to the scholar. Whether high tech or low-tech assistive technology deserves consideration with those scholars who can benefit from its implementation.
4) Assistive technology devices/ services and curriculum
5) Behavioral curriculum
1) Core curriculum
2) Extracurricular and non-academic activity skills as well as recreation and leisure skills
3) Expanded curriculum / Disability specific curriculums /and independent functional skills across environments
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY CURRICULUM
The IEP must, as appropriate, include ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY. This includes:
Assessments
Devices
Curriculum
AT Devices
Assistive technology means 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 a scholar with a disability.
It includes high and low tech assistive and adaptive tools including hardware and software
instructional services that can enhance communication, mobility, access, and learning
It includes the use of school-purchased assistive technology devices in a scholar’s home or in other settings as required if the scholar’s IEP Team determines that the child needs access to those devices in order to receive a Free and Appropriate Education - FAPE.
It includes Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles for designing a curriculum that provides everyone with equal opportunities to learn. This includes:
Presentation of information, concepts, and ideas being learned
Accessibility to information, concepts, and ideas
Planned and applied to learn tasks
Engagement and sustained attention to learning tasks
Promotion of inclusion
Reducing barriers to curriculum
Offering personalized options and choices, as well as
Access to required technology in an equally effective way
AT Categories
Assistive technology can include computer software and hardware, environmental modifications, or assistive devices to facilitate tasks related to:
Mobility - wheelchairs, walkers, scooters, orthotic devices
Cognitive - computer or assistive devices for memory, attention, language or organization,
Speech – speech generating devices
Writing - voice recognition, grips, adaptive paper, braille, keyboards, note-takers, word processor, word predictor, spell or grammar checker
Reading - screen readers, screen enlargement applications, magnifiers, book readers
Vision –enlargement or magnifiers of all kinds, books on tape, brailler
Fine motor- page-turners, book holders, pencil grips, switches, utensils /handles, eating assistance
Sensory Efficiency - environmental changes
Hearing - FM systems, closed captioning, narrated videos
Gross Motor - ramps, grab bars, widened doorways, reach extenders, mobility, cooking, dressing, and grooming, playing games
Device modification- phones, lights, computers, desks, chairs
Environmental modification - taping of environmental borders, adapting sound or lights
AT Services
IEP must include Assistive Technology Services, as appropriate
Assistive technology service includes any service that directly assists a scholar with a disability in the selection, acquisition or use of an assistive technology device.
Such as:
Assistive technology specialist to do a functional evaluation at home, school and community environments
IEP must note the start and finish dates of evaluation.
IEP must note the start of services and qualifications related to supports
Purchasing, leasing, or otherwise providing for the acquisition of assistive technology devices
Selecting, designing, fitting, customizing, adapting, applying, maintaining, repairing, or replacing AT devices
Coordinating and using other therapies, interventions, or services with AT devices
Training or technical assistance for the scholar, instructor, aide, the family/caregiver, and school professionals on the appropriate curriculum that leads to functional use and outcomes.
Equal Opportunities are provided With Assistive Technology
Assistive Technology Services Assure That:
Scholars with disabilities receive an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from goods and services because:
Scholars with disabilities may not be excluded from participation in nor denied the benefits of the goods, aids, services, programs, or activities of public schools,
Scholars with disabilities must have an equal opportunity to achieve the same result or the same level of achievement as others.
Separate or different aids, goods, benefits, or services given to peers may occur only if doing so is necessary to ensure that access is as effective as that provided to others.
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