Developed by:

1
Developed by
1023 South U.S. 27 St. Johns, MI 48879 Phone
800.274.7426 Fax [phone] TTY
989.224.0246 E-mail matr_at_edzone.net Web site
www.cenmi.org/matr
2
Michigans Assistive Technology Resource

• The overall purpose of MATR is to provide
  information services, support materials,
  technical assistance, and training to local and
  intermediate school districts in Michigan to
  increase their capacity to address the assistive
  technology (AT) needs of students with
  disabilities.
• MATRs Web site is www.cenmi.org/matr/
• Services to schools are FREE and include
• Support to IEP team members during the process of
  considering AT.
• Equipment loan program to schools for trials of
  AT.
• Software loan library for parents and school
  personnel.
• Training/inservice - inservice workshops,
  intensive trainings, and development of training
  materials.

3

• This document was produced and distributed
  through an IDEA Mandated Activities Project for
  Michigans Assistive Technology Resource awarded
  by the Michigan Department of Education. The
  opinions expressed herein do not necessarily
  reflect the position or policy of the Michigan
  Department of Education, the Michigan State Board
  of Education, or the U.S. Department of
  Education, and no endorsement is inferred. This
  document is in the public domain and may be
  copied for further distribution when proper
  credit is given. For further information or
  inquiries about this project, contact the
  Michigan Department of Education, Office of
  Special Education and Early Intervention
  Services, P.O. Box 30008, Lansing, Michigan 48909.

STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL LAW The
Michigan Department of Education complies with
all Federal laws and regulations prohibiting
discrimination, and with all requirements of the
U.S. Department of Education.
4
Compliance with Title IX
What Title IX is Title IX of the Education
Amendments of 1972 is the landmark federal law
that bans sex discrimination in schools, whether
it is in curricular, extra-curricular, or
athletic activities. Title IX states No person
in the U.S. shall, on the basis of sex be
excluded from participation in, or denied the
benefits of, or be subject to discrimination
under any educational program or activity
receiving federal aid. The Michigan Department
of Education (MDE) is in compliance with Title IX
of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended,
20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq. (Title IX), and its
implementing regulation, at 34 C.F.R. Part 106,
which prohibits discrimination based on sex. The
MDE, as a recipient of federal financial
assistance from the United States Department of
Education (USDOE), is subject to the provisions
of Title IX. MDE does not discriminate based on
gender in employment or in any educational
program or activity that it operates. The
designated individual at the Michigan Department
of Education for inquiries and complaints
regarding Title IX is Ms. Roberta E.
Stanley Director Office of Administrative Law
and Federal Relations Michigan Department of
Education Hannah Building 608 West
Allegan P.O. Box 30008 Lansing, Michigan
48909 Phone [phone] E-Mail
stanleyr_at_michigan.gov
5
Keys to Success
1023 South U.S. 27 St. Johns, MI 48879 Phone
800.274.7426 Fax [phone] TTY
989.224.0246 matr_at_edzone.net www.cenmi.org/matr

• Assistive Technology Consideration and Decision
  Making

6
Objectives

• Define assistive technology.
• Identify indicators of appropriate assistive
  technology consideration and documentation.
• Acquire foundation knowledge of assistive
  technology team form and function.
• Gain awareness of a framework for assistive
  technology consideration.
• Acquire foundation knowledge of data collection
  process.

7
What is Assistive Technology?
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
IDEA 97 (Public Law 105-17) mandates the
provision of assistive technology and offers
clear definitions of assistive technology devices
and services.
8
Legal Definition
Assistive Technology Device Any item, piece of
equipment, or product systemwhether acquired
commercially off the shelf, modified, or
customizedthat is used to increase, maintain, or
improve the functional capabilities of children
with disabilities. (Section 300.5)
9
Legal Definition

• Assistive Technology Service
• Any service that directly assists an individual
  with a disability in the selection, acquisition,
  or use of an assistive technology device.
  (Section 300.5)
• Evaluating
• Providing devices
• Selecting, Designing, Customizing
• Maintaining, Repairing
• Coordinating
• Training/Technical Assistance student, family
  and school service providers

10
IDEA Facts

• Schools are required to provide Assistive
  Technology at no cost to the student/parents if
  it is needed for a student to receive a free
  appropriate public education (FAPE).
• The Individualized Education Program (IEP) team
  is responsible for determining whether a student
  requires assistive technology to achieve goals
  and objectives. This is documented on the IEP.
• IDEA 97 requires IEP teams to consider the
  assistive technology needs of all students during
  the development of an IEP.

11
Assistive Technology Consideration
Where do we start?
12
Technology is a tool that serves a set of
education goals, and if we don't think about
what we want the technology for first, we end up
with technology-driven solutions that have very
little impact in the lives of children and in our
educational system.
  -Linda Roberts
Past Director of Educational
Technology
U.S. Department of Education
13
The use of a decision making framework is helpful
in determining a students assistive technology
needs. SETT is one example of a framework that
assists teams in the consideration process.
14
Critical Elements of SETT

• Student Centered
• Shared knowledge and collaboration
• Multiple perspectives
• Communication
• Pertinent information and resources
• Flexibility
• Ongoing processes
• Collaboration

15
Who is on the team?

• Student
• Parents/family
• District Personnel - Team membership is flexible
  and based on student need.
• Members may include
• Assistive Technology Specialist
• Special Education Teacher
• General Education Teacher
• Social Worker
• Occupational Therapist
• Speech and Language Pathologist
• School Administrator
• Physical Therapist
• School Psychologist
• Para-Educator
• District Technology Coordinator

16
Why do we need a team approach?

• Multiple perspectives from a number of
  disciplines ensure that the needs of the student
  will be addressed and services provided across
  all environments.
• Team members offer differing knowledge, skills,
  and observations about the students areas of
  strength, needs, and barriers to success.
• The IEP team is responsible for determining
  whether a student requires AT to achieve goals
  and objectives.

17
Team Process

• Use questions about the Student, Environment,
  Tasks, and Tools to facilitate discussion.
• Discuss collected information, combine ideas, and
  prioritize items that will be placed into an
  implementation plan.
• All participants receive a copy of the
  implementation plan.

18

• Questions to Generate Discussion

19
SETT Student Environment Tasks Tools By Joy
Zabala (1994)
STUDENT
20
Student

• What are the students current abilities?
• What are the students special needs?
• What are the functional areas of concern?
• What are the other students doing that this
  student needs to be able to do?
• What does the student need to be able to do that
  is difficult or impossible to accomplish
  independently at this time?

21
SETT Student Environment Tasks Tools By Joy
Zabala (1994)
STUDENT
ENVIRONMENTS
22
Environments

• What activities take place in the environment?
• Where will the student participateclassroom,
  home, community, therapy?
• What is the physical arrangement?
• What activities do other students do that this
  student cannot currently participate in?
• What assistive technology does the student have
  access to or currently use?

23
SETT Student Environment Tasks Tools By Joy
Zabala (1994)
STUDENT
ENVIRONMENTS
TASKS
24
Tasks

• What specific tasks occur in the environments
  that enable progress toward mastery of IEP goals
  and objectives?
• What activities is the student expected to do?
• What does success look like?

25
SETT Student Environment Tasks Tools By Joy
Zabala (1994)
STUDENT
ENVIRONMENTS
TASKS
TOOLS
26
Tools

• Tools are devices and servicesanything that is
  needed to help the student participate and
  benefit from.
• Tools are on a continuum from no/low-, mid-,
  high-tech.
• Tools must be student centered and task oriented
  and reflect current student needs.
• Describe tool features that are needed rather
  than brand names.
• Identify skills the student needs to use the tool.

27
Assistive Technology Continuum
Assistive Technology is a continuum of tools,
strategies, and services that match a students
needs, abilities, and tasks.
Explore possible solutions needed to meet goals
Low-Tech Tools Pencil grips Color
coding Highlighters Slanted surfaces Reading and
writing guides Enlarged worksheets
Mid-Tech Tools Books on tape Talking spell
checker, dictionary Word processor Tape
recorder Adaptive eating utensils Switch
controlled toy, light, blender
High-Tech Tools Text readers Voice
recognition Environmental control
devices Augmentative communication
device Software for manipulation of
objects Electronic books

28
Tool Selection

• Identify what tools may address the tasks the
  student is experiencing difficulty with.
• Begin with no-/low tech strategies
• Reinforces least restrictive options
• Simple to use and acquire
• More readily accepted by student, family, and
  peers.
• Student may require a range of strategies for an
  individual task.
• Consider no/low-tech options as a back up for
  mid- or high-tech options.
• Consider student and family preferences.

29
SETT Forms

• A place to organize and document meeting
  information.
• Team members can reference information discussed.
• Tracks roles and responsibilities of each team
  member.

30
SETT Form
31

• Implementation Plan

32
Elements of an Implementation Plan should include

• Prioritized tasks and tool strategies to be
  addressed
• Acquisition of tool
• Training
• Data collection plan to document outcomes of
  strategy/tool use (trial periods)

33
Implementation Plan
34
Acquisition of Tools

• Identify who will locate materials/device?
• Borrow, rent, purchase?
• Locate lending libraries (local, county, State
  MATR, etc.)
• Cost of device and who will purchase?
• Possible funding sources?

35
Training

• Who is going to need training (student, teacher,
  parents, para-pro)?
• Who will do the training?
• How much time will it take to train?
• When will the training be scheduled?
• What is the cost? Is training provided free by
  manufacturer or vendor?

36
How do we measure the impact of assistive
technology?
37

Data Collection and Documentation

• Data collection and documentation is an ongoing
  
• process that is used to review and revise a
• students plan. This includes
• Formal or informal assessment data identify
  baseline performance, specific needs, and initial
  assistive technology implementation.
• Performance data support or disprove solutions
  tried (tool trials).
• Performance data evaluate outcomes and measure
  student performance toward goals.

38
Develop a data collection plan.
39
Elements of a Data Collection Plan

• Select a functional, frequently-occurring
  activity from identified tasks and collect
  baseline data on the activity.
• Identify present level of performance for the
  task and what change is expected with
  tool/strategy use.
• Specify when and how the student will use the
  device(s) in the activity and what variable to
  observe (frequency, speed, accuracy).

40
Elements of a Data Collection Plan

• Identify times, places, and duration of the
  trial.
• Specify how and who will collect data.
• Analyze/discuss results and evaluate
  effectiveness.
• Plan for further intervention or data collection.

41
Document team decisionsbased on data collected.
42
Documenting Assistive Technology

• IDEA regulations do not identify how or where to
  address assistive technology in the IEP however,
  they do specify that consideration is
  documented somewhere in the IEP.
• AT should be identified in the part or parts of
  the IEP that best fit with the type of assistive
  technology provided and correspond to the areas
  addressed by IEP goals and objectives.
• Describe the type of assistive technology,
  include enough detail of features, and device
  categories without specifying the brand name.

43
Remember!

• A SETT Framework is ONGOING.
• Re-SETTing is not starting over
• It is a matter of keeping decision-guiding
  information accurate, up to date, and clearly
  inclusive of the shared knowledge of all involved.

44

• How can I learn more about assistive technology?

45
Resources
Local
National

• AT Contact

State
Regional

• CTG
• ATA
• CSUN
• WATI
• RESNA
• UCP
• AER
• ASHA
• AOTA

• MATR
• MACUL
• TAM/CEC

46
References/Resources
MATR (Michigans Assistive Technology Resource)
http//www.cenmi.org/matr TAM/CEC (Technology
Media Division of the Council for Exceptional
Children) http//www.tamcec.org/ MACUL (Michigan
Association for Computer Users in Learning)
http//macul.org/ Closing The Gap
http//closingthegap.com/ ATA (Alliance for
Technology Access) http//www.ataccess.org/ CSUN
(California State University Northridge)
http//www.csun.edu/ RESNA (Rehabilitation
Engineering Assistive Technology Society of
North America) http//www.resna.org/ WATI
(Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative)
http//www.wati.org/ ASHA (American Speech
Language Hearing Association) http//asha.org/ AOT
A (American Occupational Therapy Association)
http//www.aota.org/ UCP (United Cerebral Palsy
Association) http//www.ucpa.org/ AER
(Association for Education and Rehabilitation for
Blind and Visually Impaired) http//www.aerbvi.org
/ Joy Zabala, Assistive Technology Consultant
http//www.joyzabala.com
47
Assistive Technology A LIFE TOOL!
THANK YOU
48
Team Process

• The team should brainstorm to generate and
  document a variety of ideas, strategies, and
  information about the student.
• Brainstorming rules
• Write down all ideas.
• Accept all suggestions without comment.
• Generate as many ideas as possible.