Consideration Of Assistive Technology

In my last blog post, I talked about how to help integrate augmentative communication into a child's home and community. In this blog post, I'd like to take us a few steps back and propose the following question, how does the IEP team decide that a child needs to use augmentative communication?

The purpose of this blog is to help educators and parents understand the process that the IEP team goes through to consider whether or not the child needs to use assistive technology (AT), like augmentative communication.

The following process was put together by The Texas Assistive Technology Network!

The Consideration of AT Process (Texas 4-Step Model):

The IEP team will...

1. Review the child's present level of performance without AT and takes evaluation data.
2. Develop goals and objectives for the child.
3. "Determine if any goals or tasks are difficult or impossible for the student" (Texas Assistive Technology Network).
4. Decide whether or not AT devices and services are required and document decisions" (Texas Assistive Technology Network).  

Some Questions The IEP Team Should Think About During The Consideration Process:

• "If the student is currently using AT, is the AT adequate to address the new goals and objectives?" 

• "Does the student need AT to access the curriculum?" 

• "Does the student need AT to access instructional materials?"

• "Does the student need AT to access the technology used by other students?" 

• "Could AT help the student work more independently?"

• (Texas Assistive Technology Network).

Possible Results of Consideration Process:

1) AT is NOT required:

• AT may not be needed now, but should be reconsidered for the future.
• In the IEP it will state that the committee "anticipates that the student will be able to: participate in the educational program, accomplish expected tasks, and make reasonable progress toward mastery of IEP goals and objectives with typically available supports and services" (Texas Assistive Technology Network). 

2) AT IS Required:

• The IEP team "anticipates that 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 services (Texas Assistive Technology Network).
• The IEP team would then specify the devices and services in the IEP that the child would need to use to succeed in and out of the classroom.

3) More Information Is Needed:

• The IEP decides that additional information is needed to decide whether AT is needed for the child to participate in the classroom and master IEP goals and objectives or "determine the nature and extent of AT devices and services needed" (Texas Assistive Technology Network).
• The IEP team would document in the IEP, as an AT service, the specific type of assistance needed.

Since AT is so useful in helping break barriers between students and their education, it is REALLY important for educators to understand the AT consideration process. The IEP team needs to think very hard about whether assistive technology is necessary for a child to be able to participate in the classroom and master his or her IEP goals and objectives. If so, it is important that the IEP team document this need and make sure the child gets the AT assistance that they deserve. If not, this also needs to be documented and should be revisited at a later time! If there is not enough information available to make an executive decision about whether the child needs AT or not, this is also important and needs to be documented!!!!!

Texas Assistive Technology Network. (2009, Oct.). Considering Assistive Technology in the IEP Process. Retrieved from: http://www.texasat.net/users/0011/Consider%20rev_%2010_12_%2009%20Presentation.pdf.