Assistive Technology Consideration and Services

[KarenJanowski]

It is my experience that even 10 years since the Reauthorization of IDEA added AT as a consideration at every IEP meeting that this is still not happening at team meetings. In addition, AT is typically brought up and requested by parents. When it is parent driven, then students have a chance at having AT added to their IEPs.
Is this your experience? What has worked in your district? There has to be a better way that will benefit all students.

[Nichole Thomason]

Unfortunately, I think this is more common place than we all would like it to be. I am not a teacher, my husband is. I work for a non-profit agency providing assistive technology to all people, all ages, all disabilities. I see it from both ends, my husband's struggle to get computers with CDROM drives and the parents who are so fed up with the district, the lack of funding, the training, time to devote to their children... and CDROM drives, so they seek outside, independent evaluators (like ourselves). In my own experience I see a HUGE lack of training. I think too many times when someone mentions AT, everyone runs as far away as possible while they point their fingers to the "AT Specialist" in the district, because it is "their job". I think our first and best bet it to train, train, train. Train teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators, SLP's etc. We need to train them that AT is not so scary. It does not have to be hard and we don't have to do it ALONE. No one person can have all the answers. Anyway, I don't know if that answers your question but that is my 2 cents. I am pursuing yet more school so I can someday do exactly this, TRAIN, TRAIN, and MORE TRAIN! I hope to eventually put myself out of a job. :)

[Wendy Homlish]

Oh, please put me out of my job! Training is so vital, yet is missing at the college level in a very major way. It's the trickle down effect - the faculty has been around a long time, teach the same way, yada, yada, yada....which means the students get very little experience (I know there are exceptions!), which means we have teachers coming on board who "don't know what they don't know". That goes for administrators and supervisors three fold! I am consoled by the fact that I am seeing new teachers who are more comfortable with technology IN GENERAL who are embracing AT as well. Digital Natives vs. the Digital Immigrants! I am often asked to come into Master's level classes in education programs locally and do a one hour "dog and pony show" about AT - that's fine, but most participants (especially reg. ed. teachers-in-training) yawn and text message friends - "Hey, I'm going into regular ed - I don't need to know this stuff". AAAARRRRRGH> I have been banging my head against the wall to get districts to embrace the idea of UDL - you don't always need kid-specific tools, and you don't always need an IEP or a 504 - ALL kids can benefit. Save yourself some $$ in the long term by buying network versions, training your teachers, and making the curriculum accessible (vs. buying Kurzweil for Student A, WYNN for Student B, RFB&D for Student C, etc). It's tough. As far as the consideration piece - it is glossed over time and again partly, I think, because of the lack of understanding about what that MEANS - many LEAs think if they check the box they will need to BUY something. OMG! Can you imagine! I could go on and on (and I usually do!) but...that is my 2 cents. Oh - and I ALWAYS go for the free stuff first! LOL There is so much out there that we can use to meet the needs of students that costs NOTHING - now lets just get those IT departments to stop running schools like a business.......

[Nichole Thomason]

Amen sister!

[Glenda Anderson]

I think this conversation has ended up linking to the other discussion about what should special education teachers know about technology. UDL is not going to happen unless teachers are technology savvy or willing to take some risks. They also need the equipment to take the risks. I agree with Nichole that the technology that is usually in the classrooms is not even functional with hardware. We haven't even talked about what software they have at their fingertips. And I agree that UDL is probably the very best practice out there for AT access.

As far as AT in the IEP... I have found that most support staff in the schools think of AT as being for the blind, severely disabled, etc. They do not think of it as something for students with Autism or Learning Disabilities. Therefore, it is often brought up when a parent comes in and wants a laptop with voice activation software and then everyone freaks out and runs around yelling, "What are we going to do? They can't request that, can they?"

When Wendy shared: "I am often asked to come into Master's level classes in education programs locally and do a one hour "dog and pony show" about AT - that's fine, but most participants (especially reg. ed. teachers-in-training) yawn and text message friends - "Hey, I'm going into regular ed - I don't need to know this stuff". AAAARRRRRGH>" oh. I so agree. But I also find the same thing when I talk to special education programs as in: "Hey, I'm going into Mild-Moderate not Moderate-Severe!" AAAARRRRGH again!!

I think AT is a money issue but I think UDL is even more so. More kids + more money needed + not a chance! AT is IEP driven so there is often not a choice. UDL is not legally required.

I also find that I am not a welcome site to many as if I come around that might mean they will have to spend some money. I work so hard at trying to change that image but it still remains.

[Brian Wojcik]

"UDL is not going to happen unless teachers are technology savvy or willing to take some risks."

I cannot agree more. In moving towards UDL, we are looking at a fundemental shift in how we conceptualize teaching and learning. We are altering the tradition of teaching...and, that...is scary for most people. When we look at other professions...say, business, for example, there is an expectation that one is a user of technology so that one can be more productive and increase job performance and quality. The expectation is part of the job and no one questions it. However, when I talk to my undergraduate students, I hear many romanticize notions of their perception of education. Many revolve around having their own classrooms and making a positive difference in the lives of the students with whom they work. However, many of the notions are grounded in their own educational experiences and have been, consequently, converted to the standards to which they are holding themselves accountable as teachers. One frustrating thing for me as a teacher educator is that, even when I am able to get future teachers fired up about thinking differently about education, their first experiences in the schools is often in situations that cling to a version of education that does not integrate technology as part of the instructional program of students due to fear, perception, beliefs, funding, etc. I had one student come back after student teaching and tell me that the things she learned in my class...ideas of how to differentiate instruction using technology ...are idealistic and impractical and disconnected from the way things are really done in the 'real world'. The model has perpetuated itself.

Technology use, as a means of support students' educational experiences, has not yet become a 'standard of practice' for teachers. How do we change this? How do we get an entire profession to 'buy in' to this concept?

I continue to be inspired by those individuals, many of whom are on this ning, who do push the envelop and advocate for change. I see pockets, as I go and consult in various places, in which the ideal is being realized. There is hope...but how can we catalyze this change?