What is Assistive
Technology (AT)?
The Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (I.D.E.A.) defines
assistive technology as any item,
piece of equipment or product system,
whether
acquired commercially,
modified, or customized, that is used
to increase, maintain, or improve
functional capabilities (not just
communication) of children with
disabilities.
Eligibility Criteria
Exit Criteria
TACLE students display the following
characteristics:
1. The student is able to integrate into
a less restrictive program with only
itinerant AAC/AT device support, or
1. Complex communication needs often
resulting from severe verbal apraxia,
cerebral palsy, chromosomal abnormality, traumatic brain injury, cortical, or
other health impairments;
2. A significant discrepancy between
understanding of language and an ability
to express themselves.
2. The student no longer needs
AAC/AT, or
3. The student does not benefit from
the program.
3. A demonstrated desire to communicate with people and an inability to do so
using voice, sign, or writing;
4. The ability to demonstrate understanding of AAC/AT as tools to enhance
communication and learning;
These aids include but are not limited
to wheelchairs, adapted pencils, , slant
boards, computers, alternative mice
and keyboards, enlarged books,
switches, specialized programs for the
computer, PECS (Picture Exchange
communication System), communication books, mounted scissors, and
voice output devices.
5a. An assessment or screening by the
Oakland AT Team; and
b. demonstrated functional use of lite
tech communication aids ; and
c. An observation by the receiving
TACLE teacher.
6. Demonstrated ability to benefit from
the specialized AAC/AT support
provided by the TACLE program to
maintain the specialized academic focus.
Oakland Unified School District
offers four TACLE classrooms. These
serve students from kindergarten
through grade 12.
What is Augmentative
Alternative Communication
(AAC)?
According to the American Speech
and Hearing Association (ASHA),
AAC is any system or strategy that
augments or compensates for an
individual’s inability to orally
communicate effectively. An AAC
system might include picture/alphabet
boards, electronic devices capable of
voice output, environmental control,
sign language or gesture systems.
OUSD follows ASHA guidelines for
prescribing AAC equipment. TACLE
teachers assist the parent(s) to acquire
medically prescribed speech generation devices to be used at home, in the
community and at school.
Each TACLE student is assessed for
the appropriate AAC system and/or
speech generation device.
The TACLE teacher customizes and
maintains the device and develops a
language system that can be used
across all environments.
The Mission of the TACLE
Program is:
To teach each student the wonder and
power of communication;
To develop for each student a
multimodal, customized,
Augmentative/Alternative
Communication (AAC) system(s)
enabling interaction at school, home,
and in the community;
To identify for each student the
necessary Assistive Technologies
(AT) for optimal access to the
academic curriculum;
To maintain an academic focus
utilizing AAC/AT.
TACLE
Technology
and
Augmentative
Communication
for
Learning
Enhancement
OUSD SDC-SH Classroom
TACLE students are taught an
appropriate academic curriculum
adapted to their unique needs, with an
emphasis on communication using
customized augmentative
communication systems and assistive
technology enhanced learning.