Assistive Technology 1
The Search for Answers - Assistive Technology
Jennifer Feck
Angelo State University
ED. 6362 Dr. McCoulskey
Assistive Technology 2
When I first began Education of Exceptional Children, I never knew it would end up in a
search for answers. I came in with my eyes and mind wide open and ready to learn. Later that
night when I started reading the textbook, I was blown away by the all the information.
Information that I felt as a third year teacher, I should have had a clue about. I read about the law
that gives all children the right to a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive
environment (LRE), and the process of creating an Individualized Education Program (IEP).
Being intrigued by what I was already learning, I started to skim through the book when my eyes
came upon that word "technology."
Now being a computer teacher the first thought that went through my head was what new
hardware or software could I get my hands on to work with at school and at home? I was already
envisioning a classroom with new computers which my special education students could use in
order to become better thinkers and more successful. I thought about my student Matthew who I
knew could benefit from better technology. Matthew has a noticeable handicap with his hands,
which makes it hard for him to write and type. I pictured a new computer set up with the newest
speakers, microphones, and voice software. I could see the words appear on the screen as
Matthew spoke them into the microphone. I could see the smile on his face and know that he was
learning.
Getting more and more excited, I read further and that's when I read the words "assistive
technology." Questions popped into head. What is that? How can I get it? Do we have that here
in San Angelo? I continued hoping to read about new high tech equipment and software. I read
about how a student with a physical disability could benefit not by a computer, but a straw? A
straw that most people use to drink a soda? This was considered technology? So began my
search for the answers to all of my questions.
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The first question to be answered is what is assistive technology? Assistive technology
(AT) is defined by IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) as
Each public agency shall ensure that assistive technology devices or
assistive technology services or both, as those terms are defined in
300.5-300.6 are made available to a child with a disability if required as
a part of the child’s (a) Special education under 300.17, (b) Related services
under 300.16, or (c) supplementary aids and services under 300.550(b)(2)
The two key phrases in this definition that need further investigating are “assistive technology
devices” and “assistive technology services”.
IDEA defines assistive technology services as:
Any service that directly assists an individual with a disability in the
selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device. Such term includes:
(A) the evaluation of needs including a functional evaluation, in the child’s customary
environment
(B) purchasing, leasing or otherwise providing for the acquisition of assistive technology
devices,
(C) selecting, designing, fitting, customizing, adapting, applying,
maintaining, repairing, or replacing of assistive technology devices
(D) coordinating with other therapies, interventions, or services with assistive technology
devices, such as those associated with existing education and
rehabilitation plans and programs
(E) training or technical assistance for an individual with disabilities,
or where appropriate that child’s family
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(F) training or technical assistance for professionals (including individuals providing
education and rehabilitation services), employers, or other(s)
who provide services to employ, or are otherwise, substantially
involved in the major life functions of children with
disabilities (http://www.tea.state.tx.us/special.ed/rules/).
An AT service provider could possibly be your local Region Service Center. They provide
training and help with obtaining information about the cost and variety of technology devices
available. They are able to provide books and information about assistive technology that is used
in our community and in our state.
Another state AT service provider is Texas Assistive
Technology Program. This program is available to make sure that all disabled people have the
AT they need in order to get through their day-to-day life (http://tatp.edb.utexas.edu).
The last IDEA definition to be investigated deals with assistive devices. “As used in this
part, ‘assistive technology device’ 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 functional capabilities of children with disabilities
(http://www.tea.state.tx.us/special.ed/rules/).This
is where the straw comes into the picture. For a
person with a disability who cannot hold a cup in order to get a drink, the straw is a device that
“facilitates daily living skills”(Heward, 2000). A big misconception that most people have is that
all AT devices are computerized which would require a great amount of training and money.
The assistive devices used can be low tech or high tech. Low-tech devices might be a pencil
grip, footstool, a baseball cap with a head pointer, or a cassette player. For a student who had a
vision problem and couldn’t read long passages, one could record an entire Geography book on
tape for that student to take home and listen to. High-tech devices could be a battery operated
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wheelchair, a screen enlarger for a student who can’t see well, a sound field system (SFS) which
enables a student to hear a teacher no matter where he/she is in the room (Sutherland, 2000), a
laptop with voice synthesizer, or even a machine with robot qualities. There are three types of
AT devices (Ashton, 2000):
The first type is adaptations of basic devices. An example would be a
dictionary that talks. A dictionary is an everyday item that students can
utilize in their classrooms and homes. To meet the needs of someone who
is blind or has trouble seeing, the dictionary can be put into an electronic
format. With this new speaking ability a dictionary is now considered an
AT device.
The second type of device is additions made to an everyday technology
that requires a person to interact differently with that technology. A
television that has the capabilities to not only show the captions, but also
read it out loud as it appears on the screen.
The third type of device is the modifications made or designed in which a
basic technology cannot perform. The classic examples of these types of devices
are augmentative and alternative communications devices. An example of this would be a
keyboard with enlarged letters or pictures. This would be beneficial to a student who may not be
able to communicate through speech. The student could touch the picture on the keyboard in
order to communicate with others around him.
Along with these definitions and devices came other questions. Who will pay for these
devices? Unfortunately schools are responsible for most of the AT cost. I found that the federal
government helps pay for some of the cost, but that money also goes to help support Special
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Education programs, not just assistive technology. Federal and state governments are working
together to fund programs that can help with the cost. “Medicaid is designed to provide medical
assistance for certain individuals and families with low incomes and resources” (Kemp,
Hourcade, and Parette, 2000). Two Texas Programs that make use of Medicaid are the SHARS
(School Health and Related Services) program and EPDST (Early periodic, Screening, Diagnosis
and Treatment) program. Of course the students must be receiving special education and related
services and eligible for Medicaid. In addition, “school districts must meet any state licensing,
certification, and registration requirements that apply to medical and educational services”
(Kemp, Hourcade, and Parette, 2000). The SHAR program requires specific documentation on
why the AT device is needed, how it will be used (IEP), and where it will used (LRE). Of course
as with all things there is opposition to people using the Medicaid program as their first solution.
There are grants and funds provided through other organizations and AT Laws. The Assistive
Technology Act provides federal funds to “assist states in developing easily available, consumerresponsive systems of access to assistive technology, technology services, and information (The
Alliance for Technology Access, 2000). Of course parents always have the option of using their
private insurance in order to pay for the technology devices that their child might need.
Another question dealing with cost is, not for the equipment, but for the training. With
the advancements in technology, so too must there be help in funding and training teachers in
order for those students who need the extra assistance to receive it. Schools must have help in
paying for the new technology that is growing and
changing day after day. “Economically strapped districts have limited resources for support of
technology for the general student body and even less for the individual special students’ needs”
(Sutherland, 2000). More teacher training on how to use and incorporate these new technologies
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in to their classrooms will also be needed. Technology training at the college level is taking place
now. Colleges are encouraged to incorporate more technology in their teacher preparation
programs. For those teachers already out in the field, more staff development on integrating
technology into the classrooms is needed. “For assistive technology devices to become
successfully used in the general curriculum, staff development advocates argue that teachers
must receive appropriate training and subsequent on-going training” (Smith and Jones, 1999).
Too often the teachers get a one-day workshop on a variety of technologies available, but never
on how to incorporate them in to the classroom. “According to reports, technology integration
will be increased when inservice activities are designed so that teachers create materials, lesson
plans, and strategies for use within their own class during the staff development sessions (Smith
and Jones, 1999). Teachers need to be able to use the equipment and software in their
classrooms, not just hear about it. “Simply purchasing AT equipment will not ensure its use.
Funds must be allocated to ensure that teachers and other potential AT service providers receive
training in the use of the equipment” (Merbler, Hadadian, and Ulman, 1999). We will need better
support in the future to help implement the up and coming technologies in our classrooms.
After all the types of devices and cost have been established, another question to be
addressed is how does one become qualified for AT in our San Angelo Independent
School District? Students are first referred for Special Education Services. From that referral one
follows the same procedures for the IEP planning team. The student is then tested or assessed.
The San Angelo Independent School District contracts out to a woman in the Midland/Odessa
area who will review and make suggestions as to the AT devices that are “appropriate
intervention solutions in addressing that child’s educational needs and in helping him/her achieve
the identified IEP goals and short term objectives” (Bryant, Bryant, and Raskind, 1998). The IEP
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team or ARD committee in the state of Texas must address whether AT devices are needed for
each student that is referred for Special Education Services. If AT is not needed for that child, it
must somewhere be stated in the IEP why the student does not need AT devices (The Alliance
for Technology Access, 2000). If it is deemed that a child’s educational endeavors would be
benefited by an AT device, then it must be stated in the IEP why the AT is being used, how it
will be used, for how long the AT device will be needed (Zabala, Blunt, and Carl, 2000). The
following are some helpful tips that will be needed for the IEP team to run smoothly when
determining whether a student needs an AT devices. Each member of the IEP team must have
some knowledge of AT devices because the AT device has to fit to the child so that it can help
the child become successful in their education. One does not want to give a laptop to a student
who has no skills in typing or running a computer. That AT device will not help that child
succeed. “ Assistive devices should match the age, gender, and preferences of the user to
promote acceptance and use” (Merbler, Hadadian, and Ulman, 1999). The IEP team also needs
take into consideration the family. It is always important to have the family involved in the
planning of their child’s IEP. Some families may not want their child to have a certain type of
AT device. “The inclusion of AT in a home represents a significant change for many families.
Providing AT for students with disabilities requires new role behaviors on the part of the
children, and new interaction patterns between those children and other family members”
(Parette, VanBiervliet, and Hourcade, 2000).
While the questions still linger about cost, training, and how to best use AT devices, my
basic questions have now been answered, and the first part of my search is complete. Along the
journey my eyes were truly opened as to the meaning of technology. After my research, I thought
about Matthew again. I asked myself if a big, fancy system with a microphone and speakers
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would be feasible? Could he take it from class to class to use? Would he know how to operate
the system? Or was there something out there that was less costly and more usable? One of the
biggest misconceptions I had was that technology meant computers. I realize now that Matthew
did not need a big, fancy computer system. I read about a keyboard with enlarged letters that
would help with Matthew’s handicap. I know that Matthew may only need a modified keyboard
with bigger keys in order to help him with his school work. I also know that computer
technology is not always the answer to our educational problems. Sometimes the solution is as
simple as an everyday drinking straw.
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References
Ashton, Tamarah. (2000, Winter). Assistive Technology. Journal of Special
Education Technology, 15 (1), 57-58.
Bryant, D.P., Bryant, B.R., & Raskind, M.H. (1998, Sept.). Using assistive
technology to enhance the skills of students with learning disabilities. Intervention in
School and Clinic, 34 (1), 53-58.
Computer and Web Resources for People with Disabilities (3rd ed.). (2000). Salt
Lake City, UT: Publishers Press.
Heward, William. (2000). Exceptional Children An Introduction to Special
Education (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall Inc.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act – Final Regulations Texas Side-bySide Document. Retrieved October 7, 2001, from TEA Web site:
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/special.ed/rules/idea.html.
Kemp, C.E., Hourcade, J.J., & Parette, H.P. (2000, Fall). Building an initial
information base: assistive technology funding resources for school-aged students with
disabilities. Journal of Special Education Technology, 15 (4), 15-24.
Merbler, J.B., Hadadian, A., & Ulman, J. (1999, Spring). Using assistive
technology in the inclusive classroom. Preventing School Failure, 43 (3), 113-117.
Parette, H.P., VanBiervliet, Alan, & Hourcade, J.J. (2000, Winter). Familycentered decision making in assistive technology. Journal of Special Education
Technology, 15 (1), 45-55.
Sutherland, Sandy. (2000, Mar.). Accessing technology. Tech Trends, 44 (2), 2930.
Smith, S.J., & Jones, E.D. (1999, Apr.). The obligation to provide assistive
technology: enhancing general curriculum access. Journal of Law & Education, 28 (2),
247-265.
Zabala, J., Blunt, M., & Carl, D. (2000, Fall). Quality indicators for assistive
technology services in school settings. Journal of Special Education
Technology, 15 (4), 25-36.