WASHOE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT
SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY TEAM
Assistive technology (AT) is a device and/or service that is determined by an IEP team to be
necessary to provide a student with educationally relevant and necessary access to a Free
and Appropriate Education in a least restrictive environment (LRE). Assistive Technology
services must be considered for any student receiving special education.
Assistive Technology devices and services are defined (Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act, IDEA, 1997) as:
“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”.
“assistive technology service” means any service that directly assists a
child with a disability, in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive
technology device”.
Such services may include:
1. The evaluation of needs, including a functional evaluation, in the child’s customary
customary environment
2. Purchasing, leasing, or otherwise providing for the acquisition of assistive
technology devices.
3. Selecting, designing, fitting, customizing, adapting, applying, maintaining,
repairing, or replacing of assistive technology devices
4. Coordinating with other therapies, interventions, or services with assistive
technology devices, such as those associated with existing education and
rehabilitation plans and programs
5. Training or technical assistance for an individual with disabilities, or, where
appropriate, that child’s family
6. Training or technical assistance for professionals (including individuals
providing educational 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.
Necessary = what the student needs to access the curriculum and goals related to his IEP
and/or access an inclusive setting.
Educationally relevant may mean:
Will it increase independence?
Will it increase inclusive setting opportunities?
Will it increase functional skills?
Will it increase academic & behavioral success?
Date: 12/16/05; Rev. A
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Will it improve, remediate, or compensate for deficient educational performance?
Assistive Technology Procedures:
Referral:
1. A referral is made when an IEP team considers assistive technology services (AT) as
potentially necessary and educationally relevant for a student. The IEP team may contact the
AT Team for a referral packet. Prior to sending in the complete AT referral packet, the IEP
team must revise the student’s IEP to reflect a program change by writing “AT Referral” under
“other” on the Related Services page with the date the packet will be completed and sent to
the AT office.
2. The referral packet is to be completed by the teacher, parent, or others working with the
student, reviewed and signed by the school’s Principal, and returned to the Assistive
Technology Team along with a complete copy of the student’s current IEP. Send an SES 14,
“Parental Prior Written Notice” to the parent.
3. The Assistive Technology Team will review the referral and may contact the referring
person to request additional information.
4. The Assistive Technology Team will contact the Special Education Teacher who will
arrange an AT consultation meeting with parents and involved staff.
Evaluation of Needs:
5. The evaluation will be conducted with some or all members of the student’s IEP team.
Those contacted may include the parents, regular education teacher/s, special education
teacher/s, related service providers (PT, OT, Speech-Language Pathologist, Vision Specialist,
etc.), and Administrators (Principal, Program Assistant, Assistant Principal). The evaluation
process could involve the following:
a. At the AT consultation meeting, team members may discuss their concerns, the
specific academic difficulties the student is experiencing, and what resources are
currently available to the student.
b. If necessary, an observation may then be completed in order to evaluate how the
student is performing in relation to his/her non-handicapped peers, or to observe to
what extent the student is able to meet the academic demands of the observed setting.
c. AT staff will brainstorm with the team regarding possible solutions, modifications
and/or adaptations, possible items to be field tested, referrals that might be needed,
and other possible resources or materials that might be helpful in addressing the
student’s assistive technology needs.
6. The Assistive Technology Team will complete a written report and AT Plan including
decisions made, actions to be taken, responsible parties, and method of documentation of the
success or failure of the AT provided.
Date: 12/16/05; Rev. A
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Training and Field Testing:
7. If equipment is determined to be necessary and educationally relevant, it is field tested for
4-8 weeks to determine if it meets the student’s educational needs. During this period, training
for staff or the student may be arranged. If the field-tested items are demonstrated to meet
the student’s needs, the assistive technology team will help to procure that equipment for longterm use by the student. If the field-tested items do not meet the student’s educational needs,
the team may suggest additional field test equipment/materials to try. This process continues
until the appropriate equipment and/or materials are found. The AT team has a loan library of
equipment available for field-testing where needed.
8. Equipment and materials are purchase by the AT Department following the established
purchase order procedure of the Business Office of Student Support Services. Equipment
and materials are made available for a designated student to use as long as the student is
enrolled in the district and the materials remain educationally relevant and necessary.
Follow-up:
9. A follow-up will be conducted by the AT team after two months or other designated period
to review the student’s status. It is the student’s special education case manager
responsibility to provide feedback to the AT Team, in a timely manner, and to alert the team if
the student changes case managers, teachers, or schools.
10. The Assistive Technology Team follows a student, as needed, to assure the assistive
technology needs are met in new settings, as academic demands change, etc.
Writing AT in the IEP:
11. Referral: If the IEP team feels they require help with Assistive Technology consideration
for a student, they may write such intention into the “Related Services” section of the IEP.
Please consult the AT team before writing in any projected timeline. It is not necessary,
however, to write a referral into the IEP in order to make a referral.
12. Equipment: A piece of equipment (described by type, not brand name) is written into the
IEP under “Supplementary Aids and Services” when it is necessary to indicate what items a
student must have available to them. This is done after an evaluation has been completed,
equipment has been successfully field tested, and such equipment has been determined to be
necessary. It may also be appropriate to write goals and objectives into an IEP when a student
is learning to use materials.
The Assistive Technology Team can be contacted at:
560 Mill Street, 3rd floor
Reno, NV 89502
Date: 12/16/05; Rev. A
Phone: (775) 333-5036
Fax: (775) 333-5318
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