SEEC 5050: ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
SESSION TWO
BIG IDEAS: The student will understand:
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The typical members on an I E P team for a Special Education student
The differences between the I E P team and the comprehensive student support team
What makes a comprehensive student support team successful.
Why it is important to modify the team as the assessment progresses.
ATSTAR – LESSON TWO
The purpose of this lesson is to provide an explanation and example of the importance of
the multidisciplinary team and the responsibilities of various members, including the
consideration of the student’s possible need for assistive technology devices and services.
In this lesson, ATSTAR speaks specifically of a Campus-level Assistive Technology
Representative (CATR). Though it is unlikely that there is someone who officially fulfills
a similar role on your campus, it is important to understand that SOMEONE must have
similar skills or that a person with similar skills can be called upon for assistance when
needed. Often there is a district person who can be called upon. GPAT can also be a
resource in some circumstances. After you complete these lessons, YOU might be the
one who is called upon for guidance!! resource.
Supplementary Required Viewing:
In the TeacherResourceBank
- View video presentation on legal issues
- View video presentation on consideration
TASKS:
Assignment 1: ATSTAR Extension
Go to the following website and find the answers to the questions below. Write your
answers and submit them by email.
http://www.ideapractices.org/law/index.php
- Who are the required members of a student’s IEP team?
- What are the five special considerations that each IEP team must make during the
development of the IEP?
- Describe the major steps involved in developing an appropriate IEP?
All people involved in the implementation of the IEP are not required to be a part of
the official IEP planning team. How do you think that the people who are involved in
implementation should be informed about the contents of the IEP and how it is to be
implemented? What are the possible consequences of all implementers not being
adequately informed?
And… by the way… who makes the official decision about whether or not assistive
technology devices and services are needed by a student and, of so, the nature of
those devices and services?
Assignment 2: Complementary Web-Based Resources
Visit the QIAT website. QIAT: Quality Indicators for Assistive Technology. Take a close
look at the Quality Indicators for Consideration and for Assessment.
The parent/guardian of the student, a general education teacher, and, if appropriate, the
student are required members of the IEP team (see IDEA). Write a brief description of
why you believe the participation of each of these members is important during the
consideration and/or assessment of a student’s possible need for assistive technology
devices and services if those processes are to be done with quality. When and why would
it be important for the student to participate in assistive technology decision-making?
Assignment 3: GPAT
Visit the Georgia Project for Assistive Technology (GPAT) site at www.gpat.org and
complete the following activities.
In the Resource section of the GPAT site, locate the Consideration Checklist and
Assistive Technology Consideration Resource Guide
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What is the purpose of the Consideration Checklist?
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What is the difference between the two Consideration Checklist documents on
the GPAT website? Under what circumstances might you use each of them?
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Download and print the Consideration Checklist and the Consideration
Resource Guide.
Assignment 4:
Continue working with the student you have selected to follow in your case study.
Complete the Assistive Technology Checklist to the best of your ability. It is highly
desirable that you collaborate with others in doing this. THIS IS NOT AN
EVALUATION, however, you are dealing with confidential information about a
student that should not be shared in the community at large.
DISCUSSION:
What makes a comprehensive student support team successful?
PERSONAL REFLECTION:
What was your level of comfort with the different tools that you needed to use to do the
tasks that were required of you in this session? How did your level of comfort with the
tools affect your ability to do the expected tasks? How did you feel as you were using the
tools to do the tasks?