Assistive Technology ProgramLos Angeles Unified School DistrictOT PT AT Program

Background

• Assistive Technology (AT) is technology used by individuals with disabilities to perform functions that might be otherwise difficult or impossible.

• AT supports individuals with devices and training for daily living, employment and education

• AT for students in LAUSD is provided through a multi-disciplinary team approach with a focus on access to instruction

Assistive Technology and the LawThe Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that IEP teams consider the assistive technology needs of a student during the development of an IEP.

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 function capabilities of a child with disabilities

Assistive Technology Service Means any service that directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition of AT equipment; selecting, designing, maintaining, repairing, or replacing the equipment…

What is Assistive Technology?• An umbrella term for technology to increase,

maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.

• Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) relates to technology to support communication. (insert reference to S&L Program oversees AAC?)

AT at the School Site

• Local school site technology plans shall include consideration of students with special needs.

• School sites have primary responsibility to provide AT devices to support assessed student need, with assistance from AT Program, as needed. The Assistive Technology Lending Libraries have resources available for short-term loan.

Assistive Technology for Access

• Individual Education Program (IEP) teams are required to consider student need for AT when developing IEPs.

• Most often, AT Assessment is used to guide IEP team in determining any technology supports required for students with disabilities.

Who are the AT Professionals?

• A multi-disciplinary team of general and special education teachers (including deaf/hard of hearing, and vision), speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists and physical therapists

• Assistive Technology Assessors are highly qualified educators with additional certification in Assistive Technology.

Access to InstructionThe District believes that in an effort to support a successful school experience for all students, they will:

•Access their educational environment with appropriate accommodations;

•Access a variety of strategies and materials within their classroom setting, including UDL;

•Take an active role to participate in their educational program to attain skills for successful post-educational transitions.

Access to Learning with UDL• Universal Design for Learning (UDL) has been

developed by the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST)

• UDL establishes principles for student access to curriculum through:– Multiple means of representation– Multiple means of expression– Multiple means of engagement

• UDL provides the foundation for Assistive Technology in the field of education

The Role of Assistive Technology Assessor:Response to Instruction and Intervention (RtI2)

Response to Instruction and Intervention (RtI2)

is a systemic multi-tiered framework that guides

the development of a well integrated system of

instruction, and intervention that is matched to

student need and directed by student outcome

data from multiple measures. (BUL- 4827.1 Multi Tiered Framework for Instruction,

Intervention, and Support)

The Role of Assistive Technology Assessor:Response to Instruction and Intervention (RtI2)

The five essential elements of RtI2 include:

• Multi-tiered framework to instruction and intervention

• Problem-solving progress• Data-based decision making• Academic engaged time• Professional Development

Response to Instruction and Intervention (RtI2)Multi-Tiered Instruction and Intervention

The AT Assessor:

- collaborates with other related services staff to identify student needs, - contributes expertise to the problem solving process and- provides strategies for any student who may evidence challenges in accessing the curriculum

Response to Instruction and Intervention (RtI2)Multi-Tiered Instruction and Intervention

Tier 3: Intensive Instruction and Intervention

Tier 2: Strategic or Supplemental Instruction

Tier 1: Core Instruction

Response to Instruction and Intervention (RtI2)Problem Solving Cycle in General Education

IdentificationAT Assessors may be called upon to assist in the

identification of issues involving functional access to the curriculum that students may be experiencing.

Problem AnalysisAT Assessors analyze problems in concert with

classroom teachers and are experts in the identification of tools and strategies to assist students in accessing their instructional program.

Intervention DesignAT Assessors will assist the instructional team with

incorporating the use of assistive devices and strategies into the classroom instructional program to provide universal access to instruction for all students.

Response to Instruction and InterventionAT Assessors will also assist the educational team with

progress monitoring, ongoing data collection, and evaluation to determine the success or failure of the intervention. Results are analyzed to determine the level of intensity and support necessary for individual students.

Intervention Strategies – Tier 1 Core Instruction

At this level of service students have not been identified as requiring assistive technology and consultation is focused on:

– Increasing the general knowledge base of teachers on how to use the material within the classroom and school to enhance learning for all students

– In-servicing teachers on universal design for learning principles and how they can be applied to their instructional program

– Increasing the general knowledge base of teachers on how to use the materials within the classroom and school site to enhance access to learning for all students.

– Providing ideas for setting up the physical arrangement

of classroom for student success.

Intervention Strategies – Tier 2 Strategic or Supplemental Instruction & Intervention

AT program staff will assist school-site teams in:– Matching appropriate strategies and/or assistive technology

devices within the school environment to address the specific needs of students.

– Providing information on how and where to acquire additional strategies and/or materials to make curriculum accessible

– Providing professional development for school site teams in the area of assistive technology for specific curriculum areas.

As part of the screening process, the assistive technology assessor will review with the school site team in the data review process

Intervention Strategies – Tier 3 Strategic or Supplemental Instruction & InterventionAT program staff will provide:

– Professional development activities to enable school-site AT teams to select appropriate assistive technology devices and customize their features to assist students in accessing the curriculum.

– Strategies and/or equipment will be put in place for a trial period and linked to a specific curriculum goal

– If the trial with available strategies and/or equipment is successful, student should continue to utilize them for as long as necessary to accomplish curriculum goals.

If participation in a comprehensive Response to Instruction and Intervention (RtI2) program is not successful to address the student’s area of need, school sites should consider referring the student for special education assessment.

Assistive Technology Evaluation

• Students who continue to have difficulty accessing the curriculum should be referred for assistive technology evaluation after they have been provided: – Targeted Intervention, with progress monitoring,

and review of intervention for effective access to curriculum.

• Parents may request assistive technology evaluation, in accordance with District special education policies and procedures.

Assistive Technology AccessAssistive Technology is a related service that supports the educational program for students who have difficulties in accessing the curriculum in one or more of the following areas:•Reading

•Writing

•Mathematics

•Physical Access to Instruction

•Communication – Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC)

Examples of AT for Access to Reading

• Sentence isolators

• Audio Books

• Screen reading software that allows printed materials to be scanned into a computer and read aloud to the user

• Text-to-speech software that allows users to change the appearance of the text by manipulating font, color, size, spacing, etc.

Examples of AT for Access to Writing• Pencil grips and wide-lined paper

• Text-to-speech word processors with or without built-in phonetic dictionaries and spell checkers

• Use of dictation, either to a peer or into a tape recorder

• Software that combines pictures with words for those students with limited spelling abilities

• Portable electronic word processors

• Voice output portable electronic dictionaries

• Word prediction software

• On-screen keyboards for students who cannot access traditional keyboards

Examples of AT for Access to Mathematics• Calculators

• Software that provides symbols and/or math formatting support

• Software with on-screen manipulatives

Examples of AAC for Communication

• Picture communication books or boards

• Specialized keyboards for computer access

• Speech generating communication aids

Models of Assistive Technology Service Delivery in Special Education

Assistive technology is available as a support to students, classroom teachers and other support staff on an as-needed basis.

Models of AT service delivery include:•Consultation•Collaboration•Direct

Assistive Technology Services Consultation

Service provided indirectly to the student consisting of:- regular review of student progress,- student observation, - accommodations and modifications for core material, - developing and modeling of instructional practices

Assistive Technology Services CollaborationService with collaboration may include:- training students to use recommended assistive technology equipment, - customizing the set up of the equipment specifically for the student, - training for the student’s teacher, parents and support staff in the use of the equipment including how to integrate its use into the classroom instructional program.

Assistive Technology Services DirectAs student abilities and curriculum demands change, students may require occasional direct support.

Direct services to students may include:

- monitoring to make sure their equipment is in working order and continues to meet their needs throughout their school career

- training in how to use and integrate the equipment into the instructional program.

Assistive Technology Service Completion Guidelines

• The student’s disability no longer negatively affects his or her educational performance in the special education or general education program.

• The student is able to access the curriculum successfully without the use of assistive technology.

• The student consistently demonstrates behaviors that are not conducive to service provision, such as a lack of cooperation, motivation, or chronic absenteeism.  In these circumstances the IEP team should consider alternate services or strategies to remedy interfering behavior or conditions.

• The student’s needs will be better served by an alternative program and/or service, as determined by the IEP team.

• The student graduates from high school or reaches age of 22.

Additional Assistive Technology Resources and Information

AT assessor assigned to local school site

LAUSD Division of Special Education Policy and Procedure Manual http://sped.lausd.net

Assistive Technology Position Paper LAUSD Division of Special Education Website

http://sped.lausd.net

Assistive Technology Lending Library Website

www.lausd.k12.ca.us/lausd/offices/spec_ed/ATLL

How Do You Contact the Assistive Technology Program? 

OT PT AT Program

Related Services Department

Beaudry Building – 18th Floor

333 South Beaudry Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90017

Phone: 213.241.6200

Fax: 213.241.8435