AT+support+Requests

Thank you for your interest in Assistive Technology (AT) support from the Capital Area Intermediate Unit (CAIU). We would like to provide you a guide of what to expect in the AT support process and how we can help. As assistive technology consultants, we are available to teams for consultation regarding a specific student(s) to provide support to the local education agency (LEA, child’s school district) team during the assistive technology process. The law indicates that the LEA is responsible for providing assistive technology devices and services to students with disabilities. This process begins with the IEP team identifying a possible need for AT. Following that identification, if the LEA feels that the team needs additional support in the process of providing assistive technology for it’s students, we are available to guide the team through the process. We request that teams fill out two forms on our website: the AT support request and Assistive Technology questionnaire in addition to the Capital Area Intermediate Unit central referral form. When we receive these forms, we will contact the contact person indicated on the paperwork to schedule a meeting with the student’s team. AT support is an ongoing team process with it being most effective when all members of the student’s team are involved from the beginning (i.e., parents, speech, OT, PT, regular education, administration, etc). The team must include a **parent or guardian** and **two persons who work directly with the student** at school or the agency. If the team is considering assistive technology communication options, a speech language pathologist must be involved in the team meeting. If the team is considering assistive technology writing options, an occupational therapist must be involved in the team meeting. If the student has vision concerns related to AT, a vision itinerant/therapist must be involved in the team meeting.

During the team meeting, information is gathered from all the professionals working with the student to provide a complete profile of the student’s strengths and needs, tasks and tools, and environment regarding assistive technology. The CAIU Assistive Technology consultant assists the team in compiling this information and leading the discussion as to additional data that may be required to make AT decisions. We consider this a team process in assessing the student’s needs and strengths. While CAIU AT consultants guide the team through the process, final AT decisions are made by the LEA. Frequently through this process, we have been asked the difference between assessment and evaluation. CAIU Assistive Technology consultants do not provide AT evaluations, or “one shot” direct service testing. Best practices in the field indicate that assistive technology determination should not a “one shot” or clinical event. The model of support that we utilize reflects the terminology of assessment rather than evaluation. Assessment is defined as a group of activities conducted to determine a child’s specific needs (Federal Register, July 10, 1993). Assistive technology assessment is an ongoing dynamic assessment of systems/strategies already in place for the student, needs/barriers still present for the student to make appropriate progress, and data from trials of low to high tech strategies/devices. Assistive technology decisions are made through a process of trials and strategies starting with the least restrictive solutions. As AT is an ongoing process, AT consultants are available to support the team in any stage of providing AT services to the student (s) (i.e., follow up, information concerning funding, implementation strategies, training if needed, support with data analysis and transition planning). Thank you again for your request and we look forward to working with your team.

Referral Forms: