TechACCESSory Fall 2003: AT in the Classroom: Leaving No Child Behind

AT is an area with tremendous potential to help all students, especially those students with disabilities. Further, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has opened the door for integrating technology into the school world of all students. The federal No Child Left Behind Act, which became law in January 2002, requires all states to establish grade-level standards and to test all students in grades 3 through 8 in mathematics and English-language arts and students in one grade at each school level (elementary, middle, high school) in science. Rhode Island is working with other New England states as partners to develop grade level indicators as required by NCLB. This partnership, with federal funding, will be able to share their resources and expertise as they develop new tests, train teachers to administer the tests and to interpret test results, and examine the impact of computer-based testing accommodations on the validity of test scores for students with and without special needs. This New England Compact for testing will be developing the assessments based on the concept of Universal Design. Using this concept, assessment and learning environments can be developed with fewer barriers from the start, which is a benefit to all kids and allows AT to be seen as adaptations to existing technology in order to assist students with disabilities access the general education curriculum.

Here is an AT checklist to help start off the new school year:
Checklist by Judith Hammerlind Carlson, M. S., CCC-SLP

– The IEP team assesses a student's educational needs (with consultation as appropriate) and identifies goals which may be addressed using AT devices.
– An appropriate AT device is selected by a knowledgeable IEP team (with consultation by an assistive technology specialist as needed) to address the specific assessed needs and abilities of the student.
– If possible, the AT assessment takes place in the classroom environment and the student has an opportunity to use the technology in the classroom before the final decision is made to obtain the equipment.
– The IEP clearly identifies why and how the AT will be used to help the student meet his/her goals and objectives.
– The IEP clearly identifies the AT training and technical assistance services needed to insure that the device will be used functionally in the classroom, including staff training, student training and when appropriate, family training.
– The AT device is used concurrently with other appropriate accommodations to facilitate a student's maximum classroom participation and independence.
– There is a plan for maintaining and repairing the technology as well as a "back-up plan" for when the technology is "down."
– The IEP includes a plan for monitoring use of the technology and reviewing its appropriateness at least yearly and especially at key transition times (elementary to middle, middle to high school, school to work, etc.).
– Good records are kept on the AT (date of purchase, vendor, operational directions, tech hotline numbers, etc.) and the student's use of the technology (level of independence, levels of performance, etc.) and the records are passed on when the student transitions from grade to grade, from school to school, and if the student changes school systems.
– The educational/therapeutic staff, parents and students have a common understanding of the potential and limitations of AT and work together to insure that the AT device is used effectively to meet the student's educational goals.