TCASE presentation on AT

1. Providing
Assistive Technology:
An Administrator’s
Perspective
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2. A Professional Development Module
www.texasat.net
Collaboratively developed by
• Texas Assistive Technology
Network, led by Region 4 ESC
• Texas Education Agency
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3. Objectives
 Federal and state legal contexts
 Basic definitions and examples of AT
 The administrator’s role in provision of
AT services
 Quality Indicators in AT for
Administrative Support
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4. The Legal Evolution of Access
• EHA 1975 Access to schools
• IDEA 1990 Access to classrooms
• IDEA 1997 Access to generaleducation
curriculum
• IDEA 2004 Access to instructional materials
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5. IDEA 2004: Final Regulations
Sec 300.5 AT Devices
• Federal definition of Assistive Technology
• The school district must provide the AT devices that are
required by the child as part of his special education,
related services, and/or supplementary aids and services
• School-owned AT must be made available to the child at
home or in other educational settings IF THE IEP
Committee DETERMINES that access to the AT in those
places is necessary for the child to receive FAPE.
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6. IDEA 2004: Final Regulations
Sec 300.6 AT Services
• Federal definition of Assistive Technology
• The school district must provide the AT services that are
required by the child as part of his special education,
related services, and/or supplementary aids and services
• Services include, but not limited to:
• Assessment
• Evaluation
• Trials
• Maintenance and repair
• Follow-up – funding, etc. 6

7. Administrator’s Role is
usually Not…
• Being an AT expert
• Providing AT services
• Making independent AT
decisions
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8. Your Role is…
• Holding the vision
• Understanding change
• Building relationships
• Building knowledge
• Supporting student success
Michael Fullan: (2001) Leading in a Culture of Change
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9. Mission Perspective for AT
Students with
disabilities receive the
AT devices and services
needed to benefit from
FAPE.
(Indicators 5a and 5b)
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10. Financial Perspective
Focuses on ensuring
adequate funding and
resources to sustain
and improve the
internal processes
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11. Learning, Growth and
Innovation Perspective
Focuses on how an agency is
innovating, improving, and learning
in order to support student success.
Vision: Digital natives 11

12. QIAT in Action Resources
Quality Indicators for Assistive
Technology Services
www.qiat.org
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13. Quality Indicators in AT (QIAT):
Administration www.qiat.org
1. …written procedural guidelines…
2. …dissemination of AT service policy and procedures…
3. …written documentation on job requirements…
4. …personnel with competencies….
5. …AT in the technology planning and budgeting…
6. …continuous learning opportunities…
7. …systemic procedures to evaluate AT services…
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14. 1. Guidelines…
The education agency has written procedural
guidelines that ensure equitable access to
assistive technology devices and services
for students with disabilities, if required for
a free and appropriate public education
(FAPE).
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15. Incorporating AT into the
IEP
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16. 2. Dissemination…
The education agency broadly disseminates
clearly defined procedures for accessing
and providing assistive technology
services and supports the implementation
of those guidelines.
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17. 3. Job requirements…
The education agency includes appropriate
assistive technology responsibilities in
written descriptions of job requirements for
each position in which activities impact
assistive technology services.
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18. 4. Personnel competencies…
The education agency employs personnel
with the competencies needed to support
quality assistive technology services within
their primary areas of responsibility at all
levels of the organization.
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19. 5. Planning & Budgeting…
The education agency includes assistive
technology in the technology planning and
budgeting process.
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20. 6. Professional development…
The education agency provides access to
ongoing learning opportunities about
assistive technology for staff, family, and
students.
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21. 6. Evaluation…
The education agency uses a systematic
process to evaluate all components of the
agency-wide assistive technology program.
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22. Action Items
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23.  Ensure students with disabilities
receive the AT devices and services
needed to benefit from FAPE
Identify people who can be resources
Include a broad range of people in
planning
Develop written operating guidelines
Broadly disseminate and implement the
operating guidelines
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24. Fiscal
Action Items
• Include AT in planning and
budgeting
• Allocate human, fiscal and
material resources
• Provide structures for managing
resources which are efficient as
well as legal and ethical
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25. Learning, Growth and
Innovation
Action Items
• Offer continuous learning
opportunities
• Create a systemic procedure to
evaluate AT services at the agency
level
• Monitor change and reevaluate needs
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26. Other Resources
• District Resources
• Regional Resources
• State Resources
–www.texasat.net
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27. Contact information:
Kirk Behnke, M.Ed., ATP
Region 4 ESC
7145 West Tidwell Road
Houston, TX 77092-2096
(713) 744-6559
kbehnke@esc4.net
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