AT supports enable the student to access their education without disruption and levels the playing field in comparison to non-disabled peers. The Assistive Technology Team supports the student and campus through:

• Individual AT Evaluations, AT consultations, and AT classroom evaluations
• Teacher and Parent AT Training
• AT Connection Meetings
• AT Troubleshooting and Support 
• IEP Committee and Staffing Support
• Support in developing draft goal and objectives for students that may benefit from AT

Assistive Technology (AT) team is a multidisciplinary team often comprised of individuals with a varied backgrounds such as: 

• Communication
• Gross/Fine Motor Skills
• Positioning
• Special Education
• Visual Impairments
• Assessment
• Behavior
• Learning Disabilities

Spring ISD uses the SETT Framework (Zabala, 1995) when determining AT needs.  This framework includes four critical areas:

1. Student 
2. Environment
3. Tasks
4. Tools

Assistive Technology Referral Procedures

•  If referral for Assistive Technology is deemed warranted by by teacher, treating professional, campus staff member, parent or other member of the IEP Committee completes the AT Prereferral Questionnaire, scan the completed documents and send it via email to AssistiveTech@springisd.org.  
• AT team will review the document and will contact you to schedule a staffing. 
• AT Team has 15 school days (starting 1 school day following date of sent email containing completed AT Pre-Referral scanned document) to respond to campus’s request for referral.

•   A staffing is scheduled by the campus Diagnostician, ARD Facilitator, or Speech-Language Pathologist (in case of speech only student) 
• Participating members will be outlined by the AT Team (but generally include, as appropriate: Administrator, Teacher, Diagnostician, SLP, Related Services, LSSP, Behavior Specialist, Case manager and/or Department Chair or other pertinent staff members)
• The SETT Form will be completed by the AT Team with input from the assembled team
• Special Education Staffing/Conversation Notes form must be completed and signatures obtained

Four Options can be determined by the AT Team:

1.       No Referral for Evaluation is Needed

•  AT Formal Response Letter is sent via email to all Special Education Team members, along with; information outlining general strategies, recommendations, and tools 

2.      AT Need Identified but No Formal Evaluation Required 

• Observation and trial period will be implemented with a data collection component from parents and teachers (2-4 weeks will be allotted for initial implementation)
• AT Data Collection Sheet(s) will be given to the appropriate professionals to monitor and track 
• A follow up staffing with team members will be conducted by the AT Team on a predetermined date indicated in the AT Formal Response Letter
•  If at the time of follow up,  a formal evaluation is needed, the AT Team will initiate a full AT evaluation. (Please see “Referral for Evaluation is Needed” procedures, #3)

3.       Referral for Evaluation is Needed

1. AT Formal Response Letter  is sent via email to all Special Education Team members to schedule a date/time for the formal evaluation as well as direction regarding obtaining Notice and Consent.
2. A Formal Evaluation Packet will also be sent to the campus special education team so they can begin collecting data and information. 
3. The AT Team will observe the student and environment as part of the formal evaluation.
4. The AT Team will work with the campus to schedule a Post-Evaluation staffing within 45 school days to review the report and recommendations.
5. The AT Facilitator will ensure that a copy of the AT Evaluation is uploaded into eSped within 2 school days of the staffing. 
6. After the stafffing the campus diagnostician, ARD Facilitator, or SLP will schedule a Revision ARD and send a copy of the AT Evaluation home to the parent to review
7. A Revision ARD will be scheduled by the campus Diagnostician, ARD Facilitator, or Speech-Language Pathologist

4.       AT Team Determines Additional Information is Required

• AT Formal Response Letter is sent via email to the campus Special Education Team along with an explanation of what additional information is needed for this student and the specified date information is required to be returned to the AT team 

If at any time a parent, teacher, staff member or treating professional has Assistive Technology concerns for a student, they are encouraged to contact the Assistive Technology Facilitator at: assistivetech@springisd.org or at 281-891-6349 with any questions. 

Purpose of  Classroom Assistive Technology Evaluations  –  to conduct an evaluation in any educational environment provided that there are at least two students  receiving special education services presenting similar difficulties. When the students are included in the general education classroom, the AT trainer can conduct the evaluation in the general education setting. If the recommendation is made for an additional tool, when the tool is implemented in the classroom, it becomes available to any student in the environment to use. The assistive technology trainer is not making individualized recommendations for individual students, but rather, making global recommendations that can be used by the majority of the students in the environment.

 

Classroom AT  Evaluation Process

• Step1: Educator notices multiple((2 or more) special education students are having similar difficulties and  may benefit from  assistive technology; complete the  Classroom AT  Evaluation form  and send it to the following email:Assistivetech@springisd.org

• Step 2: AT Trainer  will   contact the educator to conduct an informal meeting with educator  to note challenging issues and strategies tried

• Step 3: AT trainer visits  the classroom or other environment  during a time when the students are working on an area where the challenges are being exhibited.

• Step 4: AT trainer observes classroom supports and strategies in use, generates/demonstrates ideas and recommendations,possibly interacts with the class to gather information without singling out students

• Step 5: Once the observation is complete, the AT trainer generates an assistive technology classroom evaluation report via email and sends it to the educator.

• Step 6: AT device(s) / equipment(s) will be delivered to the classroom and support and/ or training will be provided  as needed. Where equipment or device may benefit a group of students, teacher completes  and returns  the AT Loan Contract Form

• Step 7:Educator will  return the AT device(s)  no later than the last day of school that school year.

• AAC Rubric
• ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY RESOURCE GUIDE (Please print double-sided)
• AT Classroom Evaluation Request Form
• AT Consult Procedures Flow Chart
• AT Prereferral Questionnaire
• Consideration of AT Needs 
• AT Formal Response Letter (AT Team Only)
• AT Data Collection Sheet
• BYOD Agreement - Use of Personal Assistive Technology Devices Agreement at School (AT Team Only)