AISD Assistive Technology Process

Students who are identified with a disability, either under Special Education or Section 504 are eligible for Assistive Technology. For the student receiving services from special education, the process of determining the need for Assistive Technology is required as part of that student's individual educational program and must be directly related to an identified task that the student is having difficulty completing. The above is also true for students identified as 504, with the exception that the process is not required.

Available Forms

• Assistive Technology Process Flowchart
• OT, PT, Assistive Technology Referral Flowchart for Section 504
• Assistive Technology Pre-referral Worksheet
• I E P Accommodations

Campus Level

Prior to requesting an Assistive Technology Evaluation referral packet from the District-Level Assistive Technology Team (D-LATT), the campus support team should complete an Assistive Technology Pre-Referral Worksheet.

This form will help the campus support team:

• Focus on a particular task that the student is having difficulty completing.
• Bring together the team of support staff to assist with generating ideas. This brainstorming may lead the campus support team to discover an intervention that has not been previously implemented.

Once campus resources have been exhausted and a decision is made to refer to the D-LATT, the Assistive Technology Referral Packet (Special Education or 504) may be requested by contacting the Assistive Technology Department. The packet will be mailed through school mail. Each packet comes with instructions and a checklist of items that must be completed and returned to the Assistive Technology Department. Incomplete referral packets will be returned.

District Level

AISD has a District Level Assistive Technology Team (D-LATT) available to support campus-based support teams without a referral for an Assistive Technology Assessment.

Prior to referring a student for a district-level Assistive Technology Assessment, the D-LATT can provide the following types of support:

1. Consultation regarding campus-based procedures for considering assistive technology and individualized augmentative communication needs of students with disabilities.
2. Consultation, direct support and staff development regarding:
   • Ideas for modifying the educational environment to include the use of assistive technology.
   • Strategies for the implementation/ integration of assistive technology systems for individual students.
   • The effective use of assistive technology tools.
   • The coordination of instructional and related services to provide and/or support the use of assistive technology by students with disabilities.
   • The acquisition of Assistive Technology devices/materials, that are needed to empower students to access educational services within the least restrictive environment.
3. Consultation to assist the campus-based support team in determining if a referral for an Assistive Technology Evaluation from the D-LATT is needed. This type of evaluation occurs when the campus support resources have been exhausted.

The following 2 forms provide descriptions of the Assistive Technology process within AISD for Special Education and Section 504:
Assistive Technology Flowchart.
Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Assistive Technology Referral Flowchart for Section 504.

District Level Assistive Technology Team (D-LATT) Assessment Process Level

• Once a completed Referral Packet is received by the D-LATT, the Assistive Technology campus contact person will work with the campus staff to schedule a time to visit with the referred student.
• The on-site visit or visits may include one or more observations, individual assessment with the student, or a combination of both.
• After the onsite assessment is completed, a staffing is held to bring together the student, the student's campus support team, parents and/ or guardians, and the Assistive Technology contact. At the staffing the following will be discussed:
  • The findings of the assessment process.
  • Possible Assistive Technology solutions resulting from the assessment process.
  • Recommendations for possible additional accommodations.
  • The development of an implementation plan if Assistive Technology recommendations are made. The implementation plan will include timelines and the identification of staff responsible for implementing and supporting the Assistive Technology recommendations.
  • Establishing dates for completing any training that may be necessary in order to implement the Assistive Technology recommendations.
• If Assistive Technology is recommended, it is the responsibility of the ARD Committee to accept or reject any recommendations and document the consideration of Assistive Technology in the A R D.