from assistive technology to accessible design · accessible design facilitators = all special...

From Assistive Technology to Accessible Design: One Dis trict’s J ourney

Creighton School Dis trict

Our Creighton Accessible Design TeamKris ten Harts uff - Director of Special Services

Alan Hirs h - Special Projects Coordinator for Special Education

Dorothy Green - Teacher on As s ignment, Special Education Department

Nives Mars olier - As s is tive Technology Specialis t

William Orms by - Lead Occupational Therapis t

Robyn Griffith - Technology Trainer / Network Manager, Technology Services

Our Journey

● Finding Our Vis ion

● Making It Happen

● Ens uring Tool/Option Availability

● Building Capacity

Finding Our Vision: The Context for Our J ourney

Creighton School District’s Vision and Mission

Our Vision:Creighton neighborhood s chools ins pire adventurous thinkers , collaborative learners , and kind-hearted leaders

Our Mission:We work together to provide a caring, pers onal learning experience that teaches each child to think, create, and lead.

Finding Our Vision: The J ourney Began

We s tarted our journeywith one end in mind…

Assistive Technology

Finding Our Vision: The Influence of Chris Bugaj

● Univers al Des ign for Learning Key Concepts○ Multiple Means of Repres entation○ Multiple Means of Expres s ion○ Multiple Means of Engagement

The New Assistive Tech: Make Learning Awesome for All! By Chris Bugajhttps://www.amazon.com/New-Assistive-Tech-Learning-Awesome/dp/1564846881

Finding Our Vision: The Influence of Chris Bugaj

● Redefining Roles○ Clas s room Teachers as

“Educational Experience Des igners ”○ Special Educators as

“Acces s ible Des ign Facilitators ”

Finding Our Vision: Analyzing our Needs

● Us ing the Quality Indicators for As s is tive Technology (QIAT)○ was confining to our thought proces s

● Acknowledging the educational reality for all our s tudents

Think of a task that students are typically expected to do in clas s .

What part of that tas k may be a barrier for a particular s tudent to learn?

Finding Our Vision: Identifying the True Barriers for Students

“Everybody is a genius.

But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its

whole life believing that it is

stupid.”

Finding Our Vision: A New Des tination

We changed our cours ewith a new end in mind…

Accessible Design for All

Making It Happen: Three Critical Ques tions

● How do we ens ure a meaningful proces s for identifying the acces s ible des ign needs for all s tudents ?

● How do we ens ure that appropriate tools /options for s tudents are available?

● How do we build the capacity of s taff?

Making It Happen: Ens uring a Meaningful Proces s

● Interdepartmental Collaborations○ Technology○ Bus ines s○ Special Education○ Curriculum and Ins truction○ Human Res ources○ Purchas ing○ Warehous e○ Maintenance


● We developed procedures○ How to identify s tudent needs○ How to document thos e needs

● Procedures were captured in a dis trict handbook○ Written to s upport the work with any s tudent○ Writing the handbook pus hed the team to ens ure our

thinking was acces s ible to all s taff○ Making s ure it addres s ed the needs of

all audience members


● We created the Student Environment Tas k Options (SETO)○ Bas ed on the Student Environment Tas k Tools (SETT)

by J oy Zabala○ Explicitly define “barriers ” as s omething we pres ent

through the curriculum or the environment○ Focus on “options ” to allow for a broader approach to

allowing acces s without limiting thinking to “tools ”


● Expanding the QIAT into the QIAD○ “Quality Indicators for Acces s ible Des ign”○ Expanding s cope to include all s tudents○ Indicating that “Promis ing Practices ” includes

cons ideration of “options ” - not jus t As s is tive Technology

○ Bridges the dis trict’s thinking toward UDL implementation

○ Still a work in progres s

What are steps you can take to ensure you have a meaningful proces s ?

Ensuring Option Availability: Our Loan Library

● Identifying the Acces s ible Des ign Loan Library Focus○ Supporting s tudents in ALL areas○ Acces s to learning through multiple means of

repres entation and engagement○ Acces s to demons trating knowledge through multiple

means of expres s ion


● Identifying currently available dis trict res ources○ Expertis e related to identifying options in the areas of

communication (SLPs ) and motor (OT/PT)○ Previous ly purchas ed tools for Special Education

s tudents ’ us e○ Ins tructional technology res ources

■ Devices for all s tudents (apps , acces s ibility)■ Technology integration s upport for all teachers■ Site technology teachers


● Identifying what was s till needed○ Expertis e related to options in other areas

(e.g. academics , s ocial/emotional, s ens ory, etc.)○ Additional tools○ Sys tems for inventory management


● Meeting the identified needs○ Hiring an As s is tive Technology Specialis t○ 3-Year Purchas e Plan for additional tools○ Check-out and Check-in procedures (webs ite)

What are steps you can take to maximize availability of options ?

Building Capacity: Who and How?

● Who:○ Acces s ible Des ign Facilitators = All Special Educators○ Adminis trators and Ins tructional Leaders hip Team

● How:○ Us e a “train-the-trainer” model within the dis trict○ Ps ychologis ts , SLPs , OTs , and our PT will become

“Acces s ible Des ign Liais ons ” and provide on-s ite training and s upport

Building Capacity: What? - Some Examples

Creation and delivery of profes s ional development

● Acces s ible Des ign: What It Is and Why It Is Important● AD and the Decis ion-Making Proces s● Acces s ing Tools and Options● Implementation Proces s and Progres s Monitoring● Documenting AD in the IEP● Acces s ible Des ign in Specific Content Areas

How can you build staff capacity?

Next Steps in Our Journey● Publication of Handbook● Implementation of Loan Library webs ite● Creation of training modules● Site Liais ons begin their training s es s ions and s upport● Completion of CSD QIAD for program monitoring ● Profes s ional Development leaders hip/adminis trators

Let’s Reflect...

Have we helped to plant a s eed for the next s teps in your journey?

Do you have any ques tions for us ?

Contact us for additional information:

Nives Mars olliernmars ollier@ creightons chools .org

Creighton Acces s ible Des ign Center3609 N. 27th StreetPhoenix, AZ 85016

from assistive technology to accessible design · accessible design facilitators = all special...

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