Objectives

• Beginner LATS Training• Update with Suzanne Dalton

from FIMCVI on NIMAS• Assistive Technology

Competencies website skills inventory and March Training Dates

AGENDA

• Introductions• I Can Video• FDLRS Network and Special

Centers– (FIMC & RMTC)

• http://www.fdlrs.com • Laws• TAP Papers and Competencies• Roles and Responsibilities• Categories of AT• How Many Hats Do You Wear?

– (What do LATS really do?)

I Can Video

What are the FDLRS Network and Specialized

Centers?Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources Provides

diagnostic and instructional support services to ESE programs, students and families

• FDLRS TECH System www.fdlrs.com• FIMCVI

• Florida Instructional Materials Center for the Visually Impaired

• RMTC• Resource Materials and Technology Center for the

Deaf/ Hard of Hearing

FDLRS STATEWIDE LOAN LIBRARY

Sanford

• Maintain the statewide Loan Library- Contact Melanie Johnson 1-800-558-6580

• Maintain Assistive Technology Demonstration Lab

• Maintain the State Loan Library website- Update device information and

comparison fact sheets

FDLRS REGIONAL TECHNOLOGY CENTERS

FDLRS Region 1 Technology Center:Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Taylor, Wakulla, Walton, Washington

REGION 1: RENA CARNEY, RTSS 800-257-5044REGION 2: FRANK CROSBY, RTSS 800-227-6036REGION 3: MARCIA STERNER, RTSSREGION 4: LENORE REMLEY, RTSS 800-282-9193REGION 5: BETH SAUNDERS, RTSS 888-898-7306

AT Legislation

• Tech Act (PL 100-407)- Technology Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act

• ADA (PL 101-336)- Americans with Disabilities Act

• IDEA -Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

• 2004 IDEA Reauthorization

WHY???

• The Law states that you must address assistive technology needs on the IEP

• To best serve the needs of the student • Assistive technology is not just for the

most severely disabled student, students with mild disabilities can also benefit from assistive devices

Tech Act

• Technology Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1988 (Tech Act) (P.L. 100-407)

• The "Tech Act" provided federal funds to states to develop training and delivery systems for assistive technology devices and services. It required states and territories to develop statewide, consumer-responsive programs of technology-related services for individuals with disabilities of all ages. This act first defined Assistive Technology Devices and Services and promoted the availability and quality of AT devices and services to all individuals, including children.

Americans with Disabilities Act

• Employment Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, effective 1992, prohibits private employers, state and local governments, employment agencies and labor unions from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities in job application procedures, hiring, firing, advancement, compensation, job training, and other terms, conditions and privileges of employment… Reasonable accommodation may include, but is not limited to: · Making existing facilities used by employees readily accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities. · Job restructuring, modifying work schedules, reassignment to a vacant position; · Acquiring or modifying equipment or devices, adjusting modifying examinations, training materials, or policies, and providing qualified readers or interpreters.

Individuals with Disabilities Education

Act (IDEA)The IDEA defines an assistive technology device as . . . any item, piece of equipment or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities. [20 U.S.C. Chapter 33, Section 1401 (25)].

Individuals with Disabilities Education

Act (IDEA)

• The legal definition of assistive technology service as it appears in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, P.L. 105-17) is: . . . any service that directly assists an individual with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device

• [20 U.S.C. Chapter 33, Section 1401 (25)].

Local Assistive Technology Specialist

(LATS)

Just what are you supposed to be doing?

Overall Functions• Conduct evaluations as the “expert” (team) and/or

provide consultation to the school-based team

• Technical assistance, information & training regarding assistive technology to local school districts

• Develop & expand assistive technology programs & services along with District written procedures for AT

• Increase levels of expertise

• Provide assistance to students who use Assistive Technology & their parents

Specific Responsibilities

Provide Districts with Knowledge of Assistive Technology:

•Awareness •Implementation •Assessment •Case management•Funding•AAC

Adaptation of curriculum & materialsTechnology: Current trends, devices, training, software,etc.Knowledge of FDLRS RTSS provider services: resources, trainings Coordinate activities at the county levelEntering records into LATS (District) Database

Assistive Technology Categories

Computer access

Environmentalcontrols

AACAssistiveListening

VisualAids

Mobility

RecreationLeisure

Play

Seating & Positioning

Aids forDailyLiving

Computerbased

Instruction

Seating and Positioning/ Mobility

Computer Access

Augmentative and Alternative

Communication

Environmental Controls

Sensory Aids

Aids for Daily Living

Aids for Leisure and Recreation

Switches

• Simple on/off mechanism• Operates another device• Wide variety of switch styles

to meet student needs for access.

                                                                        

                                                                        

Low Tech: Switch Access Toys and

Devices• Switch Activated • Store bought or modified• Purpose: training and classroom inclusion

Low Tech Software

Switch Interface

Software designed to work with switches

Reign of the Flowerpots.lnk

What Makes it Happen at the School Level?

Determining if A.T. is Educationally Necessary

• Is the provision of an assistive technology device or service essential for the student to receive FAPE?

• Is an A.T. device or service necessary for the child to be educated w/in the least restrictive environment?

• Are the A.T. devices or services a necessary related service?

• Given A.T. service and/or devices, will the person have access to school programs and activities?

Quality Indicators for Consideration of A.T.

• Assistive technology devices and services are considered for all students with disabilities regardless of severity of disability

• The IEP team has the knowledge and skills to make informed assistive technology decisions.

QIAT Consortium

Quality Indicators

• The IEP team uses a collaborative decision making process based on data about the student environment and tasks to determine assistive technology needs.

• A continuum of assistive technology devices and services is explored

The Process

• Identify the problem• Analyze the problem• Explore Intervention

Strategies• Select an Intervention Plan• Implement intervention plan• Monitor effectiveness

Quality Indicators

• Decisions regarding the need for assistive technology devices and services are made based on access to the curriculum and the student’s IEP goals and objectives

• Decisions regarding the need for assistive technology and services and supporting data are documented

Conclusions When Considering Need for Assistive Technology

1. Current interventions are working and nothing new is needed, including AT.

2. AT is already being used. Specific AT is written into the IEP to insure AT continues to be available.

3. New AT should be tried. Description of AT is included in the IEP (i.e. “having the computer speak the text as the student writes”).

4. The IEP Team cannot make a decision. More information needs to be gathered or an evaluation needs to be scheduled for assistive technology.

Team Decision Making Team Decision Making for for

Assistive Technology Assistive Technology

Suggested ATTeam Members

Family Members Student (when appropriate) Administrator Teacher (curriculum) Speech-Language Pathologist (language

development) Occupational Therapist (motor development) Physical Therapist (motor development) Teacher of the Visually Impaired Teacher of the Hearing Impaired

AT Team Collaboration

• Identify assistive technology tools to achieve IEP goals/objectives

• Identify environments, strategies, and timelines

• Identify person (s) responsible for training, implementation, and data collection

• Use collaborative approach to review collected data in determining AT effectiveness.

• Identify areas that require further assessment or re-evaluation

Assistive Technology Assessments

Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiativehttp://www.wati.org/

Georgia Project for Assistive Technologyhttp://www.gpat.org/GPAT%20downloads.html

SETT Frameworkhttp://www.joyzabala.com

QIAT Quality Indicators for Assistive Technologyhttp://sweb.uky.edu/~jszabala0/QIAT.html

Lifespace Access Profile (1998) Functional Evaluation for Assistive Technology (FEAT) Every Move Counts / Jane Korsten

The Real Story

What is it really like to be a LATS?

Are you sure this is in my job description?

And on and on……

Where do I start?

Examples: • Referral Process• Forms

What “tools” do I need?

• First and foremost: the knowledge to look at each child individually, and sometimes consider options that you did not think were possible

• Toys-fun and interactive• MCB’s (Manual Communication Board)• Devices for eval. that represent a range of

abilities• Allen wrenches, duct tape, velcro, dycem,

foam, scissors, etc.• Different types of computer access options• Access to positioning equipment if needed

Top 10 things to remember...

No right or wrong Team approach Ongoing

assessment Consumer driven

process System trials

Feature match Document your

work Do what works in

your setting Implement Just do it!

Resource Agencies

FDLRS Technology State Loan Library(FDLRS-FTSLL)

www.aten.scps.k12.fl.us

Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resource Systems (FDLRS)

www.fdlrs.com

Center for Independent Living (CIL)http://www.virtualcil.net/cils/docs/

fl.html

Center for Independence in Technology Education (CITE)

Florida Alliance for Assistive Services & Technology, Inc. (FAAST)

http://faast.org

Vocational Rehabilitation

Florida Instructional Materials Center for the Visually Impaired (FIMC)

www.fimcvi.org/

Florida Telecommunications Relay, Inc. (FTRI)www.ftri.org

Resource Materials and Technology Center: Deaf and Hard of Hearing (RMTC:DHH)

http://www.fsdb.k12.fl.us/rmc/

Family Network on Disabilities (FND)

http://www.fndfl.org

IDEA 2004 News, Information and Resources SPECIAL

EDUCATION & REHABILITATIVE SERVICES

http://www.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/idea2004.html#regulations

HELPFUL WEBSITES

• FLORIDA DIAGNOSTIC LEARNING AND RESOURCES SYSTEM

http://www.paec.org/fdlrsweb/

• FLORIDA’S ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT COMPETENCIES WEBSITE

http://www.florida-ese.org/atcomp/

MORE HELPFUL WEBSITES• WISCONSIN ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE

http://www.wati.org/

• QUALITY INDICATORS FOR ASSISTIVE TECHNOOGYhttp://natri.uky.edu/assoc_projects/qiat/

• SETThttp://sweb.uky.edu/~jszaba0/JoySETT.html

• GEORGIA PROJECT FOR ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGYhttp://www.gpat.org/

• TEXAS ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY NETWORKhttp://www.texasat.net/

Follow-up

• Review Established Policies & Procedures

• Update your written Policies and Procedures for your district

• Complete the Skill Assessment on the Competencies Website

• Explore websites• Formulate questions for future trainings

Thank You!Lenore Remley

Region 4 Technology Specialist