U'S' Education Policy and Assistive Technology: Administrative Implementation

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U.S. Education Policy and Assistive Technology
Administrative Implementation

• Martin E. Blair
• Center for Persons with Disabilities
• Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA

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Assistive Technology in the USA
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AT Policy Discussion

• Effective and efficient administrative
  infrastructure
• Mistakes in U.S. implementation
• Administrative recommendations for developing an
  effective AT infrastructure

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IndependencE
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Education
AchievemenT
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Education
OutcomeS
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Brief History of AT in Education

• 1975 Education for All Handicapped Children Act
• 1982 Technology and Handicapped People
• 1988 Technology Dependent Children Report
• 1988 Technology-related Assistance for
  Individuals with Disability Act (renewed in 1994,
  1998 and 2004 as the Assistive Technology Act)
• 1997 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
  (renewed in 2004)

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Assistive Technology is

• Device OR service to
• increase, maintain, or improve an academic
  and/or functional area identified for students
  with disabilities. (Castellani, et al., 2005)

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Current LawIDEA 2004

• AT devices or services must be provided if
  required as part of
• Special Education
• Access to the curriculum
• Related Service
• Therapy, transportation, recreation, social work,
  health
• Supplementary Aid or Service
• Device

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Administrative Infrastructure
Leadership
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Administrative Infrastructure

• Management Planning and Procedures

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Administrative Infrastructure

• Supervision Skill Development, Collaboration,
  and Accountability

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Administrative Infrastructure

• Program Development Training and Resources

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Administrative Infrastructure

• Funding to achieve outcomes

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Administrative Infrastructure

• Outcomes

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Mistakes in the U.S. System

• Leadership
• Problem 1 Service systems bound by age-specific
  and disability-category criteria.
• Problem 2 A national vision of AT
  implementation is not shared.
• Problem 3 Technology development standards
  result in incompatibilities in hardware and
  software applications.

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Mistakes in the U.S. System

• Management
• Problem 4 Policies and procedures for
  implementing AT in education settings are not
  consistent.
• Problem 5 Consideration of AT in every IEP is
  not defined consistently across school settings.

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Mistakes in the U.S. System

• Supervision
• Problem 6 Due to varying policies, AT services
  are implemented inconsistently across the nation
  which likely results in students not receiving
  the full range of benefits that AT may provide.

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Mistakes in the U.S. System

• Program Development
• Problem 7 Educators are unaware of the various
  types and applications of AT.
• Problem 8 Competency-based teacher training is
  new.
• Problem 9 Education-based AT training is
  targeted only to special education teachers.
• Problem 10 The majority of AT specialists in
  schools are trained in related therapy services.
• Problem 11 Inadequate training in AT assessment
  and evaluation.

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Mistakes in the U.S. System

• Funding
• Problem 12 Data describing the amount of
  funding available for AT in local and state
  education agencies is not comparable.
• Problem 13 Funding for AT devices is often
  restricted to the specific program from which the
  AT was purchased.

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Mistakes in the U.S. System

• Outcomes
• Problem 14 AT outcomes are not well defined.
• Problem 15 Large scale educational outcome
  initiatives funded by the federal government do
  not include AT as an important research topic
  worthy of critical examination.

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Administrative Recommendations

• Develop a vision of what the AT system should
  look like (components).
• Develop outcome statements related to system
  development and implementation, and student
  achievement.
• Create consistent AT policies and procedures that
  can be implemented nationally.
• Develop a combined AT/IT infrastructure.
• Disseminate AT outcomes across the system.
• Develop a consistent set of AT competencies and
  training standards.
• Improve data collection to ensure that AT is
  implemented in an evidence-based manner.

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Administrative Recommendations

• Recommendation 1 Develop a vision of what the
  AT system should look like (components).

Leadership Management Supervision Program
Development Funding Outcomes
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Administrative Recommendations

• Recommendation 2 Develop outcome statements
  related to system development and implementation,
  and student achievement.

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Administrative Recommendations

• Recommendation 3 Create consistent AT policies
  and procedures that can be implemented
  nationally.

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Administrative Recommendations

• Recommendation 4 Develop a combined AT/IT
  infrastructure.

FOCUS
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Administrative Recommendations

• Recommendation 5 Disseminate AT outcomes across
  the system.

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Administrative Recommendations

• Recommendation 6 Develop a consistent set of AT
  competencies and training standards.

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Administrative Recommendations

• Recommendation 7 Improve data collection to
  ensure that AT is implemented in an
  evidence-based manner.

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Leadership