Assistive Technology

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• Assistive Technology
• in the Classroom

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• Session 3
• Effective Implementation of
• Assistive Technology

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Presentation Agenda

• Introduction to AT implementation
• Implementation Scenerios
• Steps for Effective Implementation
• Conditions that Foster Implementation
• Barriers to Effective Implementation
• Team Roles
• AT Implementation Resources

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Introduction

• Effective AT implementation can be a complex and
  lengthy process
• Requires careful planning
• Effective AT implementation is
• based on student need and curricular goals
• collaborative
• systematic
• recursive
• flexible

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AT Abandonment

• Currently a high rate of AT abandonment
• Reported at 15 85
• Causes include
• Inappopriate match of technology features to
  student and program need
• Ineffective introduction of AT into students
  program
• Poor or ineffective staff training
• Missing or poorly established AT outcomes
• AT abandonment can be avoided by taking time to
  develop and follow an AT Implementation Plan

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Think about this

• Have you seen cases of AT abandonment in your
  classroom or school?
• What do you think caused the technology to fail?
• What could have been done by the school team to
  achieve a better outcome?

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Implementation Scenario I

• Keith 12 year old with ASD
• Difficulties with written output
• Teacher selected laptop and Intellitalk II
• Laptop was incompatible with school and took
  months to connect
• No IEP goals identified and team did not receive
  any training prior to introducing AT to Keith
• Team not able to reintroduce it laptop was
  given to another student

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Implementation Scenario II

• Caitlyn 10 year old with CP
• After thorough assessment, team determines need
  for support for written output
• Based on OT recommendations, team conducts trials
  with computer and keyboards
• AT selected based on results
• Team trained on technology
• AT introduced slowly and data gathered
• Time was built into SEA schedule for planning,
  preparation, assessing and transitioning AT

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Think about this

• What was different?
• Brainstorm the differences between the two
  scenerios. Jot down all your ideas first and
  then group them which of the differences
  related to the student, which to the technology,
  which to the environment and which to the team?

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Effective AT Implementation Process

1. Gather relevant information
2. Establish IEP goals
3. Conduct AT trials
4. Identify AT solution
5. Develop Implementation Plan
6. Adapt lessons for AT integration
7. Follow up and plan transition

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From Making It Work (Introduction)
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• Break Time!

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Session Activity

• Watch the video showcasing Matt using Dragon
  Naturally Speaking (speech-to-text software)
• Matt and his Team
• While watching think about what his EA, Lori,
  needed to do to ensure Matt was successful

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Conditions that Foster Effective Implementation

• Student
• Motivated and interested in the process
• Family interested and supportive
• Team
• Motivated and collaborative
• Able to articulate specific IEP goals
• Understands the steps in an effective
  implementation plan
• Has access to necessary training
  and resources

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Conditions that Foster Effective Implementation

• Environment
• School administration is supportive
• School or district IT department is supportive
• School has appropriate physical space
• Necessary auxiliary or peripheral
  technology is in place
• Technology
• Features match student needs and
  curricular goals
• Readily available to student
• Maintained in good working order

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Barriers to Implementation

• Student
• Not motivated or interested in the technology
• Has not participated in the selection process
• Has not been adequately prepared or trained to
  use technology
• Team
• Does not have time to plan, prepare, or train for
  technology
• Is not technically ready to implement technology
• Not all team members involved in process
• Does not have a comprehensive implementation plan
  in place
• Is not aware or does not make use of available AT
  resources

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Barriers to Implementation

• Environment
• Necessary auxiliary or peripheral technology not
  available
• School administration not informed or supportive
• Classroom setting inadequate
• School or district IT department not involved
• Necessary AT resources not available
• Technology
• Features do not match student need or curricular
  goals
• Does not function well in school environment
• Too complex to be implemented in reasonable time

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Watch this

• You may be feeling a bit discouraged it seems
  AT implementation is very challenging!
• It can be challenging but the results can be life
  changing
• Not convinced? Watch this video and see how some
  of the successful technology solutions took time
  and effort but how the patience and persistence
  of the individuals and the teams changed lives.
• Assistive Technology Enabling Dreams

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• Break Time!

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Team Roles

• Effective implementation requires involvement of
  the entire school based team
• Key members of the team
• Student and parents
• Teachers classroom, learning support, district
  support
• Special Education Assistant
• District Support Staff OT, PT, SLP
• School and District administration
• Team should work collaboratively
• Team requires a team leader to
  coordinate the implementation plan

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Effective AT Implementation Resources

• Wide variety of resources available on internet
• Emphasis has changed from AT selection to AT
  implementation
• Challenge is to find tools that work for the
  student and the team
• Check to see what AT implementation resources are
  being used at school or in the district
• WATI ? TATN? Minnesota ? NATRI ? Zabala ? SET-BC

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Session Activity

• What role will you play in AT implementation?
• Think about your current role as an educational
  assistant and consider what you can do in this
  role to actively support AT implementation in
  your classroom or school.
• Look at each of the seven AT implementation steps
  and discuss how you will contribute to each step.
• You can use the Seven Steps to Success Form! to
  write down your ideas

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Discussion Forum

• In your small group, you will be looking at your
  students profile and their daily activities so
  you can choose appropriate goals
• Your discussion task is to decide on three IEP
  goals which can be met by using assistive
  technology

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To think about

• The successful assessment and implementation of
  AT requires more than organizing a group of
  professionals with an interest in assistive
  technology and providing them with information on
  a variety of hardware and software. A cohesive AT
  team is one that is highly functional and
  effective in assessing needs, matching the
  appropriate solution and strategies to the
  student, providing support for the implementation
  and measuring outcomes of the implementation.
• John Laskarzewski, Spotlight on Learning

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• Session Summary Activity

• Link to Session 3 Summary Activity
• Session 3 Summary Activity
• Will be emailed to you after this session!

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• Any Questions?

• Ready to move on?