Assistive Technology and Your Student's IEP
picture found at: http://www.dsacc.org/
Because of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004, or IDEA for short, all students have the right to an education. This means that all students with disabilities have the right to be taught regardless if a school wants to include them or not. Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, all students have the right to a free and appropriate public education, or FAPE. Because of both of these acts, students with disabilities are required to be given a free public education no matter the extent of their disability, or if a teacher wants to include them or not.* To help teachers understand what students with disabilities need in the classroom, an Individualized Education Plan, or IEP, for each student is created, which includes everything a teacher has to do to ensure that the student receives their education. IDEA also states that assistive technology must be considered in
the development of a student’s IEP. This means that all students who have an IEP must be considered for assistive technology, or AT, every year from the start of their IEP until they graduate from school. Here are some helpful hints to make sure your child is getting the necessary AT, when needed, included in their IEP.
*information taken from: U.S. Department of Education. www.ed.gov.
*information taken from: U.S. Department of Education. www.ed.gov.
Helpful resources for making sure your child has the necessary assistive technology in his/her IEP.
WHAT IS AN IEP?
An IEP is an Individualized Education Plan. This plan is set up by a team of professionals in the public school system along with the parents of the child requiring assistance, to make sure that students who are struggling in school get the required help, technology, assistance, and anything else they may need to make it through the school year as best they can and achieve at their highest potential.
First and foremost, a child has to qualify for services in an IEP. This will be determined by a school, if the parents allow for their child to be tested for special education services. Once it is decided that the student would benefit from services, an IEP can be formed. Children with Down syndrome most likely will qualify for services in an IEP if they have been tested and have certain disabilities where they will need to be taught differently. DON'T BE ALARMED! Just because a student has an IEP, it does NOT mean they are never going to achieve in school or in extra curricular activities. An IEP is put into place so students get the necessary services and help they will need in order to do well in and out of school.
After it is decided that a student will receive services through an IEP, there will be an IEP meeting set up, which you as a parent are able to be involved in. At this meeting, it will be decided how, what, when, and where your student will receive services.
CLICK HERE for a more in-depth step-by-step process on the creation of a student's IEP. You will find information about the referral process, evaluation process, an IEP team, developing an IEP, and information about your rights as a parent.
An IEP is an Individualized Education Plan. This plan is set up by a team of professionals in the public school system along with the parents of the child requiring assistance, to make sure that students who are struggling in school get the required help, technology, assistance, and anything else they may need to make it through the school year as best they can and achieve at their highest potential.
First and foremost, a child has to qualify for services in an IEP. This will be determined by a school, if the parents allow for their child to be tested for special education services. Once it is decided that the student would benefit from services, an IEP can be formed. Children with Down syndrome most likely will qualify for services in an IEP if they have been tested and have certain disabilities where they will need to be taught differently. DON'T BE ALARMED! Just because a student has an IEP, it does NOT mean they are never going to achieve in school or in extra curricular activities. An IEP is put into place so students get the necessary services and help they will need in order to do well in and out of school.
After it is decided that a student will receive services through an IEP, there will be an IEP meeting set up, which you as a parent are able to be involved in. At this meeting, it will be decided how, what, when, and where your student will receive services.
CLICK HERE for a more in-depth step-by-step process on the creation of a student's IEP. You will find information about the referral process, evaluation process, an IEP team, developing an IEP, and information about your rights as a parent.
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY IN AN IEP
An IEP is how your student's teachers are going to know what to do to help your student get the best possible education they can receive, and help them achieve in a way that nobody ever thought possible. One way teachers know how to do this is by looking at the "assistive technology" portion of their IEP. Assistive technology is listed under "Supplementary Aides and Services." If you CLICK HERE, there is an empty IEP form that will open. If you scroll down to page 11, you will find "Section 5: Supplementary Aides and Services". This is where the assistive technology part of your student's IEP will be located. Under the "Supports and Modifications to the Environment" section, which is the third heading, you will find a sub-heading titled "Assistive Technology". In that box is where the AT will be located. Within this page, when you are at an IEP meeting, you can figure out what services will be helpful to your student so they can be the best student they can.
You will see there are different sections located within this page of the IEP, also. It is helpful to look at this portion of the IEP ahead of time and make yourself aware of what each heading is asking and what services you think will help your child the most because the IEP team will take your ideas into consideration. You as a parent spend a lot of time with your student on a daily basis and your input could help them achieve higher, as well.
An IEP is how your student's teachers are going to know what to do to help your student get the best possible education they can receive, and help them achieve in a way that nobody ever thought possible. One way teachers know how to do this is by looking at the "assistive technology" portion of their IEP. Assistive technology is listed under "Supplementary Aides and Services." If you CLICK HERE, there is an empty IEP form that will open. If you scroll down to page 11, you will find "Section 5: Supplementary Aides and Services". This is where the assistive technology part of your student's IEP will be located. Under the "Supports and Modifications to the Environment" section, which is the third heading, you will find a sub-heading titled "Assistive Technology". In that box is where the AT will be located. Within this page, when you are at an IEP meeting, you can figure out what services will be helpful to your student so they can be the best student they can.
You will see there are different sections located within this page of the IEP, also. It is helpful to look at this portion of the IEP ahead of time and make yourself aware of what each heading is asking and what services you think will help your child the most because the IEP team will take your ideas into consideration. You as a parent spend a lot of time with your student on a daily basis and your input could help them achieve higher, as well.
QUICK GUIDE TO SECTION 5: SUPPLEMENTARY AIDES AND SERVICES
Another resource that will be helpful to you, as a parent, is this quick reference guide for Section 5: Supplementary Aides and Services of your students IEP. This two page guide talks about what section 5 is asking from whoever is filling it out. It talks about how supplementary aids and services are decided upon and where these aides and services can be used. This quick guide also talks about what each column in section 5 should have in it and how specific the aides and services need to be described in the columns in order for it to be up to a school districts standards. The last few helpful statements that are in this guide are a few quotes directly from the IDEA that explain why your student has the rights to having supplementary aides and services in their IEP. Along the side of the resource pages is a list with check boxes that are available to make sure the IEP has everything needed and is as specific as possible to get the most out of the supplementary aides and services section. There is also a few resources that you are able to click on to take you to other resources used in making an IEP.
CLICK HERE for the quick reference guide.
Another resource that will be helpful to you, as a parent, is this quick reference guide for Section 5: Supplementary Aides and Services of your students IEP. This two page guide talks about what section 5 is asking from whoever is filling it out. It talks about how supplementary aids and services are decided upon and where these aides and services can be used. This quick guide also talks about what each column in section 5 should have in it and how specific the aides and services need to be described in the columns in order for it to be up to a school districts standards. The last few helpful statements that are in this guide are a few quotes directly from the IDEA that explain why your student has the rights to having supplementary aides and services in their IEP. Along the side of the resource pages is a list with check boxes that are available to make sure the IEP has everything needed and is as specific as possible to get the most out of the supplementary aides and services section. There is also a few resources that you are able to click on to take you to other resources used in making an IEP.
CLICK HERE for the quick reference guide.
WHAT "AT" WILL WORK BEST FOR YOUR CHILD IN THEIR IEP?
Here are some questions you can ask yourself that will help you be more prepared come time for your student's IEP meeting. By answering these questions, you will better be able to find AT that works well for your child in certain situations, or year-round. I suggest answering these questions, writing down the answers, and taking them to the IEP meeting, so your child gets the most out of his/her AT that will be included in their IEP.
Just because you have compiled this list, your student might not be able to get all the AT that you want them to have. An IEP team will decide on what technologies will work best with your student. It may take several attempts to find an AT that works best for your student, however. Trial and error is KEY. Don't get frustrated. Eventually something will work and your student will jump leaps and bounds in their scores.
CLICK HERE for more information about these questions and more concerning including AT into your student's IEP.
Here are some questions you can ask yourself that will help you be more prepared come time for your student's IEP meeting. By answering these questions, you will better be able to find AT that works well for your child in certain situations, or year-round. I suggest answering these questions, writing down the answers, and taking them to the IEP meeting, so your child gets the most out of his/her AT that will be included in their IEP.
- What does you child need to do, but is unable to do because of his/her disability?
- What are your child's customary environments?
- What are your child's educational challenges?
- What assistive technology tools are available to help your child overcome these challenges?
- Make sure to consider both high-tech and low-tech options.
- What are your child's preferences in areas such as color and style?
Just because you have compiled this list, your student might not be able to get all the AT that you want them to have. An IEP team will decide on what technologies will work best with your student. It may take several attempts to find an AT that works best for your student, however. Trial and error is KEY. Don't get frustrated. Eventually something will work and your student will jump leaps and bounds in their scores.
CLICK HERE for more information about these questions and more concerning including AT into your student's IEP.