How do you know if your child needs assistive technology?

The truth is, you really can't know, as a parent. Even your child's teacher, case manager, social worker, counselor, or therapist doesn't know. Even I, as an AT Specialist, can only guess if a student will benefit from technology.  No one on the IEP team will know until after some very specific things happen:

1) The student has an Assistive Technology Screening or Evaluation. This evaluation is mandated by law if your child has an IEP or 504 Plan:

http://www.ldonline.org/article/6246/


The evaluation should incorporate the SETT Process:

http://www.joyzabala.com/Home.php

SETT is an acronym for

Student
Environment
Task
Tool

The Assistive Technology Specialist uses this formula to determine what, if any, technology the student should use to increase success in school.  The ATS first looks at the Student; reviewing grades, test scores, testing done by therapists and psychologists, etc. The ATS also interviews the student and parents. Then the Environments that the student functions in are explored; classroom observations are the key component of this stage. Lastly, the Tasks the student is asked to do are examined. Only then can Assistive Technology Tools be considered. Thus, it becomes a math problem:

Student+Environment+Task=Tool

This process takes time, at least 30 days from the referral.  When the ATS has some initial findings, then those results can be presented to the IEP Team. The IEP Team should always consider the student's input to be the key component. It is the student who will be using whatever tool is given. If the student is not motivated enough to use a tool, another tool can be considered. Thus, the term "AT Toolbox" - the student should be offered a selection of tools, to be used in different situations. No one tool can be used in all tasks, just like a hammer cannot be used to cut paper.