MCIU Assistive Technology Devices and Services Tammy Bertel, TaC, Assistive Technology Consultant Generalized AT Trainings, ATRC Lending Library tbertel@mciu.org Julie Adinolfi, MS/CCC-SLP. ATAC, Assistive Technology Consultant Individualized AT Services jadinolfi@mciu.org
What is Assistive Technology? Assistive Technology (AT) allows students with disabilities to do the things they need to do in school – communicate, read, write, listen, and many other tasks that they might otherwise be unable to do or to do effectively. www.pattan.net
What is Assistive Technology? AT is defined by state/federal laws 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 the functional capabilities of a child with a disability.” This covers a broad range of devices, software, and strategies that may be very simple or quite “high-tech” in nature. The critical feature is that AT extends function and provides a means to access the general education curriculum and meet individualized goals. www.pattan.net
Training and Consulting (TaC) Assistive Technology Services Tammy Bertel, MS tbertel@mciu.org
Assistive Technology Resource Center (ATRC) Lending Library Training Center Videos/Webinars Large Group Trainings
ATRC Open Houses 7:30 am-5:00 pm Tuesday, September, 26, 2017 Tuesday, October 24, 2017 Tuesday, November 7, 2017 Tuesday, December 19, 2017 Tuesday, January 12, 2018 Friday, February 16, 2018 Friday, March 16, 2018 Tuesday, April 17, 2018 Tuesday, May 15, 2018
Send your staff to Open Houses to problem solve and learn about any of the following… Writing Tools Reading Tools PDF/OCR Apps Bookshare AAC Apps AAC Apps - Preschool Edition AT and Transition Switch Activities & Switch Progression Switch Use and iPads Accessibility Features iPad Basics iPad Restrictions and Guided Access Schedules and Timers Eye Gaze Technologies Continued...
We are open before, during, and after work hours (7:30-5) to limit missing students! More topics: SETT Process and Forms Meetings and Data Collection How to Move On/Follow-up Meetings IEPs and AT Mounts iPads and Tablets Switches, etc. Symbol Supports and Writing Abilipad Clicker Apps Symbol Support App Google Apps/ Chromebooks Reading Writing
Tammy Bertel Qualifications and Experience MS in Technology Integration from Saint Joseph’s University 14 years of hands-on experience in Special Education Students with Communication Disorders Students with Complex Support Needs Children in Early Intervention
Individualized Assistive Technology Services Julie Adinolfi, MS/CCC-SLP. ATAC jadinolfi@mciu.org
What are the Individualized AT services?
1. SETT Meetings
SETT Meetings "SETT" stands for "Student" "Environment" "Tasks" "Tools" Framework used in Montgomery County (and across the country) for evaluating students' assistive technology needs Needs may be communicative, academic, mobility-related, or sensory-based (hearing/vision technology) It is not an IEP Meeting, but rather a meeting to determine what the issues are related to assistive technology, what the team would like to explore, and how to go about it. SETT is a process wherein, the team meets once, talks about the student, develops the Action Plan, and then begins a trial.
SETT Meeting, continued… At the end of the trial, somewhere around the 2- to 3-month mark, the team meets again to discuss the outcome of the Action Plan and develops a new one to move forward. It is done in this way to ensure that a student is given a solid trial period of whatever technology is being explored before the district is responsible for providing/purchasing the equipment for that child. This way, the district is not spending money up front on technology that ends up not being an appropriate fit for the child.
2. AT Consultations Consultation with classrooms, teams, or district SETT facilitators to make recommendations regarding devices to use with students on the caseload – recommendations for appropriate devices to trial with students involved in the district’s SETT process Consultation to classroom teachers, teams, or speech-language pathologists, to make technical recommendations for devices or strategies to use with their students
3. Individualized AT Training Team-specific, or student-specific on-site trainings “Setting up your new classroom” – Low and high-tech AT device recommendations for classrooms “What’s in your AT Closet” Training – Understanding and utilizing AT already owned in your district Other trainings as requested (please specify)
Julie Adinolfi, MS/CCC-SLP, ATAC Qualifications and Experience Assistive Technology Applications Certificate from California State University at Northridge MS in Speech-Language Pathology from Bloomsburg University 27 years of hands-on experience in AT All types of AT All age levels of students All ability-levels of students
How do I request Individualized AT Services? Complete and submit Contract Services Form (attached and on the AT page of the MCIU website) to Julie Adinolfi Julie contacts the team leader designated on the form to gather background information Once information is received, an observation or meeting is scheduled Following the meeting, paperwork (SETT) is emailed to all present at the meeting.
SETT Form
AT Consult Form
AT Training Form