 |
 |
 |
Text Size:
AT AssessmentWhat is an AT assessment?An assistive technology assessment is usually implemented following an IEP team meeting where AT was considered and it was determined by the team that the student may benefit from AT. The team decided there is not enough information and an evaluation/assessment was needed. AT assessment considers the student’s strengths and challenges and the different environments and tasks in which he/she is involved. Who’s responsible for doing an AT assessment?The team should consist of individuals knowledgeable about assistive technology and at leas one person should be informed in the particular area being assessed. The AT assessment team should consist of members who are knowledgeable about: the student (may be the student and/or parent); the curriculum (usually a Special Education teacher); language (usually a Speech/Language Pathologist); motor skills (usually an Occupational or Physical Therapist); committing the district’s resources (usually an administrator). (Reed, 2000) Other members may also be included that may be part of the decision making and/or implementation of the AT process. What is included in an AT assessment?As defined and developed by the Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative AT assessment consists of three parts: information gathering; decision making; and trial use (Reed, 2000). Information gathering may include specific tests to determine the student’s functional ability in certain areas, observation in different environments to determine performance and necessary skills and finally identifying what has been tried before. The assessment should occur in the natural environment in which the student needs assistance. The decision making process should be well defined and clear to everyone involved. If it is determined that some type of assistive technology might work for the student, trials with appropriate tools/devices should be implemented. What assessment materials will I need?As the team moves through the assessment process various tools may be helpful. Guiding questions the team may use to select tests that provide specific information about the student, environment and task. The SETT framework (Zabala, 1994) is helpful in designing the assessment to make the decision making process easier. SETT stands for Student, Environment, Tasks, Tools. Checklists should include information gathered about the student, the environment, the task and the tools identified to meet his/her needs following the assessment. What are the student’s and family’s roles in assessment?The student and family play key roles in the assessment process. They provide information about the student’s learning style, communication preferences, and challenges in the areas of fine motor, vision, hearing, mobility and learning. The student and family may also have information about what has been tried in the past and what the student’s preferences are for assistive technology. The student and family are important to the decision making process because the AT must be something that the student is willing to use and student and family must be informed about it’s maintenance and other options that are available when it is not working. The student will be using various devices during the trial period and he/she will provide feedback to the team concerning its effectiveness. Resources:
References:Reed, P. (Ed.), (2000). Assessing Students Needs for Assistive Technology: A Resource Manual for School District Teams (3rd ed.). Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative (WATI): Oshkosh, WI. Zabala, J. (1994) The SETT Framework: Critical questions to ask when making informed assistive technology decisions. Presentation at Closing the Gap Conference, Minneapolis, MN.
|
|
