- special education services,
- related services, and/or
- supplementary aids and services,
and a statement of their use and required training must be included
on their IEP/IFSP.
School districts are responsible for helping children with disabilities
select and acquire assistive technology devices and must assist
in training the child and the persons who work with the child, how
to most effectively use it. This must be determined on a case-by-case
basis at no cost to the parents.
School districts are developing new policies concerning the use
of assistive technology devices and services. Some areas being considered
include: evaluation and use of devices, informed consent and the
relationship of assistive technology and other technology programs
with the current curricula offered and the development of long-range
technology plans.
In addition, because assistive technology devices represent a significant
investment in money and time, school districts need to develop tracking
systems, make arrangements for maintenance and repair of devices,
investigate sharing/loaning of equipment within single and multiple
districts and developing assistive technology assessment teams to
work with individual student teams.
Mandates and Clarifications
Clarity on the use of AT within school districts will happen as
the courts continue to define limitations. To date the following
statements reflect AT use by students with disabilities:
- It is the school district's responsibility (as a public agency)
to evaluate, select, acquire and train students and significant
personnel in the use of AT devices
- AT devices needed by a student in multiple environments in order
to receive a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) must
be provided
- AT must be identified on a case-by-case basis
- AT must be provided at no cost to student's parents
Policy Letters
The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education
Programs (OSEP) has issued several Policy Letters clarifying when
a school must provide AT to students with disabilities. A variety
of memos have addressed the following concerns: general requirement,
evaluations, personally prescribed devices, home use and funding
sources.
Conclusion
In summary, information has been provided on federal legislation
as impacting either the services that children with disabilities
receive, their educational setting, or both.
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Civil Rights |
Special Ed |
AT Laws |
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