Developed by:

1023 South U.S. 27 • St. Johns, MI • 48879Phone: 800.274.7426 • Fax: 989.224.0330TTY: 989.224.0246 • E-mail: matr@edzone.net

Web site: www.cenmi.org/matr

Michigan’s Assistive Technology Resource

1. The overall purpose of MATR is to provide information services, support materials, technical assistance, and training to local and intermediate school districts in Michigan to increase their capacity to address the assistive technology (AT) needs of students with disabilities.

2. MATR’s Web site is: www.cenmi.org/matr/

3. Services to schools are FREE and include: • Support to IEP team members during the process of

considering AT.• Equipment loan program to schools for trials of AT.• Software loan library for parents and school personnel.• Training/inservice—inservice workshops, intensive

trainings, and development of training materials.

This document was produced and distributed through an IDEA Mandated Activities Project for Michigan’s Assistive Technology Resource awarded by the Michigan Department of Education. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the Michigan Department of Education, the Michigan State Board of Education, or the U.S. Department of Education, and no endorsement is inferred. This document is in the public domain and may be copied for further distribution when proper credit is given. For further information or inquiries about this project, contact the Michigan Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Early Intervention Services, P.O. Box 30008, Lansing, Michigan 48909.

STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL LAW

The Michigan Department of Education complies with all Federal laws and regulations prohibiting discrimination, and with all requirements of the U.S. Department of Education.

Compliance with Title IX

What Title IX is: Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is the landmark federal law that bans sex discrimination in schools, whether it is in curricular, extra-curricular, or athletic activities.

Title IX states: “No person in the U.S. shall, on the basis of sex be excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal aid.”

The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) is in compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended, 20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq. (Title IX), and its implementing regulation, at 34 C.F.R. Part 106, which prohibits discrimination based on sex. The MDE, as a recipient of federal financial assistance from the United States Department of Education (USDOE), is subject to the provisions of Title IX. MDE does not discriminate based on gender in employment or in any educational program or activity that it operates.

The designated individual at the Michigan Department of Education for inquiries and complaints regarding Title IX is:

Ms. Roberta E. StanleyDirectorOffice of Administrative Law and Federal RelationsMichigan Department of EducationHannah Building608 West AlleganP.O. Box 30008Lansing, Michigan 48909Phone: 517.335.0436E-Mail: stanleyr@michigan.gov

Keys to Success:Keys to Success:Assistive Technology

Data Collection—Evaluating Effectiveness

1023 South U.S. 27

St. Johns, MI 48879

Phone: 800.274.7426

Fax: 989.224.0330

TTY: 989.224.0246

matr@edzone.net

www.cenmi.org/matr

• Define assistive technology and identify indicators of appropriate assistive technology consideration and documentation.

• Define data collection as it relates to assistive technology interventions and trials.

• Outline process in developing a data collection plan.

• Identify data collection techniques and application.

Objectives

What is Assistive Technology?

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act IDEA ‘97 (Public Law 105-17) mandates the provision of assistive technology (AT) and offers clear definitions of assistive technology devices and services.

Legal Definitions

Assistive Technology Device

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 children with disabilities. (Section 300.5)

Legal Definitions

Assistive Technology Service

Any service that directly assists an individual with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device. (Section 300.5)

• Evaluating• Providing devices• Selecting, Designing, Customizing• Maintaining, Repairing• Coordinating• Training/Technical Assistance –student,

family, and school service providers

“Technology is a tool that serves a set of education goals, and if we don't think about what we want the technology for first, we end up with technology-driven solutions that have very little impact in the lives of children and in our

educational system.”   -Linda Roberts Past Director of Educational Technology U.S. Department of Education

IDEA Facts

• Schools are required to provide assistive technology at no cost to the student/parents if it is needed for a student to receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE).

• The individualized education program (IEP) team is responsible for determining whether a student requires assistive technology to achieve goals and objectives. This is documented on the IEP.

• IDEA ‘97 requires IEP teams to consider the assistive technology needs of all students during the development of an IEP.

Assistive Technology Consideration

The SETT is one example of a framework that assists teams in the consideration process.

SETT, Zabala, Joy, (1996)

The use of a decision-making process and framework is helpful in considering a student’s assistive technology needs.

•A multidisciplinary “team” comes together to generate and document a variety of ideas, strategies, and information about the student.

•Questions about the Student, Environment, Tasks, and AT Tools (SETT) are asked to facilitate discussion.

•Information/data and ideas about the student are collected, discussed, and documented.

•Using this information, student tasks requiring support are identified and prioritized.

•Strategies and AT tools to support prioritized tasks are identified for implementation.

•AT Implementation Plan is created by the team.

Assistive Technology Implementation Plan

• Names of team member(s) responsible for plan implementation.

• Prioritized tasks and tool strategies to be addressed.

• Acquisition of tools.

• Training needs and options.

• Data collection plan to document outcomes of strategy/tool use or trial periods.

Assistive Technology Implementation Plan

• Names of team member(s) responsible for plan implementation.

• Prioritized tasks and tool strategies to be addressed.

• Acquisition of tools.

• Training needs and options.

• Data collection plan to document outcomes of strategy/tool use or trial periods.

A document created by the AT team that describes and tracks details about a student’s use of assistive technology.

Assistive Technology Data Collection Plan

Formal or informal assessment data provide baseline information for specific tasks.

Data can come from various sources.

Performance data support or disprove solutions tried (tool trials).

Performance data also measure student progress toward goals.

Factors That Affect Data Collection

• Ease of data collection

• Unexpected events

• Frequency of data collected

• Learning curve for student

• Observer reliability

• Observation—observation in the student’s natural setting allows opportunity to view:– participation in various activities.– work sample.– participation patterns with peers.

• Review of finished product.

• Interviews—generate information about the student by asking specific questions of the student, family, and/or school personnel.

• Record review—past educational history, medical records or specialized assessment information (baseline information).

Methods of Gathering Data

Recording Data

Event Recording -Indicates each time an event occurs

Anecdotal Recording -Describes “how” a task was completed

(descriptive observation)

Elements of the Data Collection Plan

1. Define criteria for performance of identified task.

• Select a functional, frequently-occurring activity from identified tasks.

• Identify present level of performance (baseline) for the task and what change is expected with tool/strategy use.

• Define what success will look like for this student.

• Specify when and how the student will use the device(s) in the activity and supports needed.

2. Specify the variable to be measured.

• What aspect of student performance are you trying to measure?

– Accuracy/Quality– Rate - speed/frequency/amount– Spontaneity– Duration– Latency– Level of assistance

3. Identify how the data will be recorded.

– Customized forms to collect data

– Checklists

– Tally sheets

– Creative ways to tally

– Journals or logs

– Collected work samples

– Software with tracking features

4. Identify schedule for data collection.

• Identify times, places, and duration of the trial.

• Collect data when it is most appropriate and reflects actual performance.

• Specify how and who will collect data.

• Identify when and what team members will reconvene to discuss data.

5. Analyze/discuss data collected.

• Teams should reconvene to review and discuss data, then make decisions regarding appropriate tools/strategies.

• Plan for further intervention or data collection.

Assistive technology improves the student’s performance toward goals

Assistive technology does not improve the student’s performance toward goals

Team identifies the need to collect more data because need was not clearly defined.

Data collection identifies new areas of concern and need for further assessment.

Possible outcomes of data collection

Documenting Team Decisions

• IDEA regulations do not identify how or where to

address assistive technology in the IEP; however, they do specify that “consideration” is documented somewhere in the IEP.

• AT should be identified in the part or parts of the IEP that best fit with the type of assistive technology provided and correspond to the areas addressed by IEP goals and objectives.

• A description of the type of assistive technology should include enough detail of features and device categories without specifying the brand name.

Documenting Assistive Technology in the IEP

Data collection is an ongoing process that is used to review and revise a student’s plan.

Remember!

How can I learn more about assistive technology?

Resources

Local

RegionalState

•MATR

•MACUL

•TAM/CEC

•AT ContactNational

•CTG•ATA•CSUN•WATI•RESNA•UCP•AER•ASHA•AOTA

Resources

MATR (Michigan’s Assistive Technology Resource) http://www.cenmi.org/matr

TAM/CEC (Technology & Media Division of the Council for Exceptional Children) http://www.tamcec.org/

MACUL (Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning) http://macul.org/

Closing The Gap http://closingthegap.com/

ATA (Alliance for Technology Access) http://www.ataccess.org/

CSUN (California State University Northridge) http://www.csun.edu/

WATI (Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative) http://www.wati.org/

ASHA (American Speech Language Hearing Association) http://asha.org/

Assistive Technology Online Training Project http://www.atto.buffalo.edu

How Do You Know It? How Can You Show It? Reed ,Bowser & Korsten, 2002

Joy Zabala, Assistive Technology Consultant – http://www.joyzabala.com

Assistive Technology – A LIFE TOOL!

THANK YOU