Assistive Technology Assessment Article

July 27th, 2008 Tagged assistive technology

I will be assessing the technology needs of some schools in the Bay Area in upcoming weeks and was doing some online research regarding Assistive Technology in schools and best practices for advising administrators on purchases, training and I.E.P. funding for technology.

This article does a great job of outlining what to keep in mind when first interviewing and observing classes, learners and teachers.

Assistive Technology Assessment: More Than the Device

By: Andrew R. Beigel (2000)

Assessing an individual for assistive technology (AT) use is an important part of the reauthorization of IDEA (1997) and an essential support in the path to greater independence and integration into society. Unfortunately, AT devices are frequently abandoned for many reasons. Sometimes AT selection is based on a mismatch between the individual’s desires and/or needs. Sometimes the individual outgrows the capabilities of the device. To foster optimal AT use, this article presents guidelines that educators can follow to put the individual user of AT at the center of the assessment process. Read the whole article…