How to Incorporate Assistive Technology into the IEP

Up to this point, I have been discussing the importance of implementing AT into classrooms, examples of AT devices, and how they are used. An important part of truly understanding AT is understanding how to incorporate it into a student's IEP. Throughout this course, I have learned a ton of information on IEP considerations and AT. I am going to use this post to share the information that I found most helpful. 

Where Do I Put AT Considerations in an IEP?

AT can be incorporated into a student's IEP in three ways: 

1. As part of special education in the annual goals section

2. As a related service

3. As a supplemental aid or service needed to support the student in the least restrictive environment

I found this information to be extremely useful because it is crucial to understand the correct place to put AT considerations when writing an IEP, especially for a perspective special education teacher such as myself!

What if I Make a Mistake?

Since IEPs are legal documents, it is extremely important that they are error-free, which can make the process extremely nerve-racking. In my experience, the best way to get good at something is to learn what not to do. Therefore, I found it helpful to read about common errors that are made when incorporating AT into IEPs. To name a few:

1. Procedures for conducting assistive technology assessment are not defined, or are not customized to meet the student's needs

2. A team approach to assessment is not utilized

3. The student is not involved in the assessment process

What About Goals?

I found it interesting to learn that the goal should never be to learn technology, but rather if a student is using AT to meet an IEP goal, the technology should be explicitly written into that goal. 

Overall, IEPs are a team effort that involve many different pieces and perspectives. Even though I have some background knowledge on the IEP process and procedures, there is still a lot that I need to learn. Therefore, I found my research on IEP considerations and AT to be very informative, and I hope you did too!