assistive technology models

5 Assistive Technology Models

Five Assessment Models for the Blog

Assistive Technology Models were designed as a resource to support individuals who need technology to ensure the most appropriate tools were being selected and utilized to improve their areas of need while supporting their strengths.  The AT models all have a comprehensive, systematic process that ensures the best outcome for the individual in need.

The SETT model

·     SETT is an organizational tool to help AT teams gather information to create Student-centered, Environmentally-useful, and Tasks-focused Tool systems that foster the educational success of students with disabilities.

·     SETT is targeted for students with disabilities. 

·     Within the four components (Student, Environment, Tasks, Tools) a series of questions are used to collect information. The first component is the Student; abilities and needs are identified. The second component, Environments, refers both to the physical environments as well as the instructional environments within a classroom. The third component of SETT is Tasks – the activities the student is asked to perform and the barriers to performance. The fourth component is Tools, which include both AT devices and services.

·     An intended outcome is an appropriate match between the student, the environment, the tasks, and the technology used to accomplish tasks within the environment.

·     Video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDtxMlL1GUY

Each of these components is equally important when making decisions about which technology will be best suited for the person in need in the various environments in which the person will be using it.  Like all the other models, the SETT framework uses questions to help all the team members involved collect pertinent information about the person in need.  This information helps to guide the decisions the team makes about the person and the technology chosen to ensure success within the educational setting. 

More information about the SETT model can be found at the link below.

http://www.joyzabala.com/Home.php

Education Tech Points Model (ETP)

·     Education Tech Points (ETP) is a tool to help school districts to determine and meet the assistive technology needs of individual students and to evaluate and improve their assistive technology services system wide.

·     It consists of a comprehensive manual that includes information on team-building, components of effective AT service delivery, and systems change.

·     The specifics of this model center around six “Tech Points”. Each Tech Point identifies the specific times within the planning and provision of special education services that the need for AT should be considered.

·     The ETP process has outcomes built in at each Tech Point. The ultimate outcome is that the student receives the AT devices and services needed to access the curriculum and meet IEP/IFSP goals and objectives.

Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative (WATI)

·     The purpose of the Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative (WATI) is to provide a comprehensive and thorough assistive technology assessment process.

·     The WATI targets school-age children with disabilities and school districts. It provides both the process as well as specific guides relevant to the 10 sections of the model. These include an overview of the AT assessment and planning process, all the forms developed for the WATI model. AT for writing and computer access.  AT for communication addresses three major groups of individuals: the alternative language group, the expressive language group, and the supportive language group. AT for reading, studying, and mathematics are grouped together for adaptations in academic areas.

·     It also provides information on AT for recreation, leisure, and activities of daily living, including environmental control, addresses AT for vision and hearing, AT for positioning and seating comprises, writing AT in the IEP, and  has information on AT laws and funding, including funding sources, legal provisions and policies.

·     The outcomes of the WATI assessment process focus on consideration of AT in the IEP and that the student receives AT devices and services needed to access the curriculum and meet IEP/IFSP goals and objectives.

·     http://www.wati.org/

Matching Person & Technology Model (MPT)

Selecting appropriate technology to meet the individual needs of the person it is intended to support is a big decision.  Many factors need to be taken into consideration including:

·     individual preferences·     users’ hopes of the technology

·     finances

·     family

·     environment in which the technology will be used (school, home or vocational environments) 

To assist individuals with this decision, the Matching Person & Technology (MPT) model has implemented an intense consultation process for all involved.  It utilizes a variety of surveys and questionnaires for home, school, work place and outside agencies to help ensure the most appropriate match between person and technology choice is made.  Small samples of these surveys and questionnaires can be found in the link below.

http://www.matchingpersonandtechnology.com/mptdesc.html

This is extremely important since this match helps to ensure the technology selected will be successfully implemented and effectively used by the individual for which it is intended.  Hence, careful collaboration between all the parties involved is crucial. 

In addition to the adult version of Matching Person & Technology model, a Matching Assistive Technology to Child (MATCH ) model was designed with the same hope and goal in mind….that appropriate technology would be selected, successfully implemented and effectively used by the child in their various environments.  Similarly, the MATCH assessment process involves a series of surveys and questionnaires to be completed by all team members involved from home, school and outside agencies.   



Lifespace Access Profile Model for Individuals with Severe or Multiple Disabilities (LAP)

Lifespace Access Profile Model was designed to support individuals with severe or multiple disabilities tocarefully select, successfully implement and effectively utilizetechnology to improve their areas of weakness and support their areas of strength.

Like other assistive technology models, the LAP Model has an assessment component that evaluates an individual’s abilities in 5 key areas:

·     physical resources

·     cognitive resources

·     emotional resources

·     support resources

·     environmental analysis

Additional information about the LAP model can be found at the link below.

http://www.slideshare.net/mjmax/assessment-models-assistive-technology

 Food for Thought

Nick Brown, a man with cerebral palsy has a wonderful story of how technology has helped him fulfill his life in ways he and his family did not think was possible.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7oYSY_ttU4

Amy Morrell, a physio therapist discusses the many things she considers before recommendations for a wheel chair are made for a client she is serving.  “I look at what best fits their needs.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_fTQh-KQ8k

Quality Indicators for Assistive Technology (QIAT)

Quality Indicators for Assistive Technology (www.qiat.org) is a wonderful site with extremely informative information about AT guidelines and services in various areas that need to be considered before selecting and implementing assistive technology.  It has a list of resources that has been researched and implemented successfully with individuals in need including “websites, documents on websites, and commercially available materials that relate to each of the eight QIAT areas which include:

1.     Guiding Document for Including Assistive Technology In the IEP

2.     Guiding Document for Implementation

3.     Guiding Document for Evaluation of Effectiveness

4.     Guiding Document for Transition

5.     Guiding Document for Professional Development

6.     Guiding Document for Consideration

7.     Guiding Document for Administrative Support

8.     Guiding Document for Assessment

Additional information about QIAT can be viewed at the following is a link:

http://indicators.knowbility.org/

When you look through the resources, keep an eye open for Barb’s UDL Placemat for the iPad.  J

All five models share an ultimate goal – to match a person to the most effective AT that will meet his/her needs within the environments in which it will be used. These models are important because they explore and assess the person, the environments, and the tasks for which the technology is needed to ensure the most effective AT is provided. They all follow an ecological, functional assessment approach. The SETT, ETP, LAP, QIAT and WATI are primarily designed for AT assessment within school settings. The SETT and LAP programs could easily be adapted for adults and non-school settings, the ETP and WATI less so.

Role of Information Technology in Education.flv

Responses to presentations

1rst presentation- New Apps for Learning Disabilities
I thought that the book creator was a great app to invest in. I'm not familiar with this app and actually I'm quite new to the Ipad devices. I've had Ipods and Nanos before but just recently got an Ipad. I've had tablets and playbooks for the past few years and it is nice to know that this app will not only be limited to the Ipad and will be available for androids this year :) I will definitely be downloading the free version to try it out, and with the low cost of $4.99 I'm sure it would be a future purchase.

2nd Presentation- Top Free Apps in Special Education
It doesn't get any better than being free! I enjoyed this presentation for many reasons, not only because every app was free, I enjoyed the the different categories that they sorted the apps into, it makes it very easy to choose which app is useful for you and your students. I downloaded pocket pond onto my Ipad, I thought this app was the neatest thing ever! I feel like such an amateur when it comes to the Ipad and its many apps, I wish that I had bought one years ago, however it is better late than never!

3rd presentation -Apps that Enhance Performance of Individuals with Extreme Autism 
I enjoyed this presentation for a variety of reasons, one of which I feel may be the most prominent is the fact that my younger cousin has been recently been diagnosed with Autism, I had thought he was autistic for a year or 2, however his parents were unaware, then in denial, and now have accepted his diagnoses and are working to understand Autism and their son.  I was very excited to tell my aunt about the great apps that i learned about in this presentation and thought the app called Dusty D Dawg Has Feelings too would be a great one to share with her son. 

4th presentation- Learning About Apps to Support Students with Learning Disabilities
I thought the quote used in this presentation was an excellent choice. After watching the few videos in this course it has become very evident how important technology has become to people living with disabilities.  I've always known how important technological devices were in education, however I have seen these devices in a whole new light and do hope that we get our Ipads working as soon as possible. I was able to relate to Jeremy when he mentioned the fact that his school has many devices, however has difficulty with access and ability to use these devices to support students with their learning. Technology can be an awesome thing, however it needs to be accessible to be awesome!

5th Presentation - Executive Function (my group)
I was glad that our group chose this topic, it was one that I enjoyed learning about as I did not have much prior knowledge of executive functioning. I didn't realize how easily one can mistaken forgetfulness for problems with executive function or blame them for being disorganized and careless instead of realizing there in an underlying reason for being this way. Technology certainly can make the lives of someone who has problems with executive functioning, the app Take a Chill seems like it would be a great app to use to help students keep themselves focused and the paper shredder would win over many students with its great sound effects. 

6th presentation- Exciting New Apps for LD 
The video that Dawn shared in this presentation was quite the eye opener, it was great to view learning disabilities from a student's perspective. As an educator I do my best to understand the my students, to acknowledge their strengths, recognize their difficulties and work with them to reach success, however sometimes we just might not be as understanding or helpful as we think we are trying to be. Each child is different, they can not be a fit into the same mold, so what works for one may most definitely not work for another. I love the app IwordQ, it would be an awesome addition to help students who are struggling readers and writers, the speech recognition would be so useful as well along with the speech feedback feature. The app is definitely one I will be purchasing. 

7th Presentation- New Apps for Learning Disabilities

 I found the byod policy should be in all schools, the benefits by far outweigh any issues that may arise. As mentioned they can be used for note taking, calculators, thesaurus, independent reading (great idea!!!) as well as provide immediate access to tools they personally need such as audio books, dragon dictation etc. The group also mentioned that boys have become more involved in reading, as a mother of 2 boys who are not as interested in reading as I encourage them to be, feel that this is wonderful! The free online sites are great to use in the classroom, I use Starfall and decided to check out the other two; Tumblebooks and Red Rocket Readers. The cost seems to be okay considering the great resource they would be as well as how useful they would be in the classroom.  

Understanding Assistive Technology Loan Libraries: Simply Said

Understanding Assistive Technology: Simply Said

This video was completely mind blowing, it makes me feel so sad for all those people who are not given the opportunity to communicate and who are silenced in their bodies. This opportunity should be given to everyone who is non-verbal, however in reality the opportunity is not available for everyone, having the resources and support available is just not a reality for many, however with this new evidence maybe doors will now begin to open for those who are not able to communicate verbally. I haven't had many opportunities to work with students who are non-verbal, however I do have a cousin who doesn't speak much, she hasn't been medically diagnosed, my aunt said they believe she has cerebral palsy. This video would astonish my aunt, I plan on sharing it with her and hope that we can begin taking steps to provide this opportunity for my cousin, who has lived in her silenced body for many years.