Course Overview

AT in Education

September 9, 2024 - January 3, 2025

This on-line course uses the Assistive Technology Internet Modules (ATIM: www.atinternetmodules.org) to provide participants with an overview of assistive technology assessment and interventions for early childhood and school-age children. Participants in this course will learn about the various domains of AT and needed administrative support, AT assessment tools and processes, consideration, and documenting AT in the IEP and IFSP, AT implementation, AT transition planning, and AT funding strategies.

  • Registration Instructions

  • Course registration is a two-step process: 1) Register on ATIM and 2) Register and pay on Ashland University's system. Once you have completed this two-step process, this course will be available to you on ATIM at the start of the semester, September 9, 2024.

    If you have questions about this course or the registration process, please contact the course instructor, Heather Bridgman at heather_bridgman@ocali.org.
  • Registration Details
  • Course registration open September 2, 2024 - December 13, 2024
  • 1-Credit course costs $225 paid to Ashland University
Course Modules

Overview of Assistive Technology (AT)

Estimated Time to Complete: 1 hour

Beginning with the current definition of assistive technology and continuing with the laws and legal mandates that influence AT implementation, readers of this module will be provided with a broad, foundational introduction to the field of AT. This module provides readers with information about specific AT devices and services, implementation and impact of AT devices and services across various environments, the low-mid-high tech continuum of assistive technology, AT standards of practice as well as AT program and self-evaluation tools.

A Family-Centered Approach to Assistive Technology in Early Childhood

Estimated Time to Complete: 1 1/2 hours

The family plays a vital role in supporting the development, learning and successful participation of young children with disabilities in multiple environments.  In this module, we will describe the strategies that early intervention and preschool teams can use to promote family participation and engagement in the AT selection and implementation process, a process that is linked to improved child outcomes and decreased likelihood of device abandonment.    

AT Consideration in the IEP Process

Estimated Time to Complete: 1 hour

Based on the mandates of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act(IDEA, assistive technology devices and services must be considered for all students with disabilities in the development of the Individualized Education Program (IEP). This module will assist educational professionals and IEP team members in considering and determining student needs for assistive technology. More specifically, this module will describe the difference between AT consideration and AT assessment as well as how the IEP team documents AT consideration on the Special Instructional Factors page of the IEP.

AT Assessment Process in the School Environment

Estimated Time to Complete: 1 1/2 hours

After the individualized education program (IEP) team has completed the process of assistive technology (AT) consideration and determined that AT supports are necessary, the team then must assess the student's needs and abilities to find the most effective AT solution. This module provides the foundational information required to begin the process of AT assessment in the school environment. This includes the composition of different types of AT teams, guiding documents and frameworks, feature-matching, equipment trials and recommendations, AT implementation and transition planning.

AT Assessment Tools

Estimated Time to Complete: 1 1/2 hours

Once the need for an AT assessment has been identified, teams may desire a framework or assessment tool to guide them through the process of identifying needs, feature-matching, data collection methods and implementation. This module will introduce the reader to a variety of tools that can be used to guide this process. Some of the tools offer guidance for every step of the assessment process while others address specific components such as evaluation of AT supports for reading or writing. Further, this module aims to begin the discussion of system-wide integration of AT supports and services.

Funding Assistive Technology

Estimated Time to Complete: 1 1/2 hours

Understanding the various funding alternatives for assistive technology (AT) can be challenging particularly in the educational setting. This module provides an overview of funding options for the purchase of AT devices. It includes basic information about the laws authorizing funding streams and the point when the school district, Medicaid, or private funding might be appropriate.

AT Implementation

Estimated Time to Complete: 1 1/2 hours

Effective assistive technology (AT) implementation facilitates students' ability to participate in educational activities, work toward mastery of Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals, and make progress within the general education curriculum. The content of this module focuses on planning for the use of AT devices and services that IEP teams have determined to be needed for students with disabilities to benefit from a free, appropriate public education (FAPE).

AT Supports and Services in the IEP

Estimated Time to Complete: 1 1/2 hours

Based on the federal mandates of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), AT devices and services must not only be considered for all students with disabilities but they must also be included in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) if deemed necessary by the IEP team. This module will describe the available options for documenting AT devices and services in the IEP. Proper documentation of AT in the IEP ensures that students will receive the necessary AT devices and the corresponding services to enable them to gain better access to the curriculum as well as enhance their participation in the school environment. 

AT Transitions

Estimated Time to Complete: 1 1/2 hours

Based on the assumption that Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams have basic knowledge about AT, have already determined that a student with a disability requires AT, and that the student has been using AT in the current educational setting, this module focuses on the transition planning process for students who will be continuing to use AT as they move to new placements or settings. The principles of AT transitions presented in this module are directly related to the transition planning that is required for students 16 and older in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA), however the processes and strategies discussed in this module are generally appropriate for the transitions of AT users at any age.

AT for Administrators

Estimated Time to Complete: 1 hour

School Administrators must have a working knowledge of the federal laws related to assistive technology devices and services as they apply to school districts. This module will provide a working knowledge of these laws as well as an understanding that good leaders will facilitate the integration of AT throughout their district to support both general and special educators as well as the students they serve.

AT in Education Course Post-Assessment

Post-assessment for AT in Education course.