Demystifying Assistive Technology
Welcome to the first stop of the AT Journey: Web Edition! The purpose of this journey is to help you and your team get the right assistive technology (AT) tools into the hands of your students, faster.
By law, we’re required to consider assistive technology for any student with an IEP. The world of AT can seem complex and overwhelming to educators who may not know where to start. Find out more about what qualifies as AT, debunk common myths about assistive technology, and learn how your student(s) could benefit from AT.
If you're new to AT, don't worry! This journey is designed for educators who may be unfamiliar or have limited prior knowledge about assistive technology as they navigate through the AT maze.
Educators provide accommodations for their students that allow them to accomplish school-related tasks. Without realizing it, these educators are providing supports that could qualify as AT. Some examples might be:
- Graphic organizers
- Closed captioning
- Visual timers and schedules
Watch this video to hear more about these and other simple accommodations and tools that are often implemented without being thought of as “AT.”
The world of assistive technology contains a tremendous amount of resources and tools that are available to your students.
- How does the law define assistive technology tools and services?
- What qualifies as assistive technology?
Watch this video to get answers to these questions and more, in order to get started on your AT Journey.
There are many misconceptions surrounding assistive technology. In this video, we take the following 5 myths about AT and aim to debunk them by uncovering the truth.
1. Myth: AT is cheating or gives students an unfair advantage
2. Myth: AT will prevent students from learning
3. Myth: AT is always expensive
4. Myth: AT is only considered at the annual IEP meeting
5. Myth: Only an AT specialist can consider, select, and/or implement assistive technology
(Spoiler alert: All of these statements are false!)