1. What is Special Education
The purpose of special education is to provide equal
access to education for children ages birth through 21 by
providing specialized services that will lead to school
success in the general curriculum.
(http://www.specialeducationguide.com/teacher-
certification/)

2. What's an IEP?
Kids with delayed skills or other disabilities might be eligible for special services that provide individualized education programs in
public schools, free of charge to families. Understanding how to access these services can help parents be effective advocates for
their kids.
The passage of the updated version of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004) made parents of kids with
special needs even more crucial members of their child's education team.
Parents can now work with educators to develop a plan — the individualized education program (IEP) — to help kids succeed in
school. The IEP describes the goals the team sets for a child during the school year, as well as any special support needed to help
achieve them.
Who Needs an IEP?
A child who has difficulty learning and functioning and has been identified as a special needs student is the perfect candidate for
an IEP. Kids struggling in school may qualify for support services, allowing them to be taught in a special way, for reasons such as:
learning disabilities
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
emotional disorders
cognitive challenges
autism
hearing impairment
visual impairment
speech or language impairment
developmental delay
(http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/learning/iep.html)

3. Assistive Technology
Assistive technology is an umbrella term that includes assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative
devices for people with disabilities and also includes the process used in selecting, locating, and
using them. Assistive technology promotes greater independence by enabling people to
perform tasks that they were formerly unable to accomplish, or had great difficulty
accomplishing, by providing enhancements to, or changing methods of interacting with, the
technology needed to accomplish such tasks.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assistive_technology)

4. Guidelines to choosing Assistive
Technology
Six steps to finding a solution
Identifying AT solutions to support a child’s participation is best done as a team process. By first examining the
interests, abilities and needs of a child and the specific components of the activity where support for participation is
indicated, AT solutions can be planned and implemented and the impact can be observed immediately. A six-step
process defined below is one example of a framework for AT decision making for young children.
Step 1: Collect child and family information. Begin the discussion about the child’s strengths, abilities, preferences
and needs. What strategies have been found to work best?
Step 2: Identify activities for participation. Discuss the various activities within the environments that a child
encounters throughout the day. What is preventing him/her from participating more?
Step 3: What can be observed that indicates the intervention is successful? What is his/her current level of
participation and what observable behaviors will reflect an increase in independent interactions? What changes
(e.g., number of initiations, expression attempts, responses, reactions, etc.) will you look for?
Step 4: Brainstorm AT solutions. With the activity and desired outcomes established, you are now ready to discuss
possible solutions with educators, family members, physical therapist, and other people with whom the child
interacts on a weekly basis. Do the child’s needs include supports for movement, communication and/or use of
materials? Start with what is available in the environment (what other children use) and consider adaptations to
those materials. A range of options that address specific support areas should be considered. *The TAM Technology
Fan, a new resource focused on identifying AT items for young children with disabilities, helps to facilitate this step.
See below for more information.
Step 5: Try it out. Determine when the AT intervention will begin and create an observation plan to record how the
child participates with the AT supports.
Step 6: Identify what worked. Selecting AT interventions is a continuous learning opportunity. Reflect on your plan
and discuss what worked. What didn’t work? What should be done differently? Make modifications as needed and
try again. Only by trying the AT can certain factors such as technology placement, amount of force, mounting,
number of choices, etc. be determined and adjusted. (http://www.ldonline.org/article/8088)

5. Types of Devices
People with physical disabilities that affect movement can use mobility aids, such as wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, canes,
crutches, prosthetic devices, and orthotic devices, to enhance their mobility.
Hearing aids can improve hearing ability in persons with hearing problems.
Cognitive assistance, including computer or electrical assistive devices, can help people function following brain injury.
Computer software and hardware, such as voice recognition programs, screen readers, and screen enlargement applications,
help people with mobility and sensory impairments use computer technology.
In the classroom and elsewhere, assistive devices, such as automatic page-turners, book holders, and adapted pencil grips,
allow learners with disabilities to participate in educational activities.
Closed captioning allows people with hearing impairments to enjoy movies and television programs.
Barriers in community buildings, businesses, and workplaces can be removed or modified to improve accessibility. Such
modifications include ramps, automatic door openers, grab bars, and wider doorways.
Lightweight, high-performance wheelchairs have been designed for organized sports, such as basketball, tennis, and racing.
Adaptive switches make it possible for a child with limited motor skills to play with toys and games.
Many types of devices help people with disabilities perform such tasks as cooking, dressing, and grooming. Kitchen implements
are available with large, cushioned grips to help people with weakness or arthritis in their hands. Medication dispensers with
alarms can help people remember to take their medicine on time. People who use wheelchairs for mobility can use extendable
reaching devices to reach items on shelves.
(http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/rehabtech/conditioninfo/Pages/device.aspx)