As an assistive technology (AT) specialists, you have unique ideas about putting assistive technology to use and getting it embraced in your district. Like you, other AT specialists are making impressive leaps through creativity, good ideas, and simply trying things out.
We know that there are a lot of good ideas out there, and we’re sure that you have some to share. And, of course, when you reach a sticking point, you’d probably like to hear what worked for others. That’s where ATcollective comes in!
ATcollective is your place to come together as a community to share new ideas and gain insight on AT implementation strategies, funding resources, assessment practices, and the new Common Core State Standards.
ATcollective is a new community we designed as a place where assistive technology (AT) specialists can go to share and discuss implementation practices, new ideas, and keep the AT conversation going.
ATcollective is open to all members of the AT community – from teachers, to AT coordinators, to special ed directors.
ATcollective is your place to go to ask questions and get ideas on topics including assessment, implementation, funding, and more. We have set up the following conversation groups to help you get started:
- Screening / PAR: Individual students present individual needs, which is an assessment challenge for every IEP team. PAR (Protocol for Accommodations in Reading) is an assessment tool created by Denise DeCoste, Ed.D., OTR, and Linda Bastiani Wilson, MA, Ed, that walks practitioners through the process of choosing the best reading accommodations for each student.
- Implementation / SHIFT: Change is hard, and most people don’t like it. But change can still happen, and you can still get staff on board with AT – with a SHIFT in thinking. SHIFT is our free AT implementation framework broken down in manageable chunks designed to help you create a vision, build your team, design and deliver training, and keep the momentum going.
- Funding: There are funds available to help you meet your AT needs. But if we don’t know or advocate for the funding, students may end up with a new football field in lieu of accessible technology.
- Common Core: A group of states got together to create the Common Core State Standards – a new set of curriculum standards that would prepare students for the life beyond K-12. The authors of the Common Core recommend UDL and assistive technology to help special ed students reach these new high standards, which bodes well for the future of AT.