Assistive Technology in the Classroom
We can help you identify the right type of assistive technology for a student. Our trained professionals work with the IEP team at your school, performing evaluations and providing training.
We offer:
- Software to support reading and writing
- Computer access
- Augmentative and alternative communication
- Solutions from low-tech to high-tech
At Advancing Opportunities, we recognize that districts face challenges in funding and we offer different levels of support and AT options for nearly every budget.
Ongoing Support Contract
This is a unique approach to helping schools and teachers meet their assistive technology needs. The Ongoing Support Contract provides an AT consultant on a regular basis to work in the school or district to perform trials, train students and staff, and act as a resource. This type of a contract is billed at our lowest rate, which means extra savings. Learn more about the Ongoing Support Contract.
AT Consult
This creative AT option takes advantage of new web technologies and elimiates travel -- a savings in both time and cost. Our assistive technology professionals perform demonstrations and attend meetings remotely. Learn more about the AT Consult and how you can save up to 40%.
Assitive Technology Evaluation
We will come to your school and assess the student’s abilities and educational goals to see what type of assistive technology would work best. If needed, we can conduct a short-term trial of the technology, to confirm that it will help meet your goals before recommending purchase.
Based on the assessment and trial, we make a recommendation to the district. Once the recommendation is approved by the district, and equipment is purchased, we then can help train you with the new assistive technology to ensure you are using it effectively and are satisfied with the outcome.
To get the evaluation process started, the Child Study Team Case Manager completes the Request for District Contract form available here in PDF format. For other options, visit our referrals page. Submit the form via email or fax it to us at 609-882-4054.
Once we receive the Request for District Contract form, we will send you a contract to be signed by the district (typically the Director of Special Services). We also include a Student Referral Form, and evaluation referral packets. The case manager completes the Student Referral Form, and IEP team members complete questionnaires in the evaluation referral packets. Once these are completed and sent in, a member of the Assistive Technology Services department will contact you to schedule an appointment for an evalution.
Resources for Education
YouTube
Youtube is being used for all kinds of sharing of videos on the web. Just type in “assistive technology,” or “assistive technology autism,” and you’ll see how many different kinds of students use these technologies.
To see examples of people using assistive technology on YouTube, visit www.youtube.com
Bookshare.org
Bookshare’s goal is to make the world of print accessible to people with disabilities. It is an online library of digital books that operates under an exception to U.S. copyright law which allows copyrighted digital books to be made available to people with qualifying disabilities. In addition, many publishers and authors have volunteered to provide Bookshare with access to their works.
Members download books, textbooks and newspapers in a compressed, encrypted file. They can then read the material using adaptive technology, typically software that reads the book aloud (text-to-speech) and/or displays the text of the book on a computer screen, or Braille access devices, such as refreshable Braille displays. Through an award from the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), Bookshare offers free memberships to U.S. schools and qualifying U.S. students.
To learn more visit www.bookshare.org
More Resources
