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Fall Assistive Technology (AT) �Leader Meeting

October 18, 2023

Jaimie Fons, M.S., CCC-SLP

Assistive Technology Consultant

jfons@misd.net

Mallory Frank, M.A., CCC-SLP

Special Education Consultant

mfrank@misd.net

https://tinyurl.com/FallAT23

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Agenda & Objectives

Intro and Updates
Macomb AT Process
MISD Bilingual ELL
MISD Hearing Services & AT
MISD Vision Services & AT
District AT Reflection & Planning
District PLN Work
Reflection & Response

AT Leaders can easily and adequately explain the steps in the informal and formal AT processes to others
AT leaders understand the referral process for bilingual, hearing, and vision services, as well as basic related AT tips and tools.
District AT leaders have a plan for sharing knowledge and skills relevant to their district AT needs.

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AT Updates

Check out this important information!

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Expand Your AT Team

New AT Leader 4-Day Training
November 16, 2022
December 6, 2022
January 18, 2023
February 28, 2023
All sessions run 8:30-3:00 pm

Registration for the 4-Day New AT Leader Workshop

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AT Library Updates

New additions

30 AAC iPads:

15 with GoNow Rugged Cases
15 with assorted colors and styles

5 Bluetooth speakers
5 ReaderPen 2s
5 ExamReader2s

Coming Soon:

Extensive Mounting Kit

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AT Updates and Resources

October is both

AT Updates: October 2023

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Reflection: AT Updates Doc

Something that surprised me

Something I learned

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Online CollegeBoard Testing and AT

As always, students should not use accommodations that are new/unfamiliar, but the same tools and strategies used as per their IEP/504.
It is recommended that students are registered in advance as AT users with accommodations and the students practice with the practice tests using their tools well before testing.
Screen readers are compatible, as well as built-in features of the device the student typically uses.
Downloaded versions of programs like Read&Write desktop are compatible, but there are limitations for web-based tools and browser extensions.
accommodations for digital testing
accommodations and AT

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Michigan Region IV AT Consortium PLAYDATE

December 4th from 8:30-3:00
Washtenaw ISD
More information about this PLAYDATE
PLAYDATE registration
Funded by REMC
Bring Your Own Device

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Michigan Department of Education: Low Incidence Outreach

MDE-LIO overview
Talk Tech Tuesdays

Talk Tech Tuesday: Bookshare November 28, 2023
Talk Tech Tuesday: Screen Reader Showdown Rematch! January 30, 2024
Talk Tech Tuesday: Multipurpose Apps March 26, 2024
Talk Tech Tuesday: Browsing without Barriers May 28, 2024

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Macomb County Assistive Technology Process

Overview of Macomb Couty Assistive Technology Guidebook

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Where is your copy located?

Find the Process Guidebook here

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About the Guide

Assist in compliance with IDEA regulation
Outlines the operating principles for each of the Quality Indicators for AT
Outlines the SETT Framework
Review three processes: AT Consideration, AT Trial, AT Evaluation

Assist in compliance with IDEA regulations: Assistive technology devices and services must be made available to a child with a disability if required as a part of the child's IEP.

Outlines the operating principles for each of the quality indicators for AT: The indicators are a "set of descriptors that could serve as overarching guidelines for quality AT services (QIAT, 2004)

Outlines the SETT Framework: Macomb county's AT assessment process uses the SETT Framework to guide the consideration process. The SETT Framework is an organizational tool created by the late Joy Zabala use to help collaborative teams create Student-Centered, Environmentally Useful, and task-focused tool systems that foster the educational success of students with disabilities. In order to select appropriate assistive technology devices and services, teams must first gather information about the student, the customary environments in which the student spends time and the tasks that are required for the student to be an active participant in the teaching/learning processes that lead to educational success.

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Macomb County AT Consideration

Assistive technology is used to support a student's IEP goals and objectives

At least one person on the IEP team must have adequate knowledge about assistive technology

Consideration should review the data related to sthe student's progress toward their IEP goals and objectives

Consideration is a data-based decision

IEP teams should record the deliberation that lead to the decision made

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Ongoing AT Consideration

Should occur throughout the IEP year
May take on many different forms
Data collected is related to student's progress toward IEP goals with and without AT

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What does the performance data tell you?

When a tool/device is implemented:

If the student's progress is the same with & without the tool it IS or IS NOT considered AT
If the student makes additional progress or faster progress with the tool it IS or IS NOT considered AT
If the student progresses more independently the tool IS or IS NOT considered AT

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Refer to the AT Consideration Flow Chart

Macomb County Assistive Technology Guide, page 38

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Macomb County AT Trial

Determine individual student needs

Plan Action

Try AT tools

Collect and document data

Analyze AT data

Determine individual student needs (cycle recurs)

Consideration is the first step of the AT trial process. When a team determines a need for assistive technology tools and services, the plan-do-check action cycle is initiated.

Determine Individual Student Needs: At the IEP when a team identifies that a student is not progressing in their IEP goals/objectives, and it is suspected that assisted technology may be necessary for a student to make progress, the IEP team should begin trying AT tools. The trials begins with a discussion centered on the student's strengths and needs as related to the learning objective.

Plan Action: Once a student need is clearly outlined, the service providers create a "plan of action" First they identify any regularly occuring curricular task(s) in which the selected goal is addressed. They look for inherent barriers in the task that prohibit student success. These barriers are what the team will mitigate or support with the technology identified. Next they discuss how the environment in which these tasks occur may have an impack on the AT tool. Then, they determine which tool(s) to trial. Limiting the trial to one or two tools at a time allows the team to accurately record results and leads to quicker student technology adoption.

Try the AT Tools: Once training has occurred the AT tools are integrated into curricular tasks as part of regular instruction. Implementation success increases when educators select short, regularly occurring activities to introduce new tools and monitor progress.

Collect and Document Data: This is an essential component to good AT decision making. Based on the area of need, teachers and service providers chart progress related to a student's increased participation, independence, quantity, speech or accuracy when completing the target task. Data collection should be: dynamic and responsive to student performance, on going, occur across environments.

Analyze Data: The value in data collection occurs when teachers/service providers analyze the data to determine the success of the AT supports and to identify what student needs are still unmet. Based on the data, teachers decide if the tool is necessary, if further trial of the same tool is needed or if a different tool should be tried.

Cycle will start again as needed.

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Refer to the AT Trial Process Flow Chart

Macomb County Assistive Technology Guide, page 39

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Macomb County AT Evaluation

When a parent requests an AT evaluation

When an IEP team is unable to identify an appropriate AT support for the student to progress in their IEP goals

When an IEP team identifies the need for a formal, coordinated AT plan

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Formal AT Evaluations Require:

Initiation through the REED document
An ongoing process that needs a series of collaborative meetings
Interspersed trial periods with data collection

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Refer to the AT Evaluation Flow Chart

Macomb County Assistive Technology Guide, page 40

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Reflection: AT Process

What are three important points you recalled/learned?

What is something that squared with your thinking?

What is still circling in your mind?

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MISD Bilingual ELL Education

MISD Contacts

Dr. Su McKeithen-Polish�Bilingual Education/Title III Consultant�Email Su McKeithen-Polish�(586) 228-3481��Laura Crouter�Newcomer English Learner Consultant�Email Laura Crouter�(586) 228-3426

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Multilingual Learners: Important Resources

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Supporting English learners through technology

What districts and teachers say about digital learning resources for English learners. Volume I: Final Report from the National Study of English Learners and Digital Learning Resources

Recommendations related to features of the resource:

Provide visual and auditory support features to assist EL students in understanding and communicating new content and vocabulary.
Provide an embedded translation function.
Provide embedded support features in a wider range of EL students’ languages.

Visual-related supports: Visual images or other visual support designed to assist a student in understanding or communicating a concept or idea.
Auditory-related supports: Speech or other use of sound designed to assist a student in understanding or communicating a concept or idea.
Translation supports: Embedded functions designed to translate from one language to the other, in either speech or print and for either a word or limited text.
Translation supports: Embedded functions designed to translate from one language to the other, in either speech or print and for either a word or limited text.

Recommendations related to implementation:

Design DLRs that are easy to use, both for EL students and teachers
Develop DLRs with age-appropriate interfaces, especially for older newcomer EL students and for very young students
Provide DLRs that are free or less costly and that take into consideration limitations in funding.
Enable teachers to monitor and students to track their progress.

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Podcast: Best Practices for Using Technology to Support Multilingual Learners

With Valentina Gonzalez – Easy EdTech podcast Episode 160

Key Points:

Get to know multilingual learners and be student-centered.
Go deeper with technology tools (not just dictionaries and translators)
Incorporate student choice
Connect to student experiences

Ask these questions about your use of technology:

Is this going to improve the academic outcome for MLL?
Is this going to increase linguistic outcome for MLL?
How am I cultivating advanced digital citizenship?

Multilingual learner: person who is adding English to their language repertoire (more asset-based term)

Last 5-10 years, many technology advances. We have learned to go beyond surface level use of tech to support MLL (dictionaries, translators, etc.).

ELL Frontiers book

Screencasting tools to capture thinking processes

Is this going to improve the academic outcome for MLL?
Is this going to increase linguistic outcome for MLL?
How am I cultivating advanced digital citizenship?

Look for ease of use., collaboration, integration with pedagogy

Strategies for working with MLL

(Secondary) student-centered: strengths, experiences, interests, culture, etc. This guides next steps.

Put students in collaborative groups and use flipped learning.

Collaboration
Relatedness/relevant
Choice
Game-based tech: gives visual component > Multimedia
Captions with videos
Repeated viewing and listening
Allow students to read, listen, view in native language – this is an asset to build upon!
Flipped learning: project-based

Build on background knowledge (with pre-viewed video)

Expanded features of MS translator

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Robust Technology Support for Multilingual Learners

Discovery Education Experience

Learners who whose primary language is other than English have options in Discovery Education Experience

Channels
Multimedia content
Translation tools
Text-to-speech

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MISD Support for Students with Hearing Impairment or Deafness

Wendy Ruegsegger

Teacher Consultant for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing

Wruegsegger@misd.net

Anne Howard

Audiologist

Ahoward@misd.net

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Deaf and Hard of Hearing Team

Audiologists

Anne Howard, MA, CCC-A
Kevin Kimball, AuD, CCC-A
Lisa Lee, MA, CCC-A

Teacher Consultants for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Wendy Ruegsegger
Elizabeth Thompson
Marilyn Vogel

Brigid Scovoronski MIPP DHH Teacher
Jennifer Shelton, Director of Preschool and Assessment Center Services

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Audiologist: Birth-3 years old

Any child that resides in Macomb County can be referred to the MISD for an audiologic evaluation

Reasons for referral:

Failed newborn hearing screening at hospital of birth
Concerns for child’s hearing

Frequent ear infections
Family history of early onset hearing loss
Medical diagnosis that could cause hearing loss
Second opinion

Speech and language concerns
Overall delays in child’s development
Hearing loss

Diagnostic evaluations performed 3 days per week currently

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Diagnostic Testing

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Audiologist Roles-School age

Services may include but is not limited to:

Complete audiological evaluation of children related to their admission to the educational program when needed
Annual assessment of children’s hearing

Including an interpretation of the result to the teacher, parents or community agencies

Can help assist with Hearing aid selection, orientation, and maintenance from outside practitioners
Evaluation, application, and selection of the amplifying systems and equipment used in the school

Personal vs Classroom

Troubleshooting hearing aids and hearing assistive technology

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Audiologist Roles-School age

Application of knowledge about speech perception and speech pathology to the speech problems of deaf/hard of hearing children
In-service training to help keep teachers and staff of new technologies, updates and any new audiologic information
Parent counseling

Advocate for parents and students

Liaison between the school and outside audiologic and medical providers
Collaboration with the DHH Teacher Consultants to serve hearing needs

together

Assessment MISD Website

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Deaf and Hard of Hearing Teacher Consultant Roles

Services may include but is not limited to:

Collaboration with the educational audiologists to serve hearing needs together
Observations in the classroom to evaluate need for more auditory support as well as classroom suggestions/accommodations to be put in place
Formal and informal evaluations to assist local teams in the reevaluation or initial IEP process
In-service classrooms, educational staff, and parents on hearing loss and its impact in the classroom
Troubleshoot Hearing Assistive Technology systems
Instruct educational teams in the relationship of hearing loss to listening and learning needs
Assist with programing decisions at the local level

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Deaf and Hard of Hearing Teacher Consultant Roles

Provide sign language vocabulary supports for our MISD center-based programs (I.e environmental print, calendar activities, themed lesson support)
Family resource support and post-secondary agency awareness
Provide information for community involvement and/or extra-curricular activities for socialization and family support
In depth support to both families and schools regarding the unique needs of our low-incidence population
Educational Consultation (MISD website)

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Referral Process

Birth-3 years old

Contact the MISD Preschool and Assessment Center

Appointment Scheduling 586-228-3321

Over 3 years of age

Referral for Special Education Services Form 2

Parent signature
Director signature (resident district)
Appointment Scheduled/ Completed
Reports distributed (to referral contact, parent and school

Request for Services:

MISD website

(Type Form 2 in search box)

Form 2

Form 2 checklist

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Referral Clarification!

A student does NOT need to be active in Special Education prior to a referral for the following services:

Audiological (Any student attending a Macomb County school is eligible for a hearing evaluation at no charge!)
D/HH Consultation (a student may be referred prior to any staffing process)
Hearing Assistive Technology (FM Equipment)

Hearing Assistive Technology trial is NOT the same as a AT Eval in Special Factors!

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Hearing Assistive Technology (HAT)

Improved “signal to noise ratio”: These systems make it easier to hear the person who is talking over all of the background noise.

Soundfield systems/Classroom Audio Distribution Systems provide amplified speaker volume for everyone in the room to hear.

Personal systems reduce the distance sound has to travel to get to students’ ears to just the distance between the mouth of the person talking and the microphone. They act as though the speaker’s mouth is within inches of the listener’s ear.

HATs make it easier for students to hear what they are supposed to hear over all of the noise they are not supposed to hear.

For education it may also include:

Closed captioning services
Speech to text applications
Note taking

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Equipment use for DHH students

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Hearing Assistive Technology (HAT) Demonstration

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6HXgFvRgcA&t=83s

1:23-2:10

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Supports in the classroom

Strategic Seating: closer to the person speaking
Away from environmental noises (doors, heaters, etc.)
Well- lit environment
Visual access to facial cues and speech reading
Gain student attention prior to giving instruction
Closed captioning on all videos/media
Increased waiting time for auditory processing
Have students repeat back for comprehension of concepts
Reduced noisy environment when possible (closed doors, closed classrooms, etc.)
Testing accommodations: small group, auxiliary cord, somewhere private to listen out loud
Never ask “can you hear me?” – always ask something specific for them to say back!

IMPLICATIONS in the Classroom:

Even with amplification, students may miss fragments of what is said, especially in noise and in distance greater than 3-5 feet away from speaker
Ability to perceive speech and learn effectively is at high risk
Students will appear fatigued due to the greater effort needed to listen
HAT is not about volume; it’s about access to instruction

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Thank you for your continued support of our Deaf / Hard of Hearing Students!

Questions?

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AT and Visual Impairment

Rebecca Fishman, M. Ed, TCVI

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Teacher Consultant for the Visually Impaired (TCVI)

Orientation & Mobility Specialist

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TCVI

Available to students whose vision impairment or blindness requires specially designed instruction

Goal is for functional performance, with accommodations, in the educational program environment

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TCVI

TCVI staff focus on instruction, strategies, and recommendations for accommodations, adaptations, or modifications

Task adaptations, task modifications, and assistive devices may be needed

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Frequently Accessed Devices

This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-NC.

Accessibility Features Commonly Used:

Frequently used apps:

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BrailleNote Touch Plus 32

Learn more about BrailleNote Touch Plus 32

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Reveal 16i – Smart desktop magnifier

Learn more about Reveal m16i

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explorē 8 – Handheld video magnifier

Learn more about explor ē 8

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IPEVO V4K PRO Ultra HD USB Document Camera

Learn more about IPEVO V4K Ultra USB Doc Camera

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Duxbury braille transcription software and braille embossers

Learn more about Duxbury Products and the Juliet 120

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Screen Reading Software

Learn more about JAWS and NVDA

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Screen Enlarging Software

Learn more about ZoomText

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PIAF (pictures in a flash) Tactile Embosser

Learn more about PIAF Tactile Embosser

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Refreshable Braille Displays

Learn more about refreshable Braille displays

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Large Print or Talking Calculators

Learn more about adapted calculators

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Referral Process for TCVI

A Form 2 is sent to MISD Support and Related Services department

"Consultation, Visual Impairment"

Include the following documents:

Current medical records
Current diagnostic data (psychological, developmentatl history, academic evaluations, etc.)
Current MET/Evaluation Review
Current IEP

Consultation for Students with Visual Impairments (MISD Website)

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Any Questions?

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Lunch

One hour = Get food, eat, respond to any phone/email/other needs you may have

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District AT Planning

Identify and Assess the Data Related to Professional Learning Needs for AT

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Review Recent Steps

AT Leader Document Links

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To-Do

Locate your Action Items within your most recent AT Plan & Report, which should be linked in the AT Leader Document Links spreadsheet.
Review your Action Items, checking off what is complete and adding more items as needed.
If you do not have an updated AT Plan & Report, complete that step using this sample and blank template.

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Work Time # 1

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Professional Learning Goals

Effective professional development for an AT Leader involves the intentional learning of new information and sharing that information with staff in the most motivating and consumable way.
AT Leaders must intentionally keep up-to-date with current best practices and tools to support our students.

What student evidence guides your professional decision making?

AT Leaders must model, coach, and provide inspiring learning experiences for our colleagues.

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Review Past Professional Learning Goals for AT

2022-2023 AT Leader Professional Learning Goals

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Update New Professional Learning Goals for AT

2023-2024 Professional Learning Goals

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Professional Goal Setting for AT Leaders

On your own paper/document, write as many topics as you can that you wish to learn more about this year. Think freely without barriers (time, money, travel) until time is up!
Prioritize items on your list. Think about which items will be important sooner, which items will benefit more learners, etc.
Each member will rewrite their UPDATED top three items into measurable goals and record on your district’s designated slide in this slide deck: 2023-2024 AT Leader Professional Learning Goals - Use the speaker notes section of your slide if you need more room.

ISTE Standards for Educators: Standard 2.1.a Set Professional Goals

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Work Time # 2

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District Professional Learning Network Planning & Preparation

I

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What makes good professional learning?

Professional Learning Networks should be:

Supportive
Job-embedded
Instructionally-focused
Quick!
Collaborative
Ongoing
Engaging

Today’s goal: Share available, easily implementable, multimodal professional learning options that can be used to create small but significant changes through a PLN.

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Tying Your PLN to Your Professional Learning Goals

Use your various PD goals to focus your PLN work.

Look for the topics/strategies/tools with which you want to grow personally, as a team, and as a district.
Find resources that will support the learning: AT PLN Resources
Decide how you will share the resources:

Email Signature / Away Message
Tips Distribution
Podcast Share
Video Share
Social Media: Twitter, Pinterest, Blog, other

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PLN Share Planning Templates

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Email Signatures

What info to include?
How often to change the info?
Weekly?
Monthly?
Select the number of tips that you need.

AT/AAC email Tips

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Tips Distribution

Type/Format
Frequency of distribution?
How will you distribute them?
Post in the school?
What virtual space?
Select >10 tips you will use.

AT PLN Resources

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Podcast Share

Select podcasts to share
Where to share them
Reasons for recommendation

AT PLN Resources

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Video Share

Look for videos Shorter than 6 minutes

AAC videos

AT videos

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Social Media Share

Share tips on an account
Follow / Like / Join
Blog

AT PLN Resources

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Work Time # 3

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Reflection & Response

What is your most exciting accomplishment from today's work?

Pass or Play!

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Need ASHA CEUs?

https://forms.gle/dxTFDY2ZoZwmay9u9

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Please share your feedback!

Feedback form for Fall AT Meeting 2023

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Thank you!

See you soon!

Mid-Year AT Meeting February 6, 2024

8:30 am - 12:30 pm

Spring AT Meeting

May 15, 2024

8:30 am - 3:00 pm