AT in Delaware Schools

The majority of educators responding to a DATI/DE Department of Education (DOE) survey agreed that AT is often the key to successful education outcomes. The DOE is supporting AT availability for students through several important activities. First, it has funded a pilot project in three districts aimed at familiarizing educators with AT options and the ways they can be used to promote access to the curriculum. Teams in Red Clay, Caesar Rodney, and Milford districts have worked with DATI to design training and technical assistance programs that meet the unique needs of their districts. Two of the districts intend to build teams with AT expertise at a district- and building-level. Districts will schedule activities to raise the AT awareness of all staff--not just special educators--and all districts will conduct targeted trainings for staff. DATI hopes to expand this program to include other districts in the coming years.

The DOE is also helping DATI make the "latest and greatest" equipment and software available through the AT Resource Centers statewide. With financial support from DOE, DATI will add cutting-edge access technologies, software, and communication devices to its existing inventory. These will be available for no-cost demonstrations and short-term loans to educators, parents and students so that they can make sure a product meets their needs before they invest in its purchase.

Finally, the new statewide form for the IEP (Individualized Education Program) prompts the education team to think about the accommodations--including AT--that a student might need in order to be successful in school. DATI is in the process of developing materials that will help the IEP team identify and implement tools to further learning and participation.

You'll hear more about this in a future issue of The AT Messenger.