Abstract
While assistive technology devices are common in most schools, to date assistive technology appears to be acquired more frequently in response to advocacy efforts on behalf of individual students rather than as the result of systemic evaluation of the needs of all students. While such efforts are developmentally noteworthy, they are hardly adequate for achieving large-scale benefits. The purpose of this article is to describe professional development and change strategies for fostering collaborative and systemic efforts to consider assistive technology and evaluate its impact. A self-study process is used to engage teachers, administrators, and related service personnel in a series of collegial conversations about assistive technology outcomes. Four topics are used to structure the conversations: (a) assistive technology and human performance, (b) assistive technology consideration, (c) assistive technology service delivery systems, and (d) accountability initiatives. Group processes are critical for the profession if we are to move beyond individual visions to common, shared visions of the ways assistive technology enhances independence, communication, mobility, and learning opportunities for students with disabilities. The implications of these professional development and change strategies are noted relative to current practice, policy, and future research.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.