Building Staff Capacity to Consider, Document, and Implement Assistive Technology
This interactive, three-hour professional learning session is designed to strengthen educators' foundational knowledge, practical skills, and confidence in considering and implementing assistive technology (AT) to support students with disabilities.
Grounded in IDEA requirements and Texas Education Agency (TEA) guidance, participants will explore AT as both devices and services and examine how AT supports student access, participation, and progress in educational settings.
Through collaborative case studies, hands-on activities, and guided application of the Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative (WATI) and SETT (Student, Environment, Tasks, Tools) frameworks, participants will practice identifying student access barriers, determining when additional AT assessment may be needed, selecting appropriate tools and features, and developing practical implementation plans.
Special attention will be given to meaningful AT consideration during the ARD/IEP process, documentation of AT deisions, and the roles and responsibilities of team members in supporting consistent implementation.
Participants will leave with practical resources, a structured approach to AT decision-making, and actionable next steps to support AT implementation across educational settings.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
1. Recognize assistive technology devices and services and explain their role in supporting student access, participation, and progress.
2. Apply a structured, task-based process to identify student needs and determine appropriate next steps for AT consideration.
3. Explore and match AT features and tools to student needs using the SETT framework.
4. Practice documenting meaningful AT consideration and identifying appropriate AT supports within the IEP.
5. Develop a practical AT implementation and follow-up plan that identifies responsibilities, data collection, and next steps.

SPED Teachers, District Admin, Instructional Coaches, and related service providers: SLPs, OTs, PTs, TVIs, O&M, APE, SPs.

Assistive Technology
Diversity and Special Needs Populations
Special Education

TTESS 1.3 Knowledge of Students
TTESS 4.3 Professional Development

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