How Can We Help?
Ideas for Getting Started with AT Teams
It may seem overwhelming to start a new AT team or to plan to develop or improve AT services in your district. Here are some thoughts about where to start.
- Develop a shared vision of what AT services are needed in your district. Include a focus on helping individual stakeholders to develop a vision of their own personal role in supporting students as they use AT. This especially includes classroom teachers and building principals who may not realize they have important roles to play.
- Plan to develop widespread awareness by all staff of what AT devices exist and how they can benefit students. This may include thinking about how to communicate AT information throughout the district on an ongoing basis as well as access to devices to borrow for trial use and to use in training teachers and other service providers.
- Seek administrative support, especially from building principals who are often the direct supervisors for both general educators and special educators . Work with them to develop clear procedures for obtaining AT devices or services as well as consultation and collaboration around AT.
- Ensure that direct service providers (e.g. teacher, therapists) participate in AT assessments so that they understand the process and have ownership of the AT recommendations for the students with whom they work.
- Think about the other programs and resources in your district and how to connect to them so that AT is not a separate, isolated program.
- Plan for how you will evaluate AT use and the services you provide.
This worksheet on Developing or Improving AT Services may be helpful as you plan. (Penny R., Oregon)