Evangeline

AT Team Lauren M. Pharr, OTR/L

Debbie Frederick, ST

How Evangeline Parish handles big jobs over and over AGAIN! 2008-2009 School Year; Swing Challenge #12009-2010 School Year; Same Swing Challenge #2 Current Projects Presented Kurzweil at principals meeting Spring 09

AT facilitators attend Adaptive Solutions Conference in Baton Rouge annually to bring home the most current technology news/ideas for promoting classroom/academic performance

Sharing of free websites, free downloads, free applications for academic learning activities continuously (ex. Zac Browser, classtools.net, Read Please, Speakaboos, On-line books, etc.)

Continuation of promoting News-2-You program in self-contained special eduacation classrooms and resource classrooms

Continuation of Boardmaker Trainings; daily use of Boardmaker program to create schedules, communication books, expressive and receptive training books for Behavior Modification drills for Autistic Children

Restructuring of Assistive Technology needs and services for all non-verbal children in Evangeline Parish; teaming up with Speech Therapist in parish to better meet the needs of these students

Promoting more widespread us of Intellikeys parish wide in conjunction with Promethium Boards

Educating teachers on the use of Smilebox.com - a free on-line scrapbooking website to document progress, provide inservices/education tool for parents and teachers, incorporate video modeling as a teaching tool for children with Autism and documentation of Assistive Technology uses in the educational environment Click here to access Evangeline Parishes Smilebox video modeling samples

Region IV AT Coordinators providing AIM inservice to Lead Special Education teachers on January 21st 2010. Lead special education teachers will then bring the information on AIM to their respective schools

AT Success Stories Non-Verbal student able to identify vocabulary / verbs using ATLAS program

Non-Verbal students utilizing Go Talk, SuperTalker in classroom setting

Applying Kurzweil for Reading, Writing and Spelling Assignments

My Own Bookshelf Personalized Books utilized as reinforcer to manage behavior and teach sign language

Use of Smart Boards with Kurzweil, Intellikeys and Classroom Suite

Use of Boardmaker parish wide for variety of applications

Use of News 2 You in classroom

Use of Video Modeling to teach pre-writing skills, oral motor skills, expressive and receptive communication skills for children with Autism, behavior issues and other developmental disabilities

Two students with Cerebral Palsy able to independently drive their own powered wheelchair around their school campus using an adaptive joystick control

District Assistive Technology Profile =** Provide current status of assistive technology within the district. Use the information from local resources, the AT Service Delivery Questionnaire, QIAT matrices and/or other district data. **=

** District Demographics **
Population of students 6,028 Population of students with disabilities 948 Economic status

List of schools by type (ie: high schools, charter, model schools)
 * 1) of schools 13

Other
 * 1) of teachers
 * 2) of special education teachers
 * 3) of support personnel

** District Geography **
Describe the geographical area of the district that would affect the delivery of assistive technology services such as structures for travel, rural-city, etc.

Evangeline Parish is a rural parish. The parish seat of Ville Platte is centrally located. Schools are spread out throughout the parish varying from 10 to 35 miles away from Ville Platte.


 * District AT Status ** Current AT status: Include reference to the make-up of the AT team, AT procedures, AT professional development activities, AT resources that are currently available in the district. If the district has documents such as procedures, calendar of PD, web pages, or resources lists, include a copy in the portfolio (or active hyperlink).
 * AT Team: Lauren Pharr, OTR/L (Parish Occupational Therapist and Assistive Technology Coordinator); Debbie Frederick, SLP/L (Parish Speech Therapist and AT Coordinator)
 * AT Procedures: see EPSB AT Process File attached below
 * AT Professional Development Activities: Kurzweil training, Boardmaker Plus training, Intellitools training, augmentative communication device training, AIM training, Regional Contact AT Meetings, annual Adaptive Solutions Assistive Technology Conference, My Own Bookshelf activity development
 * AT Resources: Kurzweil, Boardmaker, Intellikeys, touch screen computers, augmentative communication devices, switches and switch toys, SAM Joystick (switch adapted mouse), environmental control unit, PECS, picture schedules, laptop computers, various adaptive computer software programs, various low tech AT solutions, Region IV for AT checkout library

Summary of Assistive Technology Data
Summarize data from the needs assessment/QIAT. The __Evangeline__ __Parish School District utilizes the Assistive Techonology Tracker Program developed by Sherion Hollingsworth to summarize the above data.__

__Note any Regular Technology Plan or UDL that may affect AT in the district:__
 * Use of Promethium Boards and Smart Boards throughout the district as a UDL in both regular and special education classrooms.
 * Many classrooms equiped with computers for student use.
 * Technology depatment maintains educationally related technology links on our EPSB website for use by all teachers (ex. link to Read Please, etc.)
 * Technology workshops are offered to all teachers in the parish (often linked to grant applications for technology devices for daily classroom use)

__Identify the AT team membership and the role of them__
 * Lauren Pharr (occupational therapist and AT coordintor) - primary focus on motor aspect needs of AT; receive AT referrals, conduct AT evaluation, analyize data, produce AT evaluation, participate in IEP meeting to make recommendations, order materials, train necessary personnel, follow up, monitor and maintenance of AT
 * Debbie Frederick (speech therapist and AT coordinator) - primary focus on communication aspect needs of AT; receive AT referrals, conduct AT evaluation, analyize data, produce AT evaluation, participate in IEP meeting to make recommendations, order materials, train necessary personnel, follow up, monitor and maintenance of AT

__ Provide a flow chart or description of how AT services are accessed within the district __



__ Before completing the plan, identify the following: __

__ Provide a statement that indicates what the district AT will look like in 5 years __ Evangeline Parish School District will strive to expand the AT team. We would like to see one person with the full time job responsiblity of Assistive Technology coordinator without the hassle of a full time "therapy" caseload. We would also like to see our school distirict personnel become more computer literate, less fearful of technology and take initiative / ownership of alternate ways to teach individuals with special needs.

__Provide a statement that indicates how the district expects to achieve the above.__ We expect to achieve the above by utilizing AT Tracker software to document every point of contact conducted by AT team memebers. This will in turn "prove"/indicate/document the need for additional personnel. Additionally, more requirements issued by the LA State Department of Education regar​ding AT and AIM further indicates the need for a full time AT position.

__Mission Statement__
The Assistive Technology Team’s mission is to provide the necessary support for students in Special Education to access the curriculum, through the use of appropriate assistive technology equipment and services. The use of assistive technology will enable students to meet individual educational goals and exceed expectations

According to the EPSB Superintendent, the vision of the Evangeline Parish School System is to provide educational programs that empower all students to develop skills for life-long learning and good citizenship in a wholesome and nurturing environment

The process of assistive technology planning begins first with answering the question “What do we want ___ students to do with assistive technology?” If you use national, state and local standards or QIAT indicators list those.

We would like EPSB students who qualify for AT to be able to access their educational curriculum to achieve national, state and local standards through the use of appropriate AT.

What are the assistive technology goals for staff? Identify different levels of staff that need to be considered: Supervisors: to become more aware of the necessity of a full time position need for Assistive Technology Administrators: become more aware of who is using AT in their schools and enforcing use Special Education Teachers/Service Providers: provide student with increased opportunity to utilize AT, take initiative to incoorp. AT into daily lessons Regular Education Teachers: improve tolerance for children utilizing AT as they are mainstreamed into the regular education population Assistive Technology Staff: to provide necessary documentation/proof of AT service time requirements to advocate for a full time AT position Pupil Appraisal: to become more aware of consideration of AT and determine benefit vs. qualification


 * Basic Awareness of Assistive Technology (Laws, Definitions, Resources)** EPSB Pupil Appraisal Team is informed of updated/changes/guidelines with AT through Webinars given by the Louisiana State Department of Education. It is the responsibility of the Pupil Appraisal Team members to be familiar with policy and procedures concerning AT referrals according to Bulletin 1508. Staff is educated on how to access the Region IV Assistive Technology Center Website as a resource and for additional assistance in gaining the most up to date information regarding AT. Evangeline Parish contacted the Region IV Center for Assistive Technology for assistance in providing a parishwide inservice to lead speical education teachers regarding AIM policy, procedures and avaiable resources. Our teachers are instructed to be in close contact with the Region IV AT Center for any future questions/issues that may arrise regarding AIM. EPSB AT team is in the process of surveying needs for additional Kurzweil Training options. These trainings will be offered during after school hours and/or during the school day. EPSB AT team also provides various trainings on AT software, AT devices, etc. as a group or on site as needed. Additionally, EPSB AT team attends the Adaptive Solutions Assistive Technology Conference annually to gain the most updated knowledge regarding technological advances and how to customize various AT devices and software to meet the needs of students with disabilities. Lastly, EPSB AT team attends quarterly Assistive Technology meetings at the Reigon IV AT Center to share ideas with other AT professionals, sample new devices / free educational websites and to gain new AT information regarding policy and procedures pertaining to students with disabilities.


 * Personal and Professional Use of Assistive Technology.** EPSB AT team utilizes AT Tracker Plus software by Adaptive Solutions which is a database that enables us to keep track of every point of contact conducted involving AT. This software program gives us a way to maintain a database of all AT students, all equipment/devices owned and a way to track equipment usage with a built in "check in/check out" system. AT Tracker is also utilized to document equipment repairs and/or maintenance.


 * Application of Assistive Technology in Instruction. ** Teachers are utilizing Kurzweil in the classroom as an alternate teaching technique to help facilitate reading and writing processes. Teachers are also using Intellikeys keyboards as an alternate way to access the computer to reinforce educational concepts being taught in the classroom. Additionally, teachers, speech therapist and occupational therapist who teach children with Autism are utilizing Boardmaker Software to create educational materials, communication boards, picture schedules and behavior token economy systems. Free AT software via the internet is also utilized in serveral classrooms for various educational applications. Smart Boards and Promethium Boards are also utilized parish wide in regular and special education classrooms to enhance the educational experience.

What are the assistive technology goals for staff? Identify different levels of staff that need to be considered: -**Administrators:** to become more aware of the scope of AT and the time it takes from the referral, to the eval, to ordering of equipment, through follow up and maintenance for each student requiring AT service and realize that a full time position is warranted

**-Special Education Teachers/Service Providers:** increase speech therapist knowledge of role in providing follow up on AT on a weekly basis in regards to communication and collaborating with special education teachers; to find ways to motivate special education teachers to utilize AT more effectively and establish a sense of "teacher autonomy" in regards to including the AT as daily part of their instruction

**Regular Education Teachers**: to increase awareness of identifying children who may benefit from low tech AT devices

**Assistive Technology Staff:** to be included in Pupil Appraisal staffings to achieve a more consistent way to approach AT; continue to collect data/documentation to prove need for additional AT staff

**Pupil Appraisal:** to become more consistent with the AT referral process and all follow the same procedure

**Goals**: EPSB will improve our overall Assistive Technoloy initiative by making advances/corrections in our AT referral process, increase our opportunities to collaborate with Pupil Appraisal and by enhancing our ability to motivate teachers and service providers for practical AT use in the classroom.
 * ACTION PLAN:**

**Objectives:**
 * 1) 1. EPSB AT Team and Pupil Appraisal Team will meet to discuss policy and procedures regarding the AT referral process.
 * 2) 2. EPSB AT team will be invited to Pupil Appraisal staffings when AT is being considered for a student.
 * 3) 3. EPSB AT team will request our Special Education Supervisior to inform the Speech Therapist and Special Education teachers to take a more active role in incoorporating AT during instructional time.


 * 1) 4. EPSB AT team will provide on going training opportunities to staff throughout the school year.


 * 1) 5. EPSB AT team will continue to collect AT data, attend annual AT conference and attend quartley Region IV AT contact meetings.

AT Team, Pupil Appraisal, Special Education Supervisor, and Speech Therapist all have a role in achieving the above objectives.
 * Responsible Party **

Funding/ Resources
Special Education department to provide funding if needed and/or necessary.

**Timelines** All objectives will begin March 1, 2010. Objective #1: proposed completion date April 1, 2010 Objective #2: on-going Objective #3: May 26, 2010 Objective #4: on-going Objective #5: on-going, AT conference 4/28/10 - 4/30/10, AT Contact meetings 3/23/10 and 5/12/10

**Personnel Responsible** Lauren Pharr and Debbie Frederick will be responsible for certifying that the above objectives have been completed.

Documentation via sign in sheets for meetings, meeting agenda outlines, e-mails, AT Tracker software
 * Evaluation **

Continuous Improvement and Evaluation:
**Plan for Evaluation of the District Assistive Technology Plan**
 * 1) 1. Referral process should flow more smoothly and will be evidenced by speed of completion
 * 2) 2. Timely notification of staffings regarding students being considered for AT and attendance by AT team
 * 3) 3. Special Education teachers and Speech Therapist will be wittnessed/observed taking a more active role by AT team and Special Education Supervisors
 * 4) 4. Post inservice surveys, teacher reports, observations in classrooms, student progress
 * 5) 5. Evidenced by information in AT tracker software and hand written AT logs; conference attendance certificates, information shared with teachers and service providers from AT conference and AT Regional Contact meetings via e-mail, inservice, site visits, etc. and see implementation in the classrooms

EPSB AT team (Lauren Pharr and Debbie Frederick) will be requested by the Special Education supervisor to be responsible for maintaining this plan and reporting this evaluation. The AT team will consult with the Region IV AT center on how they will request this information to be delivered. .
 * Reporting to Steakholder:**