Is your child struggling to succeed in grade level academic classes (general education classes)?
Are you an advocate or professional who works with a child struggling in general education?
Requirements in IDEA 2004 about access to instructional materials and accessibility standards:
34 CFR 300.172(b) and 20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(23)(B)
In order to meet its responsiblity… to ensure that children with disabilities who need instructional materials in accessible formats are provided those materials in a timely manner, the SEA (State Education Agency) must ensure that all public agencies take all reasonable steps to provide instructional materials in accessible formats to children with disabilities who need those instructional materials at the same time as other children receive instructional materials.
Could your child benefit from Assistive Technology (AT) or Accessible Instruction Materials (AIM)?
If you are uncertain whether AT and AIM is needed, ask yourself the following questions.
- Does your child have the following IEP or 504 accommodations?
– Tests and assignments read aloud by teacher, paraprofessional or parent
– Student dictates essays and assignments to a scribe (teacher, para or parent)
– Extended time on tests and assignments
- Is your child succeeding in his/her general education classes (for example, science or social studies)?
- Did your child score at a Proficient level in reading and writing on State Academic Achievement Tests?
- Has your child’s IEP or Section 504 team discussed the use of assistive technology to access grade level instructional materials?
- Does your child use text-to-speech, word prediction or speech recognition software to independently access, understand and complete assignments from grade level textbooks?
If you want to learn more about AT and AIM: Strategies for Student Success, take advantage of FREE ACCESS to The Advocacy Institute Webinar, Assistive Technology (AT) and Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM): Strategies for Student Success. http://www.advocacyinstitute.org/academy/sample/index.shtml
This Webinar was presented in January 2012 by Pam Cook and Joanne Karger, Esq. of the Center for Law and Education. The archived Webinar (1 and 1/2 hours) can be accessed at no charge for one month (November).