Here's something not seen too often on this list: a posting on rural
America. Below is a paper from CSUN on a success story on providing
assistive technology in a rural area.
kelly
Providing Assistive Technology in a Rural Setting: Steps to Success
Sue Murn Assistive Technology Teacher
ONC BOCES-Innovative Programs
Cyr Center
Stamford, NY 12167
Email: [log in to unmask]
David Mitchell
Director, Innovative Programs
ONC BOCES
Cyr Center
Stamford, NY 12167
Email: [log in to unmask]
Otsego-Northern Catskill BOCES, or Board of Cooperative Educational
Services, is part of a co-op that provides shared services in public
schools throughout New York State. Located about 2 hours southeast of
Syracuse, and three hours north of Manhattan, ONC BOCES serves 19
school districts with a total population of approximately 12,000
students with a geographical area of 1500 square miles. Of the 12,000
students, over 1500 are students with disabilities which represents
13% of the total population.
Our BOCES region includes most of Otsego County, northern Delaware
County, southern Schoharie County and western Greene County in New
York State, an area larger than Rhode Island. Predominantly rural,
with many pockets of poverty, 17 of the 19 schools are K-12 with total
populations of approximately 500 students per district. All of our
schools face financial constraints and have to make difficult
decisions in program offerings to their students. Although financial
resources are limited, we are still able to convince schools of the
importance of Assistive Technology
_________________________________________________________________
Evolution
Prior to our Assistive Technology (AT) services, any student for whom
AT was a consideration had to make the trip to Utica, NY where our
state's Alliance for Technology Access center, Techspress was located.
For some students, that trip was 3 hours each way. It also involved
sending teachers and therapists so coverage had to be provided for
these people while they participated in the technology consultation.
In some cases, the district would send everyone on a school bus. This
took the student and the team out of their familiar environment and
put them into a strange setting at great cost.
The Assistive Technology program began in 1993 when a small grant was
written by our Special Education Training and Resource Center
Director. This grant provided for a group of four volunteers to
receive training at our state Alliance for Technology Access Center
for a week. The team then had $10,000 to spend to begin developing a
library of hardware and software to be used in evaluation of
technology tools for learning by students and their educational teams.
New administration was very supportive of the program beginnings and
worked with the SETRC Director to offer to the component school
districts free evaluations for the remainder of the school year by the
recently trained team members. A referral process was developed and
the team handled 25 evaluations in the first three months. Team
members were still volunteers as there was no formal program at this
time.
Evaluations resulted in reports; recommendations included equipment,
setup, training, and direct support for students over a period of
time. School districts were billed for setup, training and student
support. Consultants were able to guide districts in finding funding,
when possible.
Fees for service and writing grants at the local and state level
enabled the program to continue to grow. A full time Assistive
Technology Teacher was hired in January of 1996. This teacher was
responsible for doing all evaluations, setup, training, and student
support as well as maintaining and updating equipment. 10 students
from 5 districts made up the original caseload; there are presently 40
students receiving direct services, 25 who are seen on an "as-needed"
basis only, and 10 evaluations pending.
A half-time Assistive Technology teacher was hired in September of
1997. Another full time person will be added in September of 1999 as
we now service all of the districts, cross-contract with the
neighboring BOCES and with an adult agency as well. Services include:
* evaluation of technology tools with individuals and their
educational teams
* setup of equipment
* training
* direct and indirect service to individuals
* workshops
* teacher training
Setting up a local program enabled us to reach students in their own
environments and allowed us to take more time in recommending
appropriate tools for each individual with the likelihood of more
input from team members and more ownership. The Alliance for
Technology Access has been instrumental in success of this program;
the original Assistive Technology Teacher was trained at the ATA
center, Techspress. Continued support has come in loans of equipment,
advice and direction, vendor support, and ongoing AT education through
conferences and a daily conversation through the ATA listserve in
which technology questions and answers are offered. In an isolated,
rural region, this brainstorming is invaluable.
_________________________________________________________________
Barriers
* Misconceptions: Parents, teachers, and administrators alike have
misconceptions about what the technology can and will do for a
child. Some believe that it is a crutch and is doing the work for
the child. Others believe that a child with a disability who uses
it will be "cured".
* Technology is a tool, rather than a goal. Many times the computer
or the technology has waited for the arrival of the AT Teacher
before it is used. Educating the team that the technology is the
tool rather than the outcome is critical. For example: "Justin
will write three complete sentences, including correct punctuation
and capitalization with Write:OutLoud" ensures that the child has
the tool in place and is using it to meet educational objectives.
* "You can lead a teacher to technology but you can't make her use
it..." Teachers still are not using classroom computers as
teaching tools. In most classrooms, the computer is used as a
reward system and is off more than it is on because it is "too
distracting."
* Mindset: in our area, if you have a visible disability, the
general mindset is that you'll be riding on the big blue buses
headed for day treatment or the workshop after you leave the
public schools.
* Money: this is the major barrier for our districts. Districts tend
to look at purchases on an annual basis rather than at long range
success for individuals. A computer system is an enormous expense
for any of our districts. Convincing a Board of Education that a
6th grader needs a computer and that the skills acquired at a
young age will serve that individual later in life is a difficult
concept when state aid and other budgetary concerns are a reality.
Working with districts to find money is one of the puzzle pieces
to success.
* Geography: covering 19 school districts means direct contact is
limited to once a week or less per individual. This becomes worse
when winter weather is a factor. If the technology is only being
used when the AT teacher is on site, the student loses.
_________________________________________________________________
Steps to Success
* Commitment to the kids: as educators, parents, technologists,
friends, therapists or whatever role we play, the individuals we
work with are reason and focus of our being involved with the
Assistive Technology program.
* Administrative support: much of the success of this program has
been due to the vision of the director of our Innovative Programs.
In the early stages, budgets were creatively manipulated in order
to find funding for equipment and for the first AT Teacher
position. As the program has evolved this has continued.
* Team building: In our program, the entire team is involved from
the beginning of the process of selecting the technology and
strategies are used to make sure that involvement continues. If
the team is not invested in the technology, it will not be used
and the student will not benefit. The best evaluations are the
ones where the OT says, "well, we need to worry about his posture
so let's support his feet." or the classroom teacher says "Is
there a way to make the computer talk to him because I notice that
he understands things better when he hears them."
* Support from home: without exception, every school that currently
uses our services started doing so because a parent insisted that
technology should be considered for his or her child. In addition,
the technology sometimes is used at home. Consistency in access,
platform and software is a must.
* Creative financing: in a poor socio-economic region where budgets
are cut annually and technology is the first to go, and where the
special education budget is always questioned we try to be as
judicious in making recommendations as possible. If the school is
using a PC platform, and a computer is recommended for a student,
a computer that matches that platform is recommended. In some
cases, software or hardware for access is the only adaptation
needed if a computer is available for the child to access.
* Know the law: Understand the laws, especially IDEA and P.L. 94-142
and the rights and protections offered to students and individuals
with disabilities. This enables even the most reluctant of school
districts to provide needed services and equipment. In addition,
within some of these laws are the mechanics of funding high-cost
items. Considerable time is spent looking at funding AT for
students through 94-142 and 89-313 monies. In 50% of the schools
served by our programs, administration has said they have not
bothered to apply for the 89-313 monies because it is too much
paperwork and you don't get much money out of it. Providing help
in doing this paperwork has resulted in some good equipment
purchases in a timely fashion
* Work with outside agencies, which have purchased computers,
hardware, or software for students. Know the workings of VESID or
vocational rehabilitation organization, ARC, and other regional
centers and agencies directing funds for agencies such as OMRDD.
Become familiar with Independent Living Centers and with programs
offered locally.
* Write grants: much of our equipment was funded initially through
demonstration grants. At the end of the life of the grant we were
able to keep the equipment. We continue to write grants as well
for demonstration projects with varying success.
* Use technology for everyone: the more people who see and use the
technology, the better. In one 4th grade classroom, they received
a new bundle of CD's. The teacher lamented that she would never be
able to get into those because she just didn't have time. By
splitting the class into groups, teaching them proper use of CD's,
and assigning a CD to each group, each student team was
responsible for reviewing the disk and at the end of two weeks to
do a 5 minute "show and tell" highlighting features to classmates.
Often the students who use the AT services are able to lead the
way in this because their comfort level with a computer is
greater. Teaming students allows many different levels of learning
to take place. It is really powerful to look into a classroom and
not be able to pick out the students with disabilities because
they are working at the same tasks as peers.
_________________________________________________________________
Evolution for Continued Success
The model is evolutionary based on the needs of the individuals
served. As the 1998-99 school year progresses, the emphasis has turned
to teacher training within the component school districts.
Rationale: If teachers are aware of the tools that exist at their
fingertips, have the opportunity not only to help select the
technology but also to have the time to try it and use it, they will
be more likely to use it. If they understand what a student is using
and why, they are more likely to make sure it is being used. If they
understand law and funding sources the team becomes stronger in
advocating for a student.
Providing training on site means that teachers do not have to travel,
are in their own environments, their own tools are used, training is
entirely hands-on, and often the students they work with are involved
in the training. As the teachers work through the training they are
required to develop lessons and instruction using the tools and become
invested in using these under supervision. Gradually this supervision
is reduced and teachers have become very invested and independent in
making sure the tools are used.
Finally, AT is applied in the schools by the school teaching staff on
a regular basis. This leads to a stronger support overall of each
student and is not reliant upon a sporadic visit by the AT provider.
The AT teacher is then able to provide services and training as needed
and waiting periods for evaluations are shorter.
_________________________________________________________________
Summary
Our AT program is evolutionary in nature and the evolution is
determined by the needs of the individuals we serve.
Each student is different and unique and we need to have the means to
allow the student to grow through the technology.
With the barriers still in place, we manage to have a very successful
program. With Alliance support, and with growing awareness of the
power of AT by the districts and agencies, we are making it happen in
a deprived rural setting.
_________________________________________________________________
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