About AsTech

The Individuals with Disability Education Act (IDEA) requires that assistive technology be considered at every student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting. The IEP team discusses whether the provision of an assistive technology device or service is required for the student to receive a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). If the IEP team decides there is a need for assistive technology that cannot be met within the knowledge base and technology already available at the school, a referral should be made to the AsTech team. The AsTech Team then conducts an assessment and makes recommendations to the IEP team.

Assistive technology device means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a child with a disability. The term does not include a medical device that is surgically implanted, or the replacement of such device (34 CFR §300.5).

Assistive technology service means any service that directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device (34 CFR §300.6).

APS uses the SETT Framework to guide the AsTech assessment.

The SETT framework, developed by Dr. Joy Zabala (1990), is used to identify the characteristics of the Student, the learning Environment and the Tasks required to actively participate in learning to determine what features of additional assistive technology (AT) Tool(s) are needed to support a student’s access to learning.