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to TopHow and when are the parents and families involved?
Question 25: How and when are the parents and families involved?
Response: Parents must be given an opportunity to participate in the development of their child's Individual Education Program (IEP) and/or Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP). They should have opportunities for ongoing involvement. Family input can help to shape decisions about the practical use of devices in the home environment and other out of school environments. Additionally, the federal definition for AT services includes the provision of training and technical assistance regarding AT to families when necessary. Make sure that the child's IEP/IFSP clearly states responsibilities of parents, families and schools about providing, maintaining, repairing and replacing equipment.
Question 26: What are some of the ways that parents and families can work in partnership with schools to ensure the appropriate provision of AT devices and services?
Response: Parents who know that assistive technology will make school life and learning better for their child should work with school administrators, teachers, and related service providers to assure that equitable educational opportunities exist for all children. Planning should begin before the child enters school. Parents should talk with Pupil Evaluation Team (PET) members about the educational use of the equipment that the child needs. Close communication between parents and administrators, teachers, related service personnel and other school personnel is essential to ensure the assistive technology devices and services are used safely and effectively. For example based on the individual need, the recommendations of the PET for a child who uses an augmentative/ alternative communication (ACC) system might include having a wide variety of people in the education setting (i.e., teacher, bus driver, transportation aid, kitchen staff, peer) familiar with the ACC system. PET members and other professionals should assist parents and families in the planning, implementing, evaluating and monitoring of the effectiveness of the use of a child's assistive technology devices and services.
Question 27: What are the responsibilities of parents, students and educators in the maintenance and repair of equipment and reporting broken equipment?
Response: It is the joint responsibility of the parents, students, and educators to take reasonable care of the device. Families should be responsible for basic maintenance (i.e., charging batteries) and for reporting broken equipment to the appropriate CDS or public school personnel. Families are not responsible for getting equipment repaired that is specified as necessary in the IFSP and/or IEP. The agency responsible for providing the AT should also be responsible for getting equipment repaired and supplying a substitute or alternative when necessary to ensure delivery of services and providing periodic updates of software.
