Resources for AT Evaluation

As teams carry out AT evaluations, they may need resources to support their efforts. These resources address several aspects of the AT Evaluation process.

• WATI modules at atinternetmodules.org-The Ohio Center on Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI) has developed and maintains an excellent resource that includes dozens of different modules related to AT.  The modules from WATI (The Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative) can be especially helpful in learning more about AT tools. There are 39 modules in total and they cover both the use of the WATI AT Assessment process and a wide range of AT Tools, including those for writing, reading, mobile device use, vision, hearing, mobility, and more.  (Note: If you have already signed up with the AT Internet Modules, the link will take you directly to the module dashboard for the WATI modules. If you have not yet signed up, go ahead and do that. There is no charge and they do not share your name with anyone else. Then investigate the many modules available.)
• School-Based Assistive Technology Writing Evaluation-The School-Based Assistive Technology Writing Evaluation is an outstanding resource for a team wanting to evaluate a student's ability to produce written output and to document the impact of the use of AT to support writing. It can serve as an excellent guide to the steps involved in conducting a thorough and useful evaluation of a student's need for AT for writing.
• AAC Report Coach-The AAC Report Coach is a resource to help in developing a comprehensive report of the student's abilities and needs related to communication. Its very thorough content can also help guide the AAC evaluation itself in that the speech/language pathologist (SLP) or team will need to gather the specific information suggested in the AAC Report Coach in order to complete it, including trial use of potential AT tools.
• Free webinars from AbleNet-AbleNet, Inc. has for several years offered a wide variety of webinars related to assistive technology devices and services through their AbleNet University program. There are new webinars being offered each month and a very robust listing of past webinars that can be viewed at any time. There is no charge for these and they offer a certificate of attendance for educators who participate. Go to directly to the resources section of their website and sign up. There is no charge to sign up and they do not share your name with anyone else. Look for more information about tools or service delivery depending upon your needs.
• Protocal for Accommodations in Reading (PAR)-The PAR was developed by Dr. Denise DeCoste and Linda Bastiana Wilson to help determine whether a student needs accommodations in order to get meaning from text. Don Johnston, Inc. provides the PAR at no charge after you provide your contact information and answer a few simple questions.
• Communication Matrix- The Communication Matrix is a free assessment tool to help families and professionals easily understand the communication status, progress, and unique needs of anyone functioning at the early stages of communication or using forms of communication other than speaking or writing. It can be used both online and off line. The results appear in a table format.