assistive technology and social workers: how we can partner for student success susy woods, public...
TRANSCRIPT
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIAL WORKERS: HOW WE CAN PARTNER FOR STUDENT
SUCCESSSUSY WOODS, PUBLIC POLICY AND EDUCATION LIASON
217-638-8411 OR [email protected]
TOGETHER…AND YET SO FAR APARTWHAT DO WE HAVE IN COMMON?
WE ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT WE DO.
WE LOVE THE PEOPLE WE WORK WITH AND FOR.
WE WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
TOGETHER….AND WHERE ARE WE DIFFERENT:
WHAT WE DO IS VERY DIFFERENT AT TIMES.
WE ARE TRAINED IN VERY DIFFERENT WAYS.
YOU ARE IN THE FIELD EVERY DAY ALL THE TIME. WE ARE USUALLY NOT.
SO….HOW WELL DO WE KNOW EACH OTHER?WHAT ARE SIX THINGS YOU WOULD LIKE THE WORLD TO KNOW ABOUT YOU AND THE WORK YOU DO?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
HOW WELL DO WE DO KNOW EACH OTHER?
SIX QUESTIONS FOR YOU ABOUT THE ILLINOIS ASSISTIVE TECHNOGY PROGRAM: HOW LONG HAVE WE BEEN IN
EXISTENCE? HOW ARE WE FUNDED? WHAT SERVICES DO WE
PROVIDE? HOW MUCH OF THE STATE DO
WE SERVE? WHAT AGES? IS ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
MENTIONED IN IDEA? WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN HIGH AND LOW TECH?
IN SUMMARY:WE ARE MORE ALIKE THAN DIFFERENT
AND SO IT BENEFITS US BOTH TO
WORK TOGETHER.
WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT SOCIAL WORKERS FROM IEPS:
1.
YOU KNOW HOW TO THINK
OUTSIDE THE BOX AND ARE NOT
AFRAID TO DO THIS.
I LEARNED….
2.
YOU GET DISABILITY AND UNDERSTAND THAT
TWO PEOPLE WITH THE SAME DIAGNOSIS
ARE STILL VERY DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND
HAVE TO BE APPROACHED THAT WAY.
I LEARNED…3.
YOU UNDERSTAND THE CONNECTION
BETWEEN SUPPORTING THE STUDENT AND
SUPPORTING THE FAMILY AND THAT
OFTEN YOU CANT DO ONE IF YOU
DON’T DO THE OTHER.
I LEARNED….4.
YOU GET SENSORY ISSUES AND HOW
VERY MUCH THIS IMPACTS SUCH THINGS
AS ANXIETY, BEHAVIOR, AND ANY NUMBER
OF SOCIAL EMOTIONAL ISSUES.
I LEARNED….5. YOU KNOW HOW TO WORK WITH A
VARIETY OF PEOPLE AND UNDERSTAND
WHAT PART EACH OF THEM PLAYS IN
WHAT IS OFTEN A COMPLICATED
PUZZLE.
I LEARNED:6. YOU UNDERSTAND LANGUAGE
AND THAT PRAGMATIC LANGUAGE AND
BODY LANGUAGE AND UNDERSTANDING
IDIOMS AND INFERENCES IS A HUGE
NEED FOR BEING ABLE TO FIT IN SOCIALLY.
POOLING RESOURCES
CALL US TO BORROW THINGS. WE MAY
HAVE THE PERFECT SENSORY TOY OR GAME
FOR INDIVIDUALS OR SOCIAL GROUPS OR
WE MAY HAVE MANY OTHER THINGS YOU
CAN SUGGEST TO PEOPLE ON YOUR TEAM
POOLING RESOURCES
YOU CAN GO ONLINE TO SEE WHAT YOU CAN BORROW
YOU CAN ALSO CALL NIKKI SCHULTZ TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IS AVAILABLE.
OUR WEBSITE IS
WWW.ILLINOISASSISTIVETECHNOLOGY.ORG
AND OUR NUMBER IS 217-522-7985.
WE CAN ALSO MAIL THINGS TO YOU AND YOU CAN BORROW UP TO FIVE WEEKS AND SOMETIMES LONGER DEPENDING ON WHETHER THERE IS A WAIT LIST.
POOLING….
IF YOU ARE WORKING WITH A STUDENT
WHO MAY BENEFIT FROM AN EVALUATION
FROM US SHARE THIS WITH OTHERS ON
THE TEAM
THIS COULD BE AN EVALUATION FOR AN
AUGMENTATIVE COMMUNICATION DEVICE
OR SOMETHING TO HELP THE STUDENT
ACADEMICALLY OR TO SUPPORT HIS
PHYSICAL NEEDS.
POOLING:WE REALIZE YOU ARE NOT THE TEACHER OR
THE SPEECH OR OT OR PT THERAPIST
BUT YOU ARE THE ONE WHO WILL KNOW
WHEN THE STUDENT IS HAVING ANXIETY
OR WITHDRAWAL OR OTHER BEHAVIOR AND
THIS MAY BE TIED TO THEIR FRUSTRATION
THAT AT MIGHT HELP.
AND THE PRICE IS RIGHT WHEN WE DO THE EVAL: THERE IS NO CHARGE WHEN THE SCHOOL REQUESTS IT.
POOLING…
FOR TRANSITION AGE STUDENTS WE CAN
DO A LOT TO HELP WITH INDEPENDENT
LIVING SKILLS AND EQUIPMENT AND
RESOURCES NOT ONLY IN SCHOOL
BUT ALSO IN THE WORKPLACE AND IN
THE HOME.
AND P.S. WE CAN ALSO DO EVALS FOR
EQUIPMENT THAT CAN BE HELPFUL IN
THE WORKPLACE.
POOLING….YOU ARE A GREAT ALLY AT UNDERSTAND-
ING WHEN THINGS ARENT WORKING AND
NEED TO BE CHANGED.
THIS CAN INVOLVE A.T. BUT IT CAN
ALSO INVOLVE MANY OTHER THINGS AND
OFTEN SOCIAL WORKERS ARE THE FIRST
PEOPLE TO REALIZE SOMETHING ISNT
WORKING BECAUSE OF THE STUDENT’S
BEHAVIOR OR WORDS OR ATTITUDES.
POOLING….TALKING AND WORKING WITH FAMILIES IS
WHAT SOCIAL WORKERS ARE WONDERFUL
AT.
THERE ARE TWO AREAS IN PARTICULAR THAT
COULD BE AT RELATED:
STIGMA
COST
POOLING…
STIGMA:
THIS CAN BE A PROBLEM ESPECIALLY FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL AGE.
THEY DON’T WANT TO STAND OUT OR BE DIFFERENT SO SOMETIMES THEY WILL REFUSE TO WEAR HEARING AIDES OR USE AN IPAD IF NO ONE ELSE IS USING THEM.
THEY DON’T WANT TO LEAVE THE ROOM TO BE TESTED OR DO ANYTHING THAT MAKES THEM STAND OUT.
YOUR SKILLS CAN BE INSTRUMENTAL IN SOME OF THESE SITUATIONS!
POOLING….. COST:
WHEN A STUDENT NEEDS A.T. THERE CAN BE SUBSTANTIAL COST.
IF THE AT IS CONSIDERED NECESSARY BY THE IEP TEAM THEN THE SCHOOL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING THIS. HOWEVER IT IS ALWAYS GOOD TO LOOK AT OTHER OPTIONS SINCE THE OPTIMUM SOLUTION IS FOR THE FAMILY TO OWN THE AT BECAUSE IT IS THEN THEIRS.
YOU CAN HELP BY TALKING TO FAMILIES ABOUT FEASABLE OPTIONS. AND WE CAN ALSO HELP WITH IDEAS ABOUT WHERE TO LOOK.
POOLING….
COST:
INSURANCE MAY PAY
MEDICAID MAY PAY
IF THE STUDENT IS A DSCC CLIENT THEY MAY PAY
IF THE STUDENT IS EMPLOYED DRS MAY PAY
WE HAVE A LOAN PROGRAM THAT IS LOW INCOME THAT PARENTS MAY ACCESS
SOME COUNTIES HAVE GROUPS THAT MAY PAY SUCH AS THE ELKS OR LIONS OR KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
POOLING:
FOR YOU AS WELL AS FOR US WORKING WITH FAMILIES IS A LARGE PART OF WHAT WE DO.
OFTEN FAMILIES ARE OVERWHELMED AND FEEL POWERLESS IN DEALING WITH THEIR CHILD’S DISABILITY.
WE CAN PARTNER IN WORKING WITH FAMILIES AND HELPING THEM FIND COMMUNITY RESOURCES TO HELP BOTH THEIR CHILD AND THEIR FAMILY.
PRINCIPLES FOR INTEGRATION OF A.T. IN THE CLASSROOM:PRINCIPLE ONE:
A STUDENT-CENTERED TEAM SHOULD ADDRESS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY AND THIS INVOLVES ALL PEOPLE WHO WILL WORK WITH THE STUDENT.
PRINCIPLES:PRINCIPLE TWO:
ALL STAFF SHOULD HAVE TIME TO
PLAN OUT HOW BEST TO WORK
WITH THE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY.
PRINCIPLES:
PRINCIPLE THREE:
THE A.T. SHOULD BE AGE-
APPROPRIATE AND MOTIVATING
FOR THE STUDENT TO USE OR
HE MAY REFUSE TO USE IT.
PRINCIPLES:PRINCIPLE FOUR:
ALL STAFF SHOULD HAVE TIME TO LEARN THE AT BEFORE IT IS INTRODUCED INTO THE CLASSROOM ROUTINE.
IF THE STUDENT SENSES YOUR FEAR ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY HE MAY ALSO FEAR LEARNING SOMETHING NEW.
PRINCIPLES….PRINCIPLE FIVE:
AT SHOULD BE EASILY ACCESSIBLE WITHIN THE CLASSROOM.
THIS MEANS RELIABLE, EASY TO SET UP AND EASY TO USE.
THIS ALSO MEANS AS EASY TO GET TO AND PUT IN THE STUDENT’S HANDS AS PAPERS ARE FOR OTHER STUDENTS.
PRINCIPLES….PRINCIPLE SIX:
SCHOOL STAFF MUST HAVE TIME TO CREATE CLASS MATERIALS.
THESE MATERIALS MUST BE SPECIFIC TO THE CURRICULUM AND WHILE THE INTERNET HAS A PLETHORA OF MATERIALS TO SUPPORT A DEVICE OR CURRICULUM TEACHERS AND THERAPISTS STILL NEED THE TIME TO SEARCH, DOWNLOAD AND PREPARE MATERIAL FOR AN INDIVIDUAL STUDENT.
PRINCIPLES….PRINCIPLE SEVEN:
TRAINING AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT MUST BE READILY AVAILABLE.
WHO SHOULD BE TRAINED? STUDENT, TEACHERS, THERAPISTS, OTHER STAFF, STUDENT’S FAMILY.
TRAINING CAN BE DONE BY OTHER AGENCIES (SUCH AS IATP), VENDORS, ETC.
HAND IN HAND WITH TRAINING IS KEEPING THE AT IN GOOD CONDITION.
PRINCIPLES…..PRINCIPLE EIGHT:
STUDENTS NEED SUPPORT FROM THEIR CLASSMATES.
AT CAN EXAGGERATE DIFFERENCES BUT OTHER STUDENTS SHOULD BE MADE PART OF THE TEAM BY UNDERSTANDING WHY THE STUDENT USES AT, HOW IT HELPS AND HOW THEY CAN INTERACT WITH THE STUDENT AND THEIR AT.
PRINCIPLES…..PRINCIPLE NINE:
STUDENTS, TEACHERS, THERAPISTS AND PARENTS NEED ACCESS TO OTHERS WHO ARE USING A.T. SUCCESSFULLY.
EVEN LONG TIME USERS DON’T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE WITH OTHERS SO THAT EVERYONE BECOMES SUCCESSFUL WITH THE AT.
PRINCIPLES….PRINCIPLE TEN:
THE VALUE OF SUPPORT FROM PARENTS AND/OR CAREGIVERS CANNOT BE UNDERESTIMATED.
PARENTS HAVE AN UNIQUE INSIGHT INTO STUDENTS STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES AND THE OPTIMUUM SITUATION IS WHERE EVERYONE AT SCHOOL AND HOME IS ON THE SAME PAGE.
PRINCIPLES…..PRINCIPLE ELEVEN:
REGULAR EDUCATION STAFF MUST HAVE SPECIAL EDUCATION SUPPORT FOR STUDENT EXPECTATIONS, ACCOMMODATION GUIDANCE AND MATERIAL PREPARATION.
AT CONTINUES TO SEGREGATE THE STUDENT IF IT IS SEEN AS A TOOL ONLY FOR THE SPECIAL ED ROOM.
PRINCIPLES….PRINCIPLE TWELVE:
SUPPORT FROM SCHOOL AND DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE.
WHEN PEOPLE AT THE TOP ARE ON BOARD EVERYONE WILL GET ON BOARD.
SOMETIMES SYSTEMIC CHANGES ARE MADE ONE STUDENT, ONE TEACHER, ONE ADMINISTRATOR AT A TIME.
PRINCIPLES….PRINCIPLE THIRTEEN:
AN A.T. TEAM COORDINATOR SAVES TIME, EFFORT, AND DISCOURAGEMENT.
WHEN A DISTRICT HAS THAT POSITION THAT PERSON CAN DO THE RESEARCH, FIND TRAINING, TROUBLESHOOT SOLUTIONS, FIND FUNDING, ETC.
PRINCIPLES…..PRINCIPLE FOURTEEN:
PROCEDURES SHOULD BE SET IN PLACE FOR ONGOING EVALUATIONS AND DOCUMENENTATION OF EFFECTIVENESS.
DATA IS EVERYTHING. NOT ONLY DOES IT SHOW THAT THIS IS THE RIGHT A.T. BUT IT JUSTIFIES THE TEAM’S DECISION.
PRINCIPLES…..PRINCIPLE FIFTEEN:
USING AT IN SETTINGS OTHER THAN THE CLASSROOM IS A POWERFUL WAY TO PROVIDE CONTINUITY OF LEARNING.
EDUCATION IS ABOUT PREPARATION FOR LIFE AND SO THE A.T. SHOULD BE A NATURAL PART OF THAT LIFE AND BECOME SECOND NATURE TO THE STUDENT USING IT.
REASONS YOU MAY HEAR NOT TO USE A.T. (I’VE HEARD THEM ALL!)1. IF THE STUDENT USES A.T. THEY WILL
BECOME DEPENDENT ON IT AND WILL NEVER LEARN TO TALK, WRITE, ETC.
2. THE STUDENT IS LAZY AND UNMOTIVATED OR WOULD NOT DO THIS.
3. THE A.T. GIVES THE STUDENT AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE OVER THE OTHER STUDENTS.
4. THIS IS TOO COSTLY AND OUR DISTRICT CANNOT AFFORD THIS.
5. THE STUDENT ISN’T READY FOR A.T.
6. NO ONE ON STAFF HAS THE TIME TO BE TRAINED ON A.T.
IT TAKES A VILLAGE
AS YOU CAN SEE IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO MAKE A.T. WORK AND SO ALL OF US NEED TO BE INVOLVED IN BEING THAT VILLAGE FROM THE PEOPLE LIKE YOU INVOLVED IN THE DAILY EDUCATION TO THE PEOPLE LIKE US WHO ARE AN OUTSIDE ENTITY AVAILABLE TO YOU.
GOOD NEWS AND BADTHE GOOD NEWS ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION IS THAT WE ARE ALL USING TECHNOLOGY MORE AND MORE IN OUR DAILY LIFE AND SO KIDS USING TECHNOLOGY DON’T STAND OUT AS THEY ONCE DID.
THE BAD NEWS IS THAT IN SOME PLACES WE ALL STILL STRUGGLE TO MAKE SYSTEMIC CHANGES THAT WILL CHANGE ATTITUDES….
AS WE WORK TOGETHER, WHO AT OUR AGENCY CAN HELP?RON MULVANEY, WIPA EXPERT EXTRAORDINAIRE
NIKKI SCHULTZ, DEVICE LOAN COORDINATOR GODDESS
JANE TEETER, REUSE PROGRAM GURU
TOM RIDLEY, CRAFTSMAN WITH FLAIR
ROBIN RICHARD AND LYNETTE STRODE, DEMO CENTER TOURANISTAS
T.J. SCHLOUSKI, DIRECTOR OF AT SPECIALISTS
WANDA PARBS, ILOAN FINANCE MANAGER
SUSY WOODS, EDUCATION AND POLICY
AND FINALLY……THANK GOODNESS FOR SOCIAL WORKERS!!!
WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD.
AND DR. SUESS SAYS IT ALL:UNLESS SOMEONE LIKE YOU CARESA WHOLE AWFUL LOTNOTHING IS GOING TO GET BETTERIT’S NOT!!!