The needs of the student and the availability and accessibility of assistive technology will largely determine your best course of action for obtaining assistive technology. While some assistive technology can easily be acquired through your own efforts, some technologies may be better obtained through the education system. Public Education systems in the United States are required to provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to all eligible students and partnering with a student’s school and district can help you create a plan for the success of your student and leverage resources to help your student succeed in the classroom or wherever their learning environment may be. 

In order to obtain assistive technology through your school system, you will first want to have your student participate in an evaluation process. This will help you and your student’s educators best determine what your student needs and how the education system can support you in meeting those needs. These evaluations should generally be conducted by an independent professional who, as a 3rd party, can assess the student’s needs without bias, and can leverage their professional experience to determine how to best help a student succeed.  Da Vince Education and Research is one of these excellent professional education organizations and there are several similar organizations available in New York and in the United States.  

Once the evaluation is complete, it can then be used to help create an IEP or an Individualized Education Program, which is a written plan that documents your student’s needs and the strategies you and the school can take to help them succeed. You will want to ensure that as part of the IEP, you examine your student’s need for assistive technology and that you make sure to document clearly any assistive technology services that the student will want to receive. This documentation is important to make sure that you have a clear plan for helping your student and that everyone involved understands that plan and the assistive technology involved.  The district can then work to help you obtain any of those assistive technology devices that your student needs. 

After a student receives their assistive technology device, you will want to make sure they receive proper training and time to practice to be able to use the device effectively. As your student continues to progress in their education plan, their assistive technology needs may also change. Regularly reviewing the IEP can help both parents and educators ensure that the student is receiving the help they need and that any adjustments that are needed as the student progresses can be made in a timely manner. Parents, teachers and district administrators also need to ensure that all parts of the student’s learning environment, such as the home, classroom and the student’s school activities are working together to help the student succeed and that the assistive technology the student is using is effective and accessible in all of their learning environments. Making sure the assistive technology device can be taken home and function properly at home or that a student has a plan and assistive technology solution as needed for all of their learning environments will make sure that your student can succeed with their learning both at home, in the classroom and in all of their learning activities.