Assistive Technology Coordinator
It can be frustrating to watch your son or daughter not have the opportunity to communicate with others or participate in a variety of activities with their peers (in regards to social skills, daily living skills, employment, leisure activities , and education). This frustration can be resolved with the assistance of an assistive technology coordinator (some may have the title of assistive technology service provider). The assistive technology coordinator is a trained individual and Individualized Education Plan team member that can assist with finding ways for a child with special needs to communicate with others or have more accessibility to activities and interactions with their peers and loved ones through modifications and technology.
What Does an Assistive Technology Coordinator Do for Children with Special Needs?
Now that you know who an assistive technology coordinator is, you may be wondering how he or she can help your child with special needs. An assistive technology coordinator will go either into the the child's home or classroom and interview all those that work with the child as well as make observations. The assistive technology coordinator will then identify ways that will assist the child in either communicating with others, have more access to opportunities to complete tasks (i.e. daily living skills, leisure skills, vocational skills, academic skills, etc.), or interact with peers and loved ones. This may be done through making modifications for the task itself, utilizing augmentative and alternative communication (i.e voice output devices, pictures, etc.), locating positioning devices, identifying seating and mobility devices, developing academic accommodations, etc. This information will be provided to the child, child's parents, child's childcare provider, and teachers. The services that an assistive technology coordinator provides are usually done through consultations. It is important to keep the assistive technology coordinator updated on any concerns, problems, or observations that you have made in regards to the services and materials provided to your child and you. Your child may be receiving services from multiple service providers (i.e. occupational therapist, physical therapist, speech-language pathologist, etc.), it is important to have open communication with all of your child's Individualized Education Plan (IEP) team members.
