Rationale

The 2013 Connecticut Assistive Technology (AT) Guidelines provides both school districts and Birth to Three service providers guidance to ensure that all children identified for AT services have access to AT through a framework for making decisions about the AT needs of children and students with disabilities. The guidelines outline procedures for making initial consideration decisions, assessment/evaluation, documentation, implementation, and evaluation of effectiveness of the delivery of AT devices and services. The guidelines support students and children served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) so they can access, participate and progress in the general curriculum; and address the functional capabilities of infants and toddlers. This latest version is interactive with Web-based information and hyperlinked appendixes and periodic updates expected as the AT continuum continues to expand. The AT guidelines address differing stages of development, facilitate a review of processes, offer examples of best practices, explain the AT continuum, and clarify misconceptions to ensure that accommodations needed to meet goals are attainable. Through the guidelines and a collaborative effort across environments, parents, educators, therapists, administrators, and other professionals can best determine how to foster the participation in and utilization of AT services and devices that will deliver the greatest impact and increase confidence in abilities to identify goals and achieve positive outcomes.