What can a school team expect from an AT Consultation from HIAT?

HIAT supports school teams in considering the need for Assistive Technology, which is part of developing every child's IEP or 504 Plan (Oettinger, 2024). Considering Assistive Technology is a reiterative process that requires a collaborative team approach. We use the SETT Framework (Zabala, 1995) to guide teams through the consideration process and build their capacity to repeat it as needed.

 HIAT consultation could consist of a single meeting or support through the entire process of AT Consideration. This might entail any or all of the following:

• A collaborative team meeting, which may include the parent
• Modeling the use of a protocol designed to compare a student's perceptions and achievement on a task with and without AT (such as uPAR, DWP, or Ways to Write)
• Providing the team with knowledge about common AT Tools that might match the student, environment, and tasks being considered
• Assisting the team with IEP documentation
• Assisting the team in designing a plan for AT implementation in the classroom

When schools request AT support from HIAT, we will start by meeting with the team to learn more about the school teams goals for the consultation. Decisions about the next steps will be determined collaboratively with the school team.

Can parents request direct consultation from HIAT?

No, The HIAT team was designed to ensure that school teams have adequate training and support to help IEP teams consider and implement assistive technology. Parents who want to learn more about Assistive Technology are encouraged to explore the resources on the HIAT UDL Tool Finder. When questions arise about AT and your student's individual needs, parents are encouraged to reach out to their case manager or a member of the school team. Through the HIAT consultation process, HIAT team members can support school teams in various ways to ensure that family input is fully considered and your questions are answered.

All staff needing support with Assistive Technology can find help on MCPS AT Support Portal.