Assistive Technology in Education

Education related services is an extremely important part of IATP activities and programs. IATP advocates to increase access to and acquisition of assistive technology for all eligible students, especially as it relates to optimizing learning and communication. These efforts include evaluations for students from pre-school through high school, allowing schools, students, and families to borrow equipment and other AT devices to determine what works best for their individual needs, and offering trainings for both teachers and those who provide related services such as speech, occupational, and physical therapists.

IATP also provides educational supports that serve families statewide by providing no cost educational advocacy services for any student or family that requests them.

  • Students can range in age from early childhood through college
  • Students can attend public school, private school, therapeutic school, and/or be home-schooled
  • It is offered to any family or school in Illinois
  • It includes working with the family on their child’s educational needs, working with the schools, attending IEPs and 504 meetings, doing presentations of parents rights and obligations under the law and helping the family to work cooperatively with the school for the student
  • Attending and participating in resolution, mediation, and due process meetings if necessary
  • This service is provided with the emphasis on what the student needs to be successful and does not favor the school or the parents
  • While students do not have to be AT users to qualify for this service around 94% of them are or are in the process of being evaluated for some type of AT
  • Referrals come from a variety of areas including: teachers and schools, doctors, the Illinois Parent Training and Information Centers, the Attorney General’s Office, other agencies that work with families including the Autism Center, Specialized Care for Children, the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Groups, the Juvenile Justice Agencies, and psychologists to just mention a few

Contact IATP for more information regarding any of these services.