Course Description
This course will focus on assistive technology (AT) decision-making, access planning, and implementation across educational settings. Students will examine how learner strengths and needs, task demands, environmental conditions, and available supports interact to create or reduce barriers to communication, participation, self-regulation, independence, and learning. The course introduces the legal, ethical, and professional foundations of AT while also inviting students to critically examine decisions based too narrowly on disability labels, observable behavior, device availability, or single measures of performance. Other topics include: gathering and interpreting information, identifying needed tool features, comparing options, conducting structured trials, supporting communication and literacy, addressing sensory and motor access, executive functioning, vision, hearing, mobility, and daily living, and planning for implementation and progress monitoring. Students will analyze case studies, evaluate support options, and design culturally and linguistically responsive plans in collaboration with learners, families, educators, and other professionals. (3 credits)
Prerequisite
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
- Analyze student access, participation, communication, regulation, independence, and behavior through assistive technology and behavior-support frameworks, including consideration of disability-related characteristics, environmental demands, task requirements, and contextual influences. [Standards: NAEYC PS&C 1, 4 | CAEP R1.1 | InTASC 1, 2, 3].
- Interpret multiple forms of student, environmental, communication, behavioral, sensory, motor, literacy, and implementation data to identify barriers to access and participation and inform responsible assistive technology consideration, behavior support planning, referral, and IEP decision-making. [Standards: NAEYC PS&C 3, 4 | CAEP R1.3 | InTASC 6, 7].
- Apply assistive technology decision-making resources and frameworks to identify functional needs, relevant assistive technology domains, needed tool features, team responsibilities, implementation conditions, and areas requiring additional
information or discipline-specific expertise. [Standards: NAEYC PS&C 3, 6 | CAEP R1.1, R1.3 | InTASC 6, 7, 9]. - Design integrated, culturally and linguistically responsive assistive technology and behavior supports that address communication, literacy, written expression, motor access, activities of daily living, mobility, vision, hearing, sensory regulation, executive
functioning, environmental access, and student self-determination. [Standards: NAEYC PS&C 4, 5 | CAEP R1.3 | InTASC 2, 3, 7, 8]. - Evaluate, implement, and revise assistive technology and behavior-support plans using feature matching, tool trials, implementation supports, progress-monitoring data, student and family feedback, feasibility considerations, and measures of effectiveness across educational contexts. [Standards: NAEYC PS&C 3, 4, 6 | CAEP R1.3, R1.4 | InTASC 6, 7, 8, 9].
- Collaborate effectively with students, families, educators, related service providers, behavior professionals, administrators, and interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary teams while demonstrating legal, ethical, cultural, and professional responsibility related to disability, access, privacy, autonomy, safety, documentation, and advocacy. [Standards: NAEYC PS&C 2, 6 | CAEP R1.4, R2.1 | InTASC 9, 10].
Course Activities and Grading
| Assignments | Weight |
|---|
Discussions (Weeks 1-8) | 25% |
Practice Labs (Weeks 1-7) | 25% |
Assignments (Weeks 1-7) | 25% |
Final Project (Week 8) | 25% |
Total | 100% |
Required Textbooks
(Available through Charter Oak State College's Book Bundle):
- Bouck, E. C. (2016). Assistive technology. SAGE Publications.
- Bugaj, C. R. (2023). The new assistive tech: Make learning awesome for all! (2nd ed.). International Society for Technology in Education.
Course Schedule
Week | SLOs | Readings and Exercises | Assignments |
1 | 1,3,6 | Topic: Introduction to the Field of Assistive Technology - Read and Review:
- Read Chapter 1 (Bouck, 2017)
- Read Introduction and Chapters 1 and 4 (Bugaj, 2023)
- Read Myths and Facts Surrounding AT Devices and Services (U.S. Department of Education, 2024)
- Review the IDEA definitions of an assistive technology
device and assistive technology service - Review the Universal Design for Learning
Guidelines 3.0 (CAST, 2024) - Week 1 case study documents
| - Read assigned material
- Review the lecture material
- Participate in Discussion Board
- Submit Practice Lab - Exploring a
Functional AT Domain - Submit Assignment - Reframing AT
Misconceptions
|
2 | 1,2,3,5,6 | Topics: Identifying Needs and Feature Matching - Read and Review:
- Read Chapter 2 (Bouck, 2017)
- Read Chapters 2 and 3 (Bugaj, 2023)
- Watch Feature Matching in AT: Who, What, Where, & How (Fonner, 2020)
- Review the Assistive Technology Feature Charts (Fonner, 2018)
- Week 2 case study documents
| - Read assigned material
- Review the lecture material
- Participate in Discussion Board
- Submit Practice Lab - Creating a Need to Feature Profile
- Submit assignment - Comparative Feature Matching Analysis
|
3 | 1,2,3,6 | Topic: AT Consideration - Read and Review:
- Read Chapter 3 (Buock, 2017)
- Read Chapter 5 (Bugaj, 2023)
- Watch or listen to Robust AAC- What Is It and Why Start There?
- Read the Consideration of Assistive Technology Needs section of the Connecticut AT Guidelines Section 1-For Ages 3-22
(CSDE, 2019) - Read Quality Indicators for Consideration of AT Needs (QIAT, n.d.)
- Review the IDEA requirement to consider whether a child needs AT devices and services (34 C.F.R. § 300.324(a)(2)(v))
- Review the SETT Framework resources and
SETT Scaffold: Consideration of AT Needs (Zabala, 1995) - Review the WATI Procedure Guide for Consideration and
Consideration Guide Form (WATI, 2017) - Week 3 case study documents
| - Read assigned material
- Review the lecture material
- Participate in Discussion Board
- Submit Practice Lab - Using the SETT
Framework - Submit assignment - AT Consideration
Outcomes
|
4 | 2,3,4,6 | Topics: When More Information is Needed: Dynamic AT Assessment - Read and Review:
- Read Chapters 5 and 6 (Bouck, 2017)
- Read Quality Indicators for Assessment of AT Needs
(QIAT, n.d.) - Review the IDEA evaluation procedures (34 C.F.R. § 300.304)
- Read the consideration and assessment sections of Chapter 1 in Assessing Students' Needs for AT (WATI, 2009)
- Review the WATI Procedure Guide for Assessment and related consideration-to assessment resources (WATI, 2017)
- Week 4 case study documents
| - Read assigned material
- Review the lecture material
- Participate in Discussion Board
- Submit Practice Lab - Replicating an
Assessment Inquiry Process - Submit assignment - Analyzing a Variety
of Evidence
|
5 | 3,4,5,6 | Topic: Implementation at the Individual and Agency Level - Read and Review:
- Review Chapter 3 and read Chapter 4 (Buock, 2017)
- Read Communication Partner Skills for AAC Learners (AssistiveWare, n.d.)
- Read Quality Indicators for AT Implementation (QIAT, n.d.)
- Read the Guiding Document for AT Implementation (QIAT
Leadership Team, 2015) - Read Quality Indicators for Administrative Support of AT Services (QIAT, n.d.)
- Review the corresponding sections of the Guiding
Document for Administrative Support of AT Services (QIAT Leadership Team, 2015) - Review the implementation and follow-up sections of the WATI AT Decision Making Guide (Reed et al., 2009)
- Review the “During Implementation” and “For Follow Up” sections of Chapter 1 in WATI’s Assessing Students’ Needs
for AT (5th ed., 2009, pp. 54-58) - Week 5 case study documents
| - Read assigned material
- Review the lecture material
- Participate in Discussion Board
- Submit Practice Lab - Teaching AT Within Meaningful Routines
- Submit assignment - Designing an AT
Implementation Plan
|
6 | 2,5,6 | Topics: AT Data Informed Decision Making and Progress Monitoring - Read and Review:
- Read Chapters 9 and 11 (Bugaj, 2023)
- Review Documenting AT in the IEP (Easier with AT) and IEP Goals: A Simple Guide to Writing SMART, Meaningful, and Legally Defensible Goals (Western Psychological Services)
- Review Quality Indicators for Including AT in the IEP
(QIAT, n.d.) - Review Quality Indicators for Evaluation of the Effectiveness of AT (QIAT, n.d.)
- Review the Guiding Document for Evaluation of Effectiveness of AT (QIAT Leadership Team, 2015)
- Review “Framing Assistive Technology Questions,” “Asking the Questions,” and “Deciding What Data Is Needed” in How Do You Know It? How Can You Show It? (Reed et al.,
2002/2004) - Review the QIAT Plan for Evaluation of Effectiveness of AT Use and the AT Quantitative Data Sheets (Tennessee Department of Education, 2026)
- Week 6 case study documents
| - Read assigned material
- Review the lecture material
- Participate in Discussion Board
- Submit Practice Lab - Critiquing AT Goals and Objectives
- Submit assignment - Synthesizing Data to Inform SMART Goals and Objectives
|
7 | 3,6 | Topics: Individual and Agency Documentation Needs - Read and Review:
- Read Chapter 9 (Buock, 2017)
- Review the Documentation, Implementation And Effectiveness section of the Connecticut Assistive Technology Guidelines: Section 1 - For Ages 3-22 (Connecticut State
Department of Education, 2019) - Review the Connecticut Tech Act Project website
- Review the Assistive Technology & Remote Supports pages
(Connecticut Developmental Services, n.d.) - Review Medicare standard documentation requirements for durable medical equipment claims (Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services, n.d.) - Week 7 case study documents
| - Read assigned material
- Review the lecture material
- Participate in Discussion Board
- Submit Practice Lab - Comparing and
Contrasting Two Different Agencies - Submit assignment - Reflecting on Your Learning Journey
|
8 | 1,3,4,6 | Topics: AT Transition: Continuity and Self-Determination - Read and Review:
- Review Chapter 9 (Buock, 2017)
- Read Chapter 9 (Bugaj, 2023)
- Read Quality Indicators for AT Transition (QIAT, n.d.)
- Read the Guiding Document for AT in Transition (QIAT
Leadership Team, 2015) - Read the AT and Educational Transition section of the Connecticut Assistive Technology Guidelines (Connecticut
State Department of Education, 2019) - Review the IDEA definition of transition services, the
IEP transition requirements, and the requirement to invite the student to relevant transition meetings - Read Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities (U.S.
Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, 2011) - Week 8 case study documents
| - Read assigned material
- Review the lecture material
- Participate in Discussion Board
- Submit final project - Designing an AT
Transition Plan - Complete Course Evaluation
|
COSC Accessibility Statement
Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.
COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources
Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.
