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AAC and IEPs

AAC in the IEP: In Brief

AT, which includes both AT devices and AT services, should be considered at every IEP meeting. 

For Students with AAC specifically, the Unique Communications box should be filled out. This box should describe how the student struggles to communicate and every way the student does communicate, from facial expression to behavior, body language, and word approximations, etc..

Examples:

Student is Nonspeaking

Brian is nonspeaking and uses vocalizations, gestures, manual sign, facial expression, body language, the establishment of proximity, pulling/leading, and a high tech dynamic display communication device to communicate.

Student has Some Verbal Communication

Faatima is unable to fully express herself using verbal speech. In addition to words such as "ball", "no", "yes", "want", and "mine", Faatima uses gestures and sign language to communicate.

Student May Be Unintelligible

Samiya has a diagnosis of cerebral palsy and her speech intelligibility may fluctuate. In times of spoken communication breakdown, she uses low tech core word communication boards to communicate.

The Assistive Technology box should also be filled out. Here, you will describe the student's technological system in general terms.

Examples:

Personal iPad with LAMP

Norma uses a personally owned dynamic display device with a touchscreen that has a communication program based on the principles of motor learning to support her ability to communicate her wants and needs in academic and social environments.

District Loaned iPad with TouchChat - Bilingual

Anderson uses a dynamic display speech generating device provided by the school district that consists of a touch screen tablet with a communication application that allows for speech output in English and Spanish.

Combination of Personal and District Communication Switches/BIGmacks

Anaya has a personally owned head switch that is mounted to the left side of her wheelchair. When a communication partner reads through a series of up to 4 choices (i.e., partner-assisted scanning), Anaya will depress her head mount to select an option. Anaya may also use a single message communication switch loaned from the school district to communicate her wants and needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Should I check the "Does the student need Assistive Technology devices or services?" box?

YES! If you have a student that uses any form of AAC, even if they only use it sometimes or they may not use it all the time, this box should be checked and written in. You will also use this box if your student receives Academic AT. 

Note: This includes picture symbols if they are used for communication. Think picture exchange and/or PECS. Picture symbols used for visual schedules and first/then boards do not go in the AT box; these fall under Accommodations.

 

  1. How do I list assistive technology in the IEP?

See the document below for a thorough guide about how to thoughtfully consider AT in the IEP. 

 

  1. How should AAC be listed in the "Accommodations and Modifications" section?

See the document below for a thorough guide about how to thoughtfully consider AT in the IEP.  Be sure to describe the student's system in general terms. You do not want to write what specific device they use, as if that device becomes unavailable at any time, the IEP is immediately out of compliance.

Example: Your student uses a personally owned iPad mini with TouchChat with WordPower 60. You can't find the charger and the device has come to school on 1% battery. It dies during the first period of the day and is put on a borrowed charger. The student uses unaided AAC, low tech AAC, friends' devices, and a loaner tablet with TouchChat from the SLP. 

If your student's personal device was written in the IEP as "iPad mini with TouchChat with WordPower 60", you would be out of compliance with the IEP for however long it takes the iPad to charge. 

 

  1. What do I do if the student is trialing a device?

If the student is using a device only in outside speech and is not yet bringing it to school, you do not need to put it on the IEP. Once the child starts bringing it to school or a comparable device is requested through AT, the IEP should be amended to include the technology.