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Overview of Tiered Model of AT Consideration and Service Delivery

Tier One: Universal Design (UDL)

Use of readily available UDL tools can be trialed with the student at Tier One of the AT consideration and service delivery model to determine if the use of said tool(s) enables the student to make progress on their IEP goals*. 

Key aspects of Tier One include:

  • No targeted domain is needed at Tier One;
  • No AT referral is needed at Tier One;
  • Data is collected regarding a students’ performance while using these tools and is both  shared and reviewed with the IEP team*.

*Reference: Illinois Assistive Technology Guidance Manual (2020) page 22.

Examples: Universal Design, AT Toolkits, Low-tech (e.g. core boards, switches, visuals, voice output devices), accessibility features of iPads and Chromebooks.


Tier Two: Assistive Technology Assessment

Use of available, but more specialized, tools can be trialed with the student at Tier Two of the AT consideration and service delivery model to determine if the use of said tool(s) enables the student to make progress on their IEP goals.*  An AT assessment takes place in Tier Two to make this determination.  

An example of the use of a more specialized set of tools to trial with the student at Tier Two includes: trialing a dynamic display speech generating device (e.g. an iPad) and TouchChat with Word Power software to determine if this/these tool(s) helps a student make progress on their IEP goals.  

AT assessments: 

  • May be conducted by those instructional staff who work with the student most often and are most appropriate to assess a student’s skills*
  • Do not require a targeted domain;
  • Can be initiated during or outside of an IEP meeting; 
  • May require the IEP team to request a loaner device from the AT library (procedure to request loaner device);
  • Requires outcomes to be discussed during an IEP meeting if a recommendation for the purchase of a dynamic display speech generating device (e.g. iPad) and software is likely;  
  • Do not typically involve AT facilitators in the AT assessment or IEP process.

Examples of specialized tools that are currently available for SLP’s that can be used for an AT assessment: Pro2Go; TouchChat with WordPower; and LAMP Words for Life. 

Examples of specialized tools that are currently available for OT’s that can be used for an AT assessment: Snap Type, Co-writer, Snap and Read, and Google Read and Write.

*Reference: Illinois Assistive Technology Guidance Manual (2020) page 23.


Tier Three: Evaluation

When an IEP team identifies that a student may need AT but does not have the readily available tools, data, or expertise in feature-match analysis an AT evaluation is necessary.  An AT evaluation requires:

  • Opening a targeted domain;
  • The direct participation of an AT facilitator;
  • Feature matching, device trials, and data collection managed by the AT facilitator;  
  • AT facilitators attending and participating in the FIE meeting where results of the AT evaluation are shared;

Examples of AT considerations that would require an evaluation:

  • When eye gaze enabled speech generated devices are a consideration;
  • When mounting and access are considerations;
  • When switch scanning is a consideration;
  • When comorbidity of learning, communication, and sensory-motor considerations exist.