The consideration of assistive technology devices and services is required during the development of every Individualized Educational Program (IEP) according to the Individuals with Disabilities Act, Amendments of 1997 (IDEA'97). Assistive technology devices and services, which the IEP team determines are required by a student in order to benefit from a free appropriate public education (FAPE), must be written into the IEP. Despite this requirement, mere has been no agreed upon description of high quality assistive technology services. This article describes the activities of a national group of assistive technology professionals known as the Quality Indicators for Assistive Technology Services (QIAT) Consortium. The QIAT Consortium was formed to initiate a nationwide dialogue regarding quality indicators for a variety of assistive technology service areas. The work of the Consortium to date is discussed and the current set of indicators is included. Processes used in the development of the indicators are described. Implications for future use of the indicators and future development activities are discussed.
The disciplinary regulations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997 imposed new demands on educators. These include the requirement to conduct functional behavioral assessments for students with disabilities in public school settings prior to certain disciplinary practices, and to conduct these assessments as a basis for developing behavior intervention plans. In this article, we examine the logistics of instilling this new routine in schools from a systems change perspective. It is argued that effecting such change requires that planners (a) carefully assess the attitudes and beliefs of school staff and (b) use the knowledge gained from such assessments to construct policies and training agendas that precorrect for these barriers. Suggested strategies for accomplishing this are illustrated.
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