Our Process
District Assistive Technology Team
The Mamaroneck school district has an AT team, comprised of teachers and staff who have expertise in how assistive technology can support student learning. The key goal of the AT team is to build local expertise which, in turn, can provide more timely and personal support for implementing assistive technology. By building a broader base of local technology expertise, the AT team can also support technology use for students generally, helping students before they are classified and before they may need assistive technology (see Universal Design for Learning).
For several years, the district extended its long-running relationship with the Westchester Institute of Human Development as part of WIHD’s Schools of Westchester Assistive Technology (SWAT) Teams program. Together with SWAT consultants, we worked with staff in each of elementary schools to develop both AT expertise and the team framework.
Questions or requests for assistance can be sent to atteam@mamkschools.org. One of the team members may be just down the hall from you!
The Assistive Technology Loan Library
The Mamaroneck school district maintains an AT loan library. The library provides acccess to a range of assistive technology, enabling us to try out a variety of devices in order to find the right device to meet a particular student's needs, whether for reading, writing, planning and organization, or oral communication. In this way, students can find the device that is right for them, rather that being tied to a particular device just because it is the device that was purchased for them. The library also makes it possible for students to begin using devices immediately, without having to wait for the purchase of a necessary device. Finally, the library serves as a professional development resource, enabling teachers to loan out and become familiar with devices.Many of these devices have been provided with the help of Mamaroneck Schools Foundation and SEPTA grants.
The AT library consists of a range of low to high tech devices. The following is a sample of the library's content:
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
Students who are nonverbal or whose speech is not intelligible enough to communicate effectively may benefit from using some type of augmentative or alternative communication. AAC may include such things as symbol systems, communication boards and wallets, programmable switches, electronic voice-output communication aids (VOCAs)--sometimes called a speech-generating device (SGD)--communication enhancement software, and word processing.
Unaided AAC refers to systems that do not require any external device for their use, and may include, body movements, facial expression, and sign language.
Aided AAC refers to systems that use some kind of external device and can include a wide variety of methods ranging from low-tech to high-tech. Aided AAC sysmems generally involve devices that display symbols a person selects to convey messages to listeners.
Click here to view article on Mobile Devices and Communication Apps
