Assistive Technology (AT) In the Classroom Newsletter.

The SETTS project was born out of a need to develop expertise with classroom teachers, enabling them to effectively utilize Assistive Technology (AT) resources within their classrooms. While there were training opportunities within the state and individual teachers were investigating the use of AT in their classrooms, there was no coordinated effort to reach into the classrooms in the West End Special Education Local Plan Area (WESELPA) with the valuable information about compliant practices and AT application.

Approximately 20 workshops are presented yearly both at the SELPA level and within districts.

As the group has become more recognized, the partnership with professional and state organizations, as well as with manufacturers of AT, the SETTS sphere of influence is rapidly expanding. This year, when the Computer Using Educators (CUE) organization determined a need for the first special education strand within their conference offering, they requested that members of the SETTS team provide all of those presentations.

The SETTS Team is quietly changing the face of instruction for the 12,858 students and 1000 teachers within the WESELPA. The impact of staff development, classroom support and student implementation can best be told by the stories of student success...

One of the most exciting elements of the work of the SETTS team is that students with special needs are brought to a level playing field with all other students. We now have the data to indicate the powerful impact that AT has had on the academic, social, and emotional lives of our students in the WESELPA. By accessing AT support, students are increasing test scores and exploring areas of curriculum in new and exciting ways.

The SETTS project design is a simple one. Beginning as a representative group of educators called together to explore a world of AT possibilities, they learned innovative ideas, implemented them with their own students, measured success, and, in turn brought the light of their experiences to other teachers.