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Educational Improvement and Assistance
Assistive Technology
The mission of the Louisiana Assistive Technology Initiative (LATI) is to provide leadership and support to local education agencies and families in the development and implementation of assistive technology services that will have meaningful application for the educational, social, recreational, vocational, and developmental experiences of students with disabilities.
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2009 Request for Proposals for Assistive Technology
The Louisiana Department of Education (LDE) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Assistive Technology (AT). Since 2004, the LDE has funded AT Regional Centers to assist districts in providing AT services for students with disabilities. The RFP is limited to a 3-year period. The current grant period expires on June 30, 2009. This new RFP will fund up to 8 regional AT Centers for the period of July 1, 2009-June 30, 2011. Eligible applicants are Louisiana Public School District LEAs in Regions I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, and VIII. Specific information about the program expectations and application requirements are provided in the forms listed below. Additionally, an orientation session will be held on December 12, 2008 to provide information about the RFP and answer questions. Registration is available through the Coursewhere link listed below.
Please refer to the following RFP description, instructions, buget forms and application forms.
Coursewhere Registration Assistive Technology Regional Center Grant Applic
2009 Grant Letter to Request Applications for AT Regional Centers
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2009 AT Request for Proposals Budget Forms
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2009 AT Request for Proposal Forms
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State Policies and Procedures
Each local education agency must ensure that a full and individual evaluation is conducted for each student being considered for special education and related services. In determining if the student is a "student with an exceptionality” and in need of special educational services, the local educational agency must ensure the evaluation is conducted in accordance with the procedures in the Pupil Appraisal Handbook. Additionally, if the results of the evaluation determine the student is a "student with an exceptionality,” the results will be used by the student's IEP Team in designing the student’s individualized education program. This includes any needed assistive technology services or devices.
In October 2005, the Louisiana Department of Education (LDE) published "A Framework for Conducting Assistive Technology Consideration, Screening & Assessment." This document is an extension of those procedures and guidelines provided in the Pupil Appraisal Handbook, Bulletin 1508, and the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) Handbook for Students with Disabilities, Bulletin 1530. The document is an attempt to unify procedures across the state and provide a mechanism to ensure that all students who require assistive technology are receiving the tools and services they need. The intent is that this process will facilitate the ability of school districts to make informed decisions about the assistive technology considerations for their students as well as streamline attempts for monitoring, training, and documentation of assistive technology services.
Louisiana Statewide Assessments, Accommodations and Assistive Technology
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A Framework for Conducting Assistive Technology Consideration, Screening
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Pupil Appraisal Handbook - Bulletin 1508
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Assistive Technology Reimbursement
This program utilizes IDEA Part B funds to provide reimbursement for eligible assistive technology (AT) expenditures to meet individual student needs under IDEA. This program is part of our initiative to ensure that students with disabilities who are eligible for special education are considered for assistive technology and provided the necessary services that will enable them to participate in and benefit from their educational programs.
The AT Reimbursement Guidelines and Student Application forms have been revised for 2008-09. Please only use these new forms when applying for reimbursement. Destroy any copies of forms printed previously. You can request forms by e-mailing Donna Broussard at donna.broussard@la.gov.
AT Reimbursement Guidelines
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AT Reimbursement Guidelines revised November 2008
AT Reimbursement Student Application Forms
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AT Reimbursement Application and Assurances forms Revised for 2008-09.
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Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM)
Louisiana is part of a consortium of 15 states working with the Center of Applied Special Technology (CAST) to address AIM. As part of this project, LA will develop a plan to address the ordering and disemination of AIM for school districts, provide training about AIM, and help districts to identify who requires AIM.
Why AIM?
AIM supports students who are unable to learn from printed textbooks or other printed core instructional materials.
Who needs AIM?
Students who have difficulty reading and may need supports such as text-to-speech.
Students who need text transferred into alternate formats such as large print, Braille or another language.
Students with visual difficulties who may require larger text, colored text, contrasting background or larger spacing between text.
What are AIM formats?
Typical alternate formats are electronic (digital) text, large print, braille and audio.
AIM LA - Accessible Instructional Media Project for LA
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Louisiana Assistive Technology Summer Institute
Each summer, LATI hosts a state-wide summer institute. Information about the 2008 Summer Institute and contest winners can be found at http://www.lati3.com/.
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Regional Center Lending Library
LATI operates a short-term loan program to assist school systems in conducting AT assessments and/or recommending assistive technology for students. This affords the student an opportunity to try the technology before it is purchased for his or her use. Lending Library periods are limited to four weeks. This program is not designed to provide long-term loans. The loan period will consist of thirty calendar days, exclusive of school holidays. Computers are not available through the loan program. Assistive technology hardware/software is provided only to students with disabilities at the request of the local AT staff.
Regional AT staff will process requests for technology loans, ensure the proper working condition of devices, and provide adequate training in the use of the devices. It is the responsibility of the LEA AT staff to pick up the device and return it in proper working condition to their regional AT center. The LEA accepts responsibility for the device in instances of neglect, abuse, or theft.
Once the loan period has ended, the assistive technology hardware/software will be returned to the assistive technology regional center within 3 days past the 30-day loan period. If the device is not returned within that time, the LEA will be contacted for remittance of the device. If the device is lost, damaged, or malfunctioning, the LEA will be held responsible and accountable financially for the repairment or replacement of the device. The assistive technology regional center will be responsible for maintaining records of loans.
LATI Loan Library Requests
Lending Library Technology Request Form
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