Assistive technology (AT) is defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as “any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a child with a disability.” The Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit #21 offers a wide range of assistive technology available to students in preschool early intervention through the Early Intervention Assistive Technology Lending Library. Early Intervention staff are required to consider the use of assistive technology for all students in the program.  Consideration of assistive technology must occur at every Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meeting in order to individualize support for the student to independently participate, learn and interact in his/her home, community, special education classroom and/or early childhood environment in ways that might not otherwise be possible.  

Assistive technology service is defined by IDEA as “any service that directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device.”  This includes:

• The evaluation of the needs of a child with a disability, including a functional evaluation of the child in the child's custom environment;
• Purchasing, leasing, or otherwise providing for the acquisition of assistive technology devices by children with disabilities;
• Selecting, designing, fitting, customizing, adapting, applying, maintaining, repairing, or replacing assistive technology devices;
• Coordinating and using other therapies, interventions, or services with assistive technology devices, such as those associated with existing education and rehabilitation plans and programs;
• Training or technical assistance for a child with a disability or, if appropriate, that child's family; and
• Training or technical assistance for professionals (including individuals providing education or rehabilitation services), employers, or other individuals who provide services to, employ, or are otherwise substantially involved in the major life functions of that child."

To request any of the above assistive technology services, please contact the EI Coordinator at generalquestions@cliu.org or call (610) 769-4111 ext. 1053. 

To request an assistive technology observation, please complete the request form.

The Early Intervention AT Lending Library offers tools and systems that help children to communicate, socialize, play, and learn.  For a complete list of items available for trial, please visit the CLIU Early Intervention AT Lending Library Picture Glossary:

• Communication Systems
  
• Switch Toys
  
• Switches for Access to Communication, Environment and Play
  
• Adapted Seating and other Access Materials
  
• Adapted Feeding
  
• Sensory Tools
  
• Mounts

If early intervention staff would like to trial a certain item that is not available on the list, please reach out to the EI Coordinator at 610-769-4111 ext. 1053 to discuss other lending options.

• EI AT Support Request

In the event that early intervention staff are undecided about whether a student requires assistive technology or not, staff are then required to arrange for a SETT meeting.  The SETT framework is not an evaluation, it is a decision making process developed to consider the Student, the Environment, the Tasks, and the system of Tools needed for the student to reach his/her highest potential in the least restrictive environment.

• Request a SETT Meeting

Once staff have made the SETT meeting request, please provide the following questionnaire to the student’s parent/guardian(s):

• Parent/Guardian Questionarre