Planning Hints for AT Assessments: Asking Questions Assistive technology assessments are as varied as many other educational assessments that are often done with children. The utility of these assessments to family or staff is often dependent on what information is initially given to and requested of the AT assessment team/assessor. In this light, the following is presented as a sampler of questions and types of information that the child's multidisciplinary team and AT Evaluators should considered prior to doing an assistive technology evaluation.

Child's Current Health Status:

Are hospital stays part of the child's life so far?
Is the child sick often?
Does the child have known sensory deficits? How are these being handled?

Family:

Does the family speak the same language as the providers working with the child?
Does the family participate in interventions - take the child to therapies?
Are there other siblings in the home? What is the sibling interaction like?
Are both parents working outside the home?
Does the family move often?
Which family member(s) offers primary care to the child?
What are the learning styles and training issues for both family members and staff who will be working with the child?

Insurance:

What kind of insurance does the family have?
Is there a life-time cap?
What does the policy cover?

Finances:

Is the family above or below poverty level?
Does the family have additional expenses?
What are the funding constraints of referring agency?

Community Supports:

Does the family have extended family/other support readily available?
Is the family involved in church or other community groups?
Does the family know their neighbors?
Does the family have their own transportation?
What kind of networking has the family established?

Previous AT Experience:

Has the family had assistive technology for the child before?
Has the family been a part of a lending program?
Does the family know of other children who use assistive technology?
Has the child used AT in other settings?
What personal technology experiences does the family bring to the situation?

Intervention Experience:

Does the family have good rapport with physicians?
Does the family have good rapport with intervention staff?
What is the family's perception of intervention staff's use of AT?

Educational Information:

What are the targeted educational outcomes for the child?
Are other assessment reports available?

Device:

What device features should be looked at for successful use by the child? (e.g., durability, input style, color, add-ons, etc.)
Are there multiple device options for technology appropriate for the child? If so, what are the comparative costs, features, etc.?
How long is the technology expected to be useful for the child when considering the outcomes that are being addressed?
Are there interim devices/groups of devices that will work if funding is delayed?
What supporting technology is needed to effectively use the primary device recommended?
Who are the geographically closest, most reliable vendor representatives for the devices recommended?
Can this device be used in classroom and other group settings by a novice staff person with minimal assistance?
What maintenance/repair costs, services, and options exist?

Device Funding:

How is the recommended technology currently being funded? What are the funding options?
Has the educational program, another agency, or another family successfully gotten funding for the recommended devices?
Can you provide the funding source with a clear explanation of what you are seeking, using language which meets specific criteria (such as medical necessity, etc.)?  If the expectation is that the recommended technology is needed for only an interim period, what are some other ways to get and use the technology without purchasing?

Training:

Where can the family/staff get training/support in their learning style preferences?
Who can provide ongoing technical assistance?
What local and distance supports exist for using the device?

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