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Assistive technology: a collaborative approach.

Article Excerpt
Abstract

This article describes the formation of the Partnership for Assistive Technology (PAT), a collaborative effort at an urban university created to address the diverse needs for assistive technology. The project involves various departments at New Jersey City University and the University's laboratory school for students with low incidence disabilities. The article describes the partners, mission, and goals of PAT.

Introduction

New Jersey City University, an urban university, is dedicated to providing quality education to a diverse student body. The College of Education at NJCU strives to prepare teacher candidates to teach P-12 urban students effectively. Collaboration within and among departments is encouraged. The following is a description of the formation and initial mission and goals of a collaborative group created at NJCU to increase the knowledge and enhance the use of assistive technology by University faculty, teacher candidates, University students, P-12 students, and community factions.

For this collaborative effort, four major departments and programs at New Jersey City University united: the Department of Special Education; the A. Harry Moore Laboratory School; Project Mentor, a support program for students with learning disabilities; and the Educational Technology Department. The ultimate goal of this partnership, Partnership for Assistive Technology, is to enhance the experience and education of students with disabilities through the use of assistive technology. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 defines an assistive technology device as "any item, piece of equipment, or product system ... that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of a child with a disability."

Participants

Department of Special Education

The Department of Special Education at New Jersey City University provides teacher education programs to over 800 students, the largest number of teacher education students in the College of Education. The teacher certificate-granting program is available at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The department has focused on inclusion, positive behavior supports, transition, and most recently assistive technology. Only one course focusing on assistive technology (AT) is offered through the department. Moreover, assistive technology has not been consistently infused throughout courses. Two of the major reasons for the limited focus on AT is lack of software and hardware and inadequate faculty preparation.

The Department of Special Education is dedicated to providing universal design and accessibility for all students. Incorporating AT into inclusion settings is one method of providing an equitable education for all students. In order to accomplish this, the Department needs access to software, hardware, training laboratories, current research, and consultation from experts in the field of assistive technology. Due to lack of...

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