We use the Student-Environment-Task-Tools (SETT) framework by Joy Zabala, Co-Director, National Center on Accessible Educational Materials; Director of Technical Assistance, CAST, for gathering data to make effective assistive technology decisions.  This process involves a multidisciplinary team of professionals as well as caregivers that know the student and his needs, as well as his performance and adaptive behavior skill levels and types of assistive technology available for a variety of purposes.

While there are no standardized evaluative instruments specifically for an assistive technology assessment, we do use well-recognized tools for assessing the functional capabilities in the multiple domains of the student, namely the Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative or WATI and the Louisiana Assistive Technology Screening Checklist.  Parental consent must be obtained prior to an assistive technology assessment.

Currently, at Mattituck, we employ a full range of assistive technology to meet our students' specific needs from "no tech" to "low," "mid," and "high tech."  For example, some students require no technology, and they function to capacity with IEP program modifications and test accommodations.  Other students require low tech such as pencil grips and slant boards.  While others require high tech such as augmentative alternative communication systems and motorized wheelchairs.  We also deploy classroom and 1:1 devices such as iPads and Chromebooks to support the learning process of our students with special needs.