• Support families’ shifting role by providing educators with packaged tools and resources to provide to families to support the transition from sole advocate to parent support with regards to the availability and use of accessible materials and AT required. An army of squeaky wheels will ensure AT professionals work to identify accessibility and AT interoperability requirements for assessments to support all learners. AT professionals help to: • Procure accessible assessments by educating leaders about assessment accessibility standards and AT compatibility, and training educators, students, and their families about assessment technology accommodations and the alignment, or lack of alignment, to instructional accommodations. • Design accessible formative assessments by helping district leaders develop guidance for educators to select formative assessment tools that are accessible, and training educators to create accessible content and incorporate AT when developing formative assessment instruments. • Collaborate with state testing officials by partnering with the district assessment coordinator to ensure assessment accommodations policy and procedure are appropriately supported. Additionally, gather input from district learners, families, and educators to inform state testing accessibility coordinators about the accessibility of state assessments, including AT accommodations. • Analyze data for decision-making by using data to inform improvements of: o Instructional design through the collaborative analysis of various forms of individual learner data, that include data on AT assessment, evidence of availability, and evidence of use. o Programmatic design through collaborative analysis of various forms of group data, including AT data, to determine appropriate shifts in program design and delivery. o Systemic design through collaborative analysis of various forms of group data, including AT data, to determine appropriate shifts in service delivery and resource allocation. Finally, building an army of squeaky wheels depends on having a knowledgeable population of family members to ask the right questions. Questions families will ask district leaders include: • How can I provide input into the district’s strategic technology plan? • How can I provide input into the district’s remote learning plan?
• How is the district using data provided by families to improve technology use? • How can I participate in large-scale and alternate assessment decisions? • How is large-scale assessment data used to improve teaching and learning with technology? • How is family feedback on large-scale assessments used to improve assessment accessibility and interoperability with AT? • Where can I find information and training on available accessibility options for district and state assessments? • Where can I find a list of district-provided software and supported websites, along with access information for those tools? • Where can I find the district’s student privacy and security policies? • As the parent or legal guardian of a student with low incidence and/or significant disabilities, how do I access my student’s technology accounts? • What training is available for families to learn more about commonly used digital software and AT? • What support resources are available to families for accessible and assistive technologies? Questions families will ask educators include: • How can I help with planning for and providing classroom accommodations and support? • How can I learn about what my learner is doing in the classroom? • How can I take part in the learning at home? • How can I help my learner become a self-advocate and a self-determined young adult? • What accommodations and alternatives are available for classroom assessments? • How can I support my learner in utilizing their accommodations and supports at home? The transformation of the “squeaky wheel gets the oil” adage in the context of providing AT to students is a critical next step in providing truly inclusive and equitable learning experiences. The concept underscores the importance of family engagement, the equity issue in relying solely on advocates, and the role the CITES Framework can play in promoting a collective effort to shift practices. The roadmap emphasizes the need for a knowledgeable population of family members and professionals to design and deliver these learning experiences. Visit cites.cast.org to learn more about inclusive technology systems and to get started framing the future of learning. The future is inclusive.
18 https://www.closingthegap.com/benefits-of-membership/ | February / March, 2024 Closing The Gap © 2024 Closing The Gap, Inc. All rights reserved.
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