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Angela, Kim, Dorthy, Sue
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Assistive Technology Resource Center
The Assistive Technology Resource Center, or AT Lab, is part of the Special Education Department at JMCSS. We are located downstairs at East Intermediate School at (731) 423-8412. We partnership with the Tennessee Department of Education and have established the "Trainer of Trainers" model through a grant to disseminate and integrate the use of assistive technology into everyday classrooms. We have developed an active assistive technology program within our own district and continue to foster a network with 13 surrounding districts within the West Tennessee Cooperative. We offer training and support to West Tennessee counties in addition to our own district. The JMCSS AT Resource Center has created an AT Team of professional staff to determine assistive technology needs. For more information regarding assistive technology, visit the Tennessee Department of Education web site.
The JMCSS Assistive Technology Program is proactive in identifying students who can benefit from assistive technology and in making each student as independent as possible in communicating and learning. It is this school system's philosophy that using and implementing technology will result in 1) ongoing improvements in the functioning of students with disabilities and 2) their maintenance in their least restrictive environment. The first goal to be considered for each student with special needs is how to increase his/her ability to function successfully within the classroom, to accomplish the goals on their IEP, and to participate within the general curriculum and school environment. The second goal is to acknowledge that least restrictive strategies need to be determined prior to considering any form of high, low or no technology recommendations.
To request assistive technology services through JMCSS, a parent or teacher may contact our office or an AT Team member to request an assistive technology consultation. Once a consultation is requested, an AT consultant will determine if the student needs services or if an AT evaluation is needed. Once it is decided that a student needs assistive technology, an M-team meeting will be called to place recommendations in the student's IEP.
Upcoming workshops to be held at the AT Lab (will be updated as scheduled)
| Topic | Date | West Tennessee AT Conference - Topics: "Supporting Emergent Literacy for Children with Significant Communication and Language Needs" and "Curriculum Adaptations for Students with Complex Communication Needs". Speaker: Pati King-DeBaun (see brochure for registration info)
| Jan. 14-15, 2010
| West Tennessee Training - Topic: "How to Communicate Successfully"
| Feb. 23, 2010
| | State Tennessee Special Education Conference | Feb. 24-26, 2010
| | West Tennessee Training - Topic: "What have we done?" This will be a time that we will share ideas about AT that have been successful or not so successful. | May 4, 2010
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We've posted some materials created by the AT team and staff to share here .
You might run into us at our schools working with students and teachers, and installing assistive technology.
Consultants: Sonja Stone, Kathy Pierce
Staff Assistant: Dorthy Wood
Assistive Technology Assistants: Kim Briscoe, Angela Rainer, Sue Douglass
Computer Technician: Tami Chitwood
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