To get 2024 started off right, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs and Office of Educational Technology issued a new Dear Colleague Letter regarding the use of assistive technology for students with disabilities. Accompanying the DCL is a Guidance document regarding school district obligations, fashioned as 28 “Myths and Facts” regarding use of assistive tech for students with disabilities.
The Guidance covers familiar turf for administrators but will serve as a useful reminder to school staff regarding their responsibilities to provide AT for students who will benefit. The Guidance notes, for example, that schools can allow parents to utilize their own assistive tech so long as they agree with the District to do so. As disputes increasingly arise over assistive technology issues, and the scope of assistive technology expands in a rapidly changing world, the Guidance is a useful tool for school districts.
You can access the DCL and Guidance here and here. Contact an attorney in the Students/Special Education practice group with questions.
