Dr. Therese Willkomm brings AT into the News in NH
One of the essential components for
effectively supporting children’s development and learning is interdisciplinary
partnerships. Every month, we will feature dedicated scholars and professionals
engaged in supporting young children with special needs and their families
using assistive technology (AT), embedded instruction, and universal design for
learning (UDL), among other practices.
Therese Willkomm is one of EC-SEAT’s
enthusiastic collaborators. Therese is a clinical professor at the University
of New Hampshire (UNH) and the Director of NH’s statewide assistive technology
program AT in NH at the Institute on Disability
(IOD), also housed at UNH. This past summer, Therese was featured in the Concord Monitor for her recent trainings for teachers and parents on iPad use for children and
students with special needs. Therese also recently traveled to India to
share AT with students, faculty and professionals. She is our McGyver of AT!
Dr. Willkomm is a valued and essential member of the EC-SEAT team. Read more
about here experience here.
The Assistive Technology Act of 2004 provides
each state with grant money to fund an Assistive Technology Act Project (ATAP).
The efforts made by projects, such as AT in NH at the IOD, provide assistive
technology services to individuals with disability throughout their lives and
collaborate with families, service providers, and schools to ensure the success
of these services and devices.1
On the federal level, Early Intervention and
Special Education cover assistive technology under IDEA Parts B and C IDEA provides the right for an AT evaluation for children receiving
services in special education or early intervention under their Individualized
Education Plan (IEP) or Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP). Children not
eligible under IDEA may find resources under Section 504 or 508 of the American with Disabilities Act (ADA).
It is important to know the laws and
participate in trainings, like Therese’s, to effectively and ethically guide
children’s use of technology as tools for learning and living. iPads and other
tablets offer learning supports in communication and play. When integrating
technology in early childhood classrooms or in early intervention, it is
essential for that integration to be intentional, adaptable, and fun. Young
children thrive on play and pretending. They are learning about their world
through professional and family invitations for exploration. Assistive
technology is a path for children with special needs to express themselves and
to discover their world. The resources for families and professionals are
immense, and through this blog we hope disseminate interesting and practical
information on the local, state and federal levels regarding early childhood,
special education, and assistive technology.
1National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities
(NICHCY). (2009). Assistive technology act. Retrieved from
http://nichcy.org/laws/ata.
Come back
each week to find out more about practitioners work and evidence-based
practices in the field!
