Assistive Technol Spclst-10M

POSITION SUMMARY

Provides Assistive Technology services in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and in compliance with the professional state licensing agency under which the practitioner provides services for children receiving special education services in HISD.  Assesses, plans, organizes, and participates in the delivery of assistive technology services to facilitate students with disabilities to participate in instructional programs designated in the student’s individualized educational program.

ILLUSTRATIVE DUTIES

• Provides student specific assistive technology services.  Conducts appropriate assistive technology consideration, evaluation, and intervention services to support students with disabilities who are referred by campus personnel, parents, Admission, and Review and Dismissal/Individualized Education Program (ARD/IEP) committees.  Facilitates campus team to perform assistive technology evaluations and support campus personnel to improve campus capacity to use technology to support students with disability in the learning process. Follows departmental guidelines for providing consideration, evaluation, and intervention services for children with disabilities including maintaining compliance with professional peer review and administrative review policies.
• Effectively communicates with district personnel and customers.  Participates in ARD/IEP meetings as requested.  Serves as a liaison with the medical community and agencies on student issues related to assistive technology services.  Supports parents of children with disabilities to understand the role of assistive technology services in schools.  Accesses school or community resources.
• Provides student specific technical support. Adapts, constructs, or recommends specialized equipment to facilitate student performance.  Supports classroom personnel to effectively use classroom-based technology and assistive technologies to facilitate student success.
• Provides professional development.  Conducts in-services for school personnel on, among other pertinent topics, communication, literacy, and technology skill development in children with disabilities as it impacts success at school.  Serves as a resource for campus administration concerning the interpretation of the assistive technology program and also addressing barriers limiting the participation of students with disabilities in campus based and classroom based activities. Develops professional development programs for campus based personnel in online, face-to-face, and webinar formats.
• Supports assistive technology device inventory and maintenance.
   

ILLUSTRATIVE DUTIES CONTINUED

• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

• Microsoft Office
• Texas Licensure/Certification in at least one of the following areas:
  • Speech-Language Pathologist, Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC), Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP).
  • Occupational Therapist
  • Physical Therapist
  • Educational Diagnostician
  • Licensed Specialist in School Psychology
  • Special Education Teacher Certification
     

Education

Bachelor’s Degree;  Master's Degree preferred

Experience

1 year providing special education and/or related services to students with special needs.
A minimum of 40 hours of professional training in assistive technology evaluation.
 

Other Requirements

LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES
No supervisory or direct people management responsibilities. May provide occasional work guidance, technical advice and training to staff.

WORK COMPLEXITY/INDEPENDENT JUDGMENT
Work is substantially complex, varied and regularly requires the selection and application of technical and detailed guidelines. Independent judgment is required to identify, select, and apply the most appropriate methods as well as interpret precedent. Position regularly makes recommendations to management on areas of significance to the department. Supervision received typically consists of providing direction on the more complex projects and new job duties and priorities.

BUDGET AUTHORITY
No budget development activity is required.

PROBLEM SOLVING 
Decisions are made on both routine and non-routine matters with some latitude, but are still subject to approval. Job is occasionally expected to recommend new solutions to problems and improve existing methods or generate new ideas.

IMPACT OF DECISIONS 
Decisions have minor, small and possibly incremental impact on the department or facility. Errors are usually discovered in succeeding operations where most of the work is verified or checked and is normally confined to a single department or phase of the organizational activities resulting in brief inconvenience.

COMMUNICATION/INTERACTIONS
Information sharing - gives and receives information such as options, technical direction, instructions and reporting results. Interactions are mostly with customers, own supervisor and coworkers in own and other departments.

CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS
Takes routine or required customer actions to meet customer needs. Responds promptly and accurately to customer complaints, inquiries and requests for information and coordinates appropriate follow-up. May handle escalated issues passed on from coworkers or subordinates.

WORKING/ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS
Work involves some exposure to moderate risk of accident and requires following basic safety precautions.
Ability to carry and/or lift 25 pounds or more.