Assessing Student's Needs for Assistive Technology (ASNAT)

Chapter 10 – Funding Assistive Technology
Funding Assistive Technology for
Children and Youth with Disabilities
Penny R. Reed, Ph.D. and Paula Walser, CCC, SLP, ATP
As we approach the topic of funding for assistive technology, it is important to remember that only a
few short years ago our major problem was the lack of appropriate technology. How wonderful it is that
we now have a wide range of devices available and the prospect of many more being developed every
day. These devices allow a student with a disability to do many things that were not possible in the past.
As more and more devices become available, our challenges are to keep up with the rapid changes in the
field, to train service providers to operate and appropriately utilize the technology devices and to obtain
funding to pay for assistive technology.
Over ten years ago as the field of assistive technology was developing, the primary sources of funding
were Medical Assistance (or Medicaid), private insurance, and service clubs. Trefler (1989) found that
approximately 60% of clients had their technology paid for by Medicaid. Others received funding from
private associations, insurance companies, and private donations from service clubs. Unfortunately, in
many areas this is still true today.
Procuring funding from these sources is time consuming. Gathering the necessary information and
writing the request for funding approval can take 15 to 20 hours of work. In addition, specialists who
routinely deal with third party payers state that it is typical to be rejected on the first request. Therefore
additional hours are required to further explain and justify the funding request for resubmission.
In an effort to make assistive technology more available to individuals with disabilities, the federal
government has created several specific entitlements. These entitlements, or funding streams, include
the public schools under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Vocational
Rehabilitation under the Rehabilitation Act of 1993. IDEA requires assistive technology to be provided
as part of early intervention services, and as part of the special education, related services, or
supplementary aid or service by local school districts. Schrag (1991) made it very clear that school
districts may not "presumptively deny assistive technology" to a child until a determination is made that
assistive technology is not an element of a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) for that child. It is
clear that school districts have a responsibility to make assistive technology devices and services
available to students with disabilities who need such a device or service in order to benefit from their
special education program. If assistive technology is needed to accomplish the goals and objectives
listed in the child's IEP, then it must be provided.
However, IDEA does not prevent school districts from seeking funding from other sources to fund a
portion of the technology devices they may find necessary for students with disabilities. It requires the
school district to “provide” the assistive technology. In providing it, the school district may borrow it,
rent it, or seek an outside or “third party” funding source. Before seeking outside funding, school district
personnel should consider the amount of time that may be required to obtain such funding and the
reason the technology is needed in the first place.
The reason the technology device is needed is important because there are almost no funding sources
that will pay for equipment for the school to use to teach students new skills. Providing a basic range of
devices for teaching purposes is clearly the school's responsibility, just as they provide computers, tape
recorders, and other types of equipment for student without disabilities. This basic provision should
Assessing Students’ Needs for Assistive Technology (2004) 242