stated "AT tools and frameworks were absent in their decision-making, rather,
informal consultation amongst teachers was the general mode of operation. This
resulted in inadequate systematic assessments, lack of documentation and
decisions based on subjective opinions" (p. 432), which is the experience of many
IEP team members in the United States. To remedy this situation, the authors
studied and used the WATI process during a graduate class about AT for students
who are blind or visually impaired.
The author surveyed a small number of practicing teachers who are graduate
students seeking licensure in blindness and visual impairment and found that none
of them had used the WATI process to make decisions about student AT, and only
two had heard of the acronym WATI but did not know what it was. These results
mirror the results Wong (2019) found in Singapore.
One might assume that student learning is affected because their needs are
not being met. Rarely is a trial period considered to gather data and make revisions
prior to a more permanent plan in the IEP; therefore, making AT abandonment by
students and teachers more likely (Bouck 2019). The WATI process seeks to help
mitigate this problem.
