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Discussion and Interpretation of the Issue
When thinking about the issues regarding
the need for assistive technology the argument
can be framed using the law, IDEA and Assistive
Technology Act of 2000, combined with the level
of student need. What does the law require
schools, teachers, and individualized educational
programs provide for students with disabilities
AND what do these same students need to be
able to do to be productive members of society?
Turnbull (2005) presents a thorough investigation
into the query of the reauthorization of IDEA under No Child Left Behind (NCLB) in 2004 and
what that means for students being served under
special education systems in our public schools.
Turnbull contends that the reauthorization of IDEA
changes the landscape dramatically for what is
expected on the part of the educator, student, and
parent regarding increased accountability to better mirror the requirements in NCLB. The author
proposes three categories of IDEA under NCLB
that can help interpret the law to the greater extent. He suggests the education community think
of IDEA as an education law, civil rights law, and
welfare law. Turnbull proposes, "Self-reliance precedes social support. Personal responsibility precedes social dependency," (p.324). Further, the
reauthorization points to outcomes and requires
thoughtful discourse and planning for how students will become productive members of society
and economically self-sufficient. How can special
education teachers ensure that they are addressing self-sufficiency?
Assistive technology can help meet the
needs of greater self-sufficiency for students who
are receiving special education services. Yeager,
Kaye, Reed, & Doe (2006) conducted an exhaustive survey of people with disabilities that were
using Independent Living Centers in California.
They found that regardless of the type of disability, respondents reported their disability as the pri-
