Strengthening Home and School Collaboration Around Assistive Technology

3 days ago
5 min read

Posted by: Mimi Zimlich, M.S., PPS, UDL/AT Content Lead, Open Access

You’re sitting at a school meeting, and someone mentions assistive technology (AT).

Maybe your child is already using speech-to-text. Maybe the team is discussing a reading support tool. Maybe you’ve heard about visual schedules or organization apps being tried in class.

You nod, but inside you’re wondering:

What does this actually look like during the school day?

Is it really helping?

How can I support this without needing to be a technology expert?

If you’ve ever had those thoughts, you’re not alone.

The truth is, assistive technology works best when families and schools stay connected. Research consistently shows that strong family-school partnerships are linked to improved student outcomes and engagement (Henderson & Mapp, 2002). You don’t have to be a technology expert or know every feature or setting. What matters most is your insight into your child and your willingness to stay engaged in the conversation.

A Quick Story

Maya is 10. She loves science and has a strong vocabulary, but writing is exhausting for her. At school, she recently began using speech-to-text for longer assignments. Her teacher noticed she shared more ideas when she didn’t have to struggle with handwriting.

At home, Maya’s parents noticed something too. When Maya dictated stories into a tablet, she spoke confidently and in full detail. But when asked to type, she shut down.

The school saw increased output. Home saw increased confidence.

Together, those observations created a fuller picture of how the tool was helping and where she still needed support to build independence.

That’s the power of collaboration.

What Families Should Know About Assistive Technology

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), schools are required to consider whether a student with a disability needs assistive technology as part of the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) process. AT is not an extra add-on. It is a support designed to reduce barriers and increase participation in learning.

AT might include:

Speech-to-text or word prediction for writing
Text-to-speech for reading
Visual schedules or task breakdown tools
Organization supports or timers
Accessibility features built into school devices

But access alone is not enough. Assistive technology tools are most successful when teams consider the student, the environment, the tasks, and the tools together, an approach known as the SETT Framework (Zabala, 2005).

That means your observations from home are not separate from school planning. They are part of the full picture.

It’s not just whether the tool is available. It’s whether your child is using it, benefiting from it, and gradually building confidence and independence.

And that’s where your voice becomes essential.

Questions That Invite Partnership

You don’t have to come into meetings with answers. Most of the time, simple curiosity builds the strongest partnerships.

Approaching conversations with openness, “Help me understand what you’re seeing,” creates space for collaboration.

Here are questions that can deepen the conversation:

What are you noticing about how my child uses this tool during the day?
When does it seem most helpful?
Are there times my child avoids it or seems hesitant?
How are you teaching them to use it independently?
What would success look like with this tool?
How will we know if it’s working?
Are there strategies or language we can use at home that mirror what’s happening at school?
If it’s not working as expected, what adjustments might we consider?

Research suggests that assistive technology is more likely to be used consistently and less likely to be abandoned when families are included in planning and when students receive ongoing support (Edyburn, 2004; Parette & Scherer, 2004).

Sometimes just saying, “I’d love to hear what you’re seeing,” opens the door to richer discussion than any technical question ever could.

When Home Observations Add Value

Families often see things schools can’t, simply because children behave differently in different environments.

At home, you might notice:

Your child uses the tool confidently for one task but resists it for another.
They need more prompting than the school realizes.
They’ve discovered shortcuts that increase independence.
They express frustration or pride in ways that don’t show up in the classroom.
They abandon the tool when tired or overwhelmed.
They rely heavily on adult support to initiate use.

These observations are meaningful data.

Context matters, and a tool that works well in one setting may need adjustment in another. Sharing what you notice helps the team align supports across environments, strengthening consistency and independence over time.

When families contribute to these patterns, they help prevent small concerns from becoming larger barriers.

Collaboration Is About Alignment, Not Perfection

Home and school do not have to look identical. The tools don’t need to be used in exactly the same way. What helps most is alignment in expectations, language, and goals.

When there is alignment:

Students hear consistent language about how and when to use tools.
Independence develops more quickly.
Stress decreases because expectations feel predictable.
Confidence grows across settings.

Alignment might look like:

Using similar prompts (“What tool might help here?”)
Encouraging self-advocacy in both environments
Reinforcing that AT is a support, not a sign of weakness
Checking in periodically about whether the tool still fits the task

Collaboration is not about proving something is working or not working. It is about learning together. And sometimes alignment simply means: “We’re noticing the same thing, and we’re adjusting together.”

Possible Questions to Bring to an IEP Meeting:

What strengths does this tool highlight in my child?
Where are we still seeing barriers?
How is independence being supported?
What training does my child receive to use the tool effectively?
How will progress be monitored over time?
If this tool isn’t enough, what are our next steps?

Even choosing one or two of these can focus the conversation in meaningful ways.

A Moment for Reflection

Assistive technology is not just about devices. It is about dignity, access, and participation.

As a parent or caregiver, you might reflect:

Does my child feel empowered when using this tool?
Do they understand why it helps?
Are we talking about it as something positive?
Do I feel informed and included in the process?

When families and schools listen to one another, assistive technology becomes more than a support. It becomes a bridge that connects environments, builds confidence, and strengthens belonging.

If You’d Like to Learn More

If you’d like to explore more resources or better understand your role in assistive technology decisions, these organizations and guides provide clear, family-friendly information:

Open Access Flipkit https://www.openaccess-ca.org/at-resource-flipkit

Wyoming Assistive Technology Resources (WATR) — AT Pointers for Families https://www.uwyo.edu/wind/_files/docs/watr/atpointers.pdf

Understood.org (Assistive Technology Basics) https://www.understood.org

Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) Find your state’s center here: https://www.parentcenterhub.org/find-your-center

CAST (Universal Design for Learning) https://www.cast.org

Your perspective matters, and when it is shared openly, it strengthens the entire team around your child.

References

Edyburn, D. L. (2004). Rethinking assistive technology. Special Education Technology Practice,

5(4), 16–23.

Henderson, A. T., & Mapp, K. L. (2002). A new wave of evidence: The impact of school, family,

and community connections on student achievement. Southwest Educational Development Laboratory.

Parette, H. P., & Scherer, M. (2004). Assistive technology use and stigma. Exceptional Children,

70(2), 217–226.

Zabala, J. S. (2005). Using the SETT Framework to level the learning field for students with

disabilities.