Date: Wednesday, May 14, 2025 4:30 PM- Wednesday, May 14, 2025 5:30 PM
Location: RESNA@RehabWeek 2025 Sheraton Riverside Downtown Chicago Chicago, IL
Lead/Instructor: Olga Volkov, Fulton County Schools

Abstract: According to the National Center for Educational Statistics (2022), 7.2 million students received special education services in 2021-2022, with 70% having high-incidence disabilities. While all students are entitled to consider assistive technology (AT) in their IEPs (IDEA, 2004), studies indicate that AT is underutilized among students with high-incidence disabilities. Effective AT use requires students to develop various skills, and teachers play a critical role. This study, conducted in a Southeastern U.S. school district, explored the experiences of special education teachers in implementing AT. The findings identified eight key themes affecting AT use: age-related differences, technical challenges, conflicting demands, coaching, and teacher self-efficacy. The study provides practical implications for AT specialists working with K -12 students and outlines facilitators and barriers to AT implementation, offering policy recommendations and recommendations for future research.

Learning Outcomes: Identify key barriers and facilitators to assistive technology implementation in K-12 education. Describe effective strategies for coaching and supporting teachers in AT usage with students with high-incidence disabilities. Demonstrate the use of specific assistive technology tools relevant to high-incidence disabilities. Differentiate between effective and ineffective AT practices based on real-world case studies. Apply learned strategies to improve student outcomes through better AT integration in their settings.