5.08.1 Each LEA and other public agency must ensure that assistive technology devices or assistive technology services, or both, as those terms are defined in 34 CFR 300.5 and 300.6, respectively, §§ 2.03 and 2.04 of these regulations, are made available to a child with a disability if required as part of the child's -

5.08.1.1 Special education under 34 CFR 300.36;

5.08.1.2 Related services under 34 CFR 300.34; or

5.08.1.3 Supplementary aids and services under 34 CFR 300.38 and 300.114(a)(2)(ii).

5.08.2 On a case-by-case basis, the use of school-purchased assistive technology devices in a child's home or in other settings is required if the child's IEP Team determines that the child needs access to those devices in order to receive FAPE.

5.08.3 Evaluation for Assistive Technology. It is essential that decisions about a child's use of technology be made by a committee of professionals and family members to ensure a broad perspective of knowledge and experience. Committee members might necessarily include any of the following -

5.08.3.1 Child

5.08.3.2 Family members

5.08.3.3 Paraprofessionals/aides

5.08.3.4 Audiologists

5.08.3.5 Classroom teachers

5.08.3.6 Occupational therapists

5.08.3.7 Physical therapists

5.08.3.8 Physicians

5.08.3.9 Qualified examiners

5.08.3.10 Special educators

5.08.3.11 Speech-language pathologists

5.08.4 Assessment of Communication. For children who require assistive technology to communicate, assessment is an ongoing process. Initial assessment can only provide good baseline information and allow the assessment team to make reasonable hypotheses about where and how to begin intervention. The goals of communication assessment are to enable the team to -

5.08.4.1 Determine the current and future communication needs of the child and those interacting with him/her;

5.08.4.2 Identify the communication capabilities of the child and the child's partners, as well as the characteristics of his/her environments and tasks;

5.08.4.3 Reach a consensus on communication goals and prioritize these goals;

5.08.4.4 Develop and revise plans that allow these goals to be implemented and that increase the child's involvement in activities and interactions; and

5.08.4.5 Monitor the success and/or failure of intervention approaches, including the use of assistive technology.

5.08.5 Assessment Variables. The following variables should be considered when evaluating communication -

5.08.5.1 Child -

5.08.5.2 Communication Context/Environment -

5.08.5.3 Communication Activities -

5.08.5.4 Augmentative Communication Aids, Symbols, Techniques and Strategies -

5.08.5.5 Assessment Procedures. Assessment of communication abilities, which should take place in more than one environment, should include the following: