Updated as of February 10, 2024.
Can I Use My School-provided Accessible Assistive Technology at Home and in the Community?
Absolutely! In every state, including Maryland, students with IEPs (individualized education plans) are entitled to receive from the school transition services relating to training, education, employment, and, where appropriate, independent living skills. In other words, school is more than just your classes; it is the place for you to develop the skills you will need before and after high school graduation.
School-related tasks that you would need accessible AT for at home include accessing the internet for information, taking notes, creating documents, etc. You also might need accessible AT for these tasks in your community or at work (volunteer or paid). Tasks that might not be part of regular school classes include cooking, cleaning, getting transportation, reading directions on box mixes, shopping in person, ordering things online, etc.
Can I Get Additional School-provided Accessible Assistive Technology to Use Only at Home and in the Community—Not at School at All?
Yes. As noted above, both school-related tasks and non-school-related tasks fall under “transition services.” Thus, it is completely appropriate for your IEP to include instruction, services, and tools, including AT, to help you do things efficiently and effectively in your home and in the community, even if you are not doing those things at school.
Contact the Bridges Helpdesk for More Information
- Our Accessible web form
- Email: Helpdesk@imagemd.org
- Text: Send to: (410) 357-1546
- Voice mail: Call (410) 357-1546, leave a voice mail message, and we will return your call
This unique project is being coordinated through The IMAGE Center of Maryland, a center for independent living in Towson, and it is funded by a grant from the Maryland Department of Education Division of Special Education/Early Intervention Services.