Assistive Technology Committee Meeting Minutes

October 12, 2007

• Attendees:  Pat Contor, Karen Tracy, Darcy Fusch, Ken Russell, Danene Park, Carol Reppun

• Info from Terry Thompson:  Bookshare.org has received a sizable OSEP grant and is now offering its membership for free to students with print disabilities and their schools. This gives students access to over 34,300 books and 150 periodicals in accessible formats, with a promise of adding 100,000 educational titles with the new grant money.   More info on the Bookshare website:  http://www.bookshare.org

• May 2008 AT Meeting date has been changed from May 23rd to May 9th to coincide with the Special Ed Department Meeting.  Location – Room 212.

• Technology issues at Shuksan and other schools (computer/software problems due to classroom changes over the summer, etc.) – Pat will discuss with Sue Thomas. 

• Sue Thomas request for EBD and Lifeskills technology – Pat will discuss with Sue Thomas

• Ken Russell volunteered to update the AT website to include links to vendor and other assistive technology related websites

• Updates from last meeting

• Wynn Wizard purchased for Fairhaven (06-07 Budget)
• Read, Write and Type software purchased for Lowell and Larrabee (06-07 Budget)
• 4 copies of Boardmaker upgrades were purchased (07-08 Budget - $647)
• Touch Monitor for Geneva purchased (07-08 Budget - $628)
• Vantage Extended Warranty purchased (07-08 Budget - $1068 for 2 years)
• Pac Mate Extended Warranty purchased (07-08 Budget - $325)

• New Requests

• 3 additional copies of Boardmaker to upgrade all our last old copies (purchased in 1997). These can be upgraded to the newest version for $199 (vs $299 for a new copy.) – (Update – this request was approved by committee via email.  Items purchased)
• Birchwood EBD – Natalie Jude – Software request - Boardmaker and Picture It (Boardmaker will come from purchase above)  – (Update – this request was approved by committee via email.  Items purchased)
• Northern Heights – Cathy Crouch – Franklin Speaking Homework Wiz 216 - $30 (They’ll keep the loaner they’ve been using from our lending library.  We’ll purchase a new one to have on hand if someone wants to try it out.).  – (Update – this request was approved by committee via email.  Item purchased)
• BHS Lifeskills – Alphasmart 3000 – (They’ll keep the loaner they’ve been using from our lending library.  We have a spare, so we won’t need to purchase one now.)

• Assistive Technology Budget is still being determined.  $2667 has been spent so far.