Assistive Technology and AAC Specialist
About The Position
The Assistive Technology & AAC Specialist provides specialized evaluation, consultation, training, and technical guidance to component school districts. This role empowers students with disabilities to achieve their IEP goals, enhance functional communication, and access grade-level literacy and instructional materials. Working closely with multidisciplinary teams—including Speech-Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Teachers of the Visually Impaired, and Special Educators—the AT Specialist facilitates the integration of hardware, software, adaptive tools, and AAC systems into learning environments.
Requirements
- Hold and maintain at least one of the following valid New York State certifications or professional licenses: Special Education Teacher or Speech-Language Pathologist.
- Experience teaching or directly supporting students with complex disabilities.
- Strong knowledge of AAC feature matching and device trials.
- Familiarity with accessible digital literacy tools.
- Proficiency across low-to-high tech solutions, accessibility features (iOS, Chromebooks, Windows), and hardware adaptations.
- Strong ability to communicate and align strategies across speech, vision, OT/PT, and special education disciplines.
- Ability to link technology solutions directly to curriculum access, IEP goals, and student independence.
Responsibilities
- Conduct comprehensive AT and AAC evaluations for students across physical, cognitive, sensory, literacy, and communication domains.
- Utilize feature-matching frameworks to select appropriate low-tech, mid-tech, and high-tech tools tailored to individual student needs.
- Assess alternate access methods, including switches, eye-gaze systems, alternate keyboards, pointing devices, and speech recognition software.
- Assess, program, and support dynamic AAC devices and apps (e.g., TouchChat, LAMP Words for Life, Proloquo2Go) alongside low-tech options (GoTalks, PECS, SymbolStix overlays).
- Manage Medicaid-funded device trial workflows and facilitate student trials using iPads and specialized hardware.
- Guide educators and families in embedding functional communication strategies into everyday routines.
- Recommend and implement digital literacy supports (text-to-speech, speech-to-text, word prediction, graphic organizers) to enhance reading, writing, and language acquisition.
- Support early learning concepts (letters, numbers, shapes) and specialized math tools for students with diverse learning needs.
- Adapt instructional materials into accessible digital formats to ensure full curriculum access.
- Partner with component school districts to guide AT service planning, equipment acquisition, and sustainable deployment workflows.
- Manage the regional AT Lending Library, coordinating loans for iPads, switches, and specialized equipment for evaluation trials.
- Collaborate with multidisciplinary CSE teams to integrate meaningful AT/AAC goals and accommodations into Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).
- Deliver direct, hands-on training to students, educators, related service providers, and families on hardware, software, and adaptive device setup.
- Provide technical support and device troubleshooting to maintain consistent classroom functionality.
- Lead professional learning workshops on digital accessibility standards, AAC modeling, and accessible educational materials.
Benefits
- Competitive salary- commensurate with teaching and experience.
- Full benefits, including health insurance.
- Paid sick, personal, and family illness leave.
- Possibility of Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
- 403(b).
- Flex Spending.
- Employee Assistance Program.
- NYS Teachers’ Retirement System pension.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
