Procedure 2.1.22 SPECIAL EDUCATION - SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT

Approved: November 2, 2004

Revised: June 16, 2020

1.0 Purchase

2.0 Board Responsibilities for SEA Per Pupil Amount and Claims-Based Funding

DSB Ontario North East will ensure that, in addition to any other obligations to give notice under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Privacy Act (MFIPPA), the board has informed the parent that a SEA claim has been submitted to the Ministry, in accordance with this guideline, to partially offset the cost of support and services provided by the board for their child.

DSB Ontario North East has a responsibility to meet the special education needs of their students. SEA funding assists with the equipment and training costs associated with meeting these needs. The board will develop an internal process that equitably allocates the Per Pupil Amount, Claims-Based amount and an internal board contribution to support student needs in an equitable and timely fashion. The board will internally allocate sufficient funding (in addition to SEA funding) to meet these needs and ensure that all students with special education needs who require equipment have access to appropriate equipment.

The Board will internally allocate funding for:

The $800 per pupil deductible (for claims)
Insurance costs

SEA PPA may be used for technicians and training, including release time for educators.

DSB Ontario North East will seek efficiencies for all SEA equipment purchases. The Per Pupil Amount enables the board to seek bulk purchases and board licenses to decrease costs, including the establishment of consortia across boards to decrease unit costs.

Unused SEA Per Pupil funding must remain as a SEA Per Pupil Amount and be treated as deferred revenue to supportfuture spending on purchases of all computers, software, robotics, computing related devices and required supporting furniture identified for use by students with special education needs, as well as all training and technician costs for maintenance and repair of any SEA equipment.

3.0 Documentation Required for SEA Per Pupil Amount and Claims-Based Funding

DSB Ontario North East will continue to maintain documentation for both Claims-Based and SEA Per Pupil Amountpurchases that correlate equipment to the students for whom it has been purchased. The Board is required to submit annually a list of all purchases made, by category, with SEA PPA funds, as well as to submit to the Ministry a completed SEA PPA Form (Appendix 2), which includes a list of expenditures and additional reporting questions. All documentation maintained by boards may be requested for review by Ministry staff.

All SEA equipment must be documented by:

An assessment or assessments from an appropriately qualified professional (SEA Claims-Based only);
Evidence of proof of purchase, such a copy of a paid invoice, including for equipment and the cost of maintenance and repairs of SEA equipment (SEA PPA and Claims-Based);
A copy of the student’s current Individual Education Plan (IEP) that provides evidence of the intended use of the equipment (SEA PPA and Claims-Based) in the student’s program signed by the Principal.

The appropriately qualified professional will vary depending upon the nature of the student’s need and the purpose andfunction of the equipment. Assessments must include a diagnosis of the condition the equipment is meant to address and a functional recommendation regarding the specific types of equipment the student requires to address his or her strengths and needs. In some cases, more than one type of professional will need to be consulted in order to provide acomplete picture of the student’s needs and recommended equipment. In addition, the Ministry will recognize recommendations from Specialist Teachers of the blind, deaf or deaf-blind who work for a school board. The decision to recognize an individual as a specialist teacher for the purpose of recommending specialized equipment for students is left to the school boards.

The student’s IEP must demonstrate the use of equipment such that it:

Aligns with their program and report card;
Reflects a logical thread from assessment data to the student’s areas of strength and need, accommodation and/or program section;
Provides, in the program section, measurable learning expectations related to Ontario curriculum for modified subjects/courses, and/or includes alternative skill areas as appropriate; and
Demonstrates the student is using the equipment, and, where appropriate, that the studentis using the equipment for provincial testing.

4.0 Eligible Expenses for SEA Per Pupil Amount and Claims-Based Funding

Eligible expenses include all costs associated with purchasing and/or leasing equipment to meet students’ specialeducation needs as well as the related costs for peripherals, service contracts and training that are required to make equipment operational.

The types of equipment that are eligible for SEA funding can include any items that are recommended by a qualified professional that are not available through the board’s regular school day supply and/or computer purchasingarrangements.

It is expected that equipment will be replaced or upgraded as needed to accommodate changes in students’ needs, due to changing technology, and/or to better meet the students’ strengths and needs as documented in the currentIEP. The expected number of years of use for different types of equipment varies according to the equipment.

5.0 Ministry Review

For both the Claims-Based amount and the Per Pupil Amount, the Ministry may review all required documentation in support of SEA claims and may conduct classroom, school and/or board visits which may include the following:
- That the equipment be found with the student for whom the cost was claimed and/or with the student for whom the equipment was transferred to under the board’s asset management
- That the equipment be found in good
- That the student and/or staff be able to operate the equipment
During the school year, Regional Office staff are available to provide direction and policy interpretation whenever questions arise as to the eligibility of specific

6.0 Documentation Required for Developing the Special Equipment Amount (SEA) Claim

Each SEA claim must include:

- SEA Equipment Claim/Tracking Form (Appendix C)
- An assessment or assessments from an appropriately qualified professional(s):
  - The professional will vary depending upon the nature of the student’s need and the purpose and function of the equipment. Assessments could be conducted by, but not limited to a psychologist or psychological associate, physician, audiologist, speech- language pathologist, optometrist, occupational therapist and/or
  - In some cases, a recommendation from a provincial demonstration school, (e.g. Trillium, Ross Macdonald, E.C. Drury).
  - The assessment must include a diagnosis of the condition the equipment is meant to address and a recommendation regarding specific types of equipment the student requires addressing his or her needs. In some cases, more than one type of professional will need to be consulted in order to provide a complete picture of the student’s needs and recommended
- A current copy of the student’s IEP that provides evidence of the intended use of the equipment and software in the student’s program. Students must have an IEP when equipment is required to support classroom instruction and educational assessment. For students that are not identified and have a recommendation for assistive technology, devices and/or equipment a Non- Identified IEP must be in place.

Completed claims should be sent to your District SERT or Special Education

7.0 SEA Asset Management /Long Term Planning

Equipment purchased with SEA funding is a set of physical assets which District School Board Ontario North East has a responsibility to protect, maintain and manage as a public resource.

The Board will ensure that:

Equipment is functioning properly and that the equipment is meeting students’ needs.
Equipment is replaced as required when students outgrow equipment or when equipment wears out through use.
Upgrades and refurbishment are considered as an option before replacement.
Equipment is reused by/transferred to other students when no longer required by the student for whom it was purchased.
Efforts are made to share equipment among several students where possible.
Reasonable efforts are made to acquire a fair market value when disposing of used equipment.

It is the responsibility of school administration to ensure that all SEA equipment has been received and meets the specifications set out in the SEA claim.

Requests for equipment and software training are to be made by school administration by completing and submitting the Assistive Technology Training School Request (Appendix D) to the District SERT or Special Education Administrator.

8.0 SEA Equipment Transfer Process

Equipment purchased with SEA funding may be transferred from school to school and from school board to school board within Ontario. Where feasible, it is expected that the student’s individualized equipment will move with the student it is purchased for.

Transfer of Equipment within the Board (school to school)

In order to support schools and to meet Ministry expectations for SEA personalized equipment transfer, the Special Education and Information Technology departments work together to facilitate a transfer process for each student's equipment at the end of the school year. When transferring equipment utilize the expertise of the IT technician to ensure all equipment is properly identified and

When a school knows that a student with SEA equipment will be transferring to a different school within the Board, the SERT at the sending school will:

- Verify that all student transfer information is correct;
- Locate all listed equipment;
- Check off the equipment that is accounted for on the SEA Transfer & Inventory Forms noting missing or damaged equipment;
- Box or package and label items for pick up;
- Have all equipment ready for pick up by the board designated date (usually in June);
- Contact the receiving school and identify the receiving school’s contact and room to which the equipment is to be delivered on the SEA Transfer Form;
- Send a SEA Transfer Form (Appendix E) & SEA Inventory Listing (Appendix A) to the Special Education Secretary (New Liskeard Board Office) listing the students SEA

When a school receives SEA equipment which is being moved from a different school within the Board, the SERT will:

- Receive the SEA Transfer & Inventory Forms from the Special Education Office listing the equipment that has been ordered for and is currently in use by an individual student;
- Verify that all pieces of equipment as indicated on the SEA Transfer & Inventory Forms are received; and
- Send the completed form to the Special Education Secretary at the New Liskeard Board

Transfer of Equipment to another School Board in Ontario

When a school knows that a student with SEA equipment will not be returning to a school within the Board for the next school year, the SERT will:
- Receive a request from the receiving school for the equipment that has been ordered for an individual student;
- Locate all listed equipment using the SEA Inventory Listing(s) filed in the Ontario Student Record (OSR) (Appendix A);
- Complete and check off the equipment that is accounted for on the SEA Inventory Listing(s)
- (Appendix A);
- Box or package items for pick up;
- Label each box and package with the student name and receiving school;
- Have all equipment ready for pick up by the designated date; and
- Return SEA Transfer & Inventory Forms to the Special Education Secretary at the New Liskeard Board

Equipment purchased with SEA funding may be transferred from school board to school board within Ontario. It is the responsibility of the receiving board to pay for any shipping or handling costs associated with the transfer of equipment.

9.0 Borrowing of SEA Equipment

Although the Ministry of Education recommends that personalized equipment be used at school, there may be some individual circumstances when a request by a parent/guardian or student over the age of 18 may be approved as an accommodation to assist the student at home to access the Ontario Curriculum.
Parent(s)/guardian(s) should investigate whether the equipment they are requesting to borrow can be purchased under the Assistive Devices Program (ADP) for home
Parent(s)/guardian(s)/student(s) wishing to borrow equipment for use at home will contact the principal who will recommend approval of those requests where the schoolwork is required to be done at home and the equipment is necessary.
Principals will provide the family/student with the Information About Borrowing Personalized Special Education Equipment form (Appendix F). Before equipment is released to parent(s)/guardian(s) or students (over the age of 18) for use at home, they must consent to assume responsibility for the equipment and agree to the terms as outlined in the form Assumption of Responsibility for Borrowed Special Education Equipment (Appendix G). A copy of this form should be sent to the Special Education Administrator.
The principal reviews, makes a recommendation and forwards the request for approval to the Superintendent responsible for Special Education and the Special Education Administrator.
It is expected that personalized equipment purchased for the student will remain at the school during the school day, during school holidays, and during summer vacation. Loan of portable equipment during the months of July and/or August may be considered for students with special needs who require the equipment for summer school programs provided by District School Board Ontario North East. Individual requests for borrowing SEA equipment during the summer months will be determined by the Superintendent responsible for Special Education and the Special Education Administrator in consultation with the school principal. The Information Technology Department must be notified of equipment going home during the summer, in order that servicing and upgrading can be completed at another
- Note: scanners, printers and desktop computers are generally not portable and moving them between school and home is not recommended. Students must arrange to scan materials at school.
Computer equipment and software is purchased and formatted to allow the student to benefit from the recommendations made by a qualified practitioner. The Information Technology Department at District School Board Ontario North East ensures the equipment is compatible with the Board’s technology. Limiting the possibility of infecting the board’s system with computer viruses is a Therefore,
- Tampering with the existing set-up of the system is not permitted. Failure to comply with this will result in the immediate cancellation of home use
- Software not approved by and/or purchased by the school board is not
- Installing any other software will result in the immediate cancellation of home use
- The computer is provided to allow the student to access the Ontario Curriculum. Any other use is not acceptable. All students and employees of District School Board Ontario North East are governed by the policies and procedures of the board, including those that pertain to the safe use of the internet and appropriate conduct. By accepting this equipment for use at home, the student and parent(s)/guardian(s) accept the District School Board Ontario North East rules governing the use of computer
- Failure to return equipment to school so that it can be used for curriculum tasks at school may result in cancellation of home use
The parent (or adult student) is responsible for the cost of replacement and/or repairs if SEA equipment is damaged or stolen whole off board property or in transit to/from

10.0 Disposal of Surplus Equipment

Obsolete SEA equipment is to be disposed of according to the Managing Surplus or Obsolete Furniture, Equipment and Books Policy of District School Board Ontario North
When SEA equipment is not being utilized and is therefore surplus, complete and send the SEA Inventory Listing and the Surplus SEA Equipment forms (Appendices A & B) to the Special Education Secretary at the New Liskeard Board Office.

11.0 Release of Equipment

Personalized equipment is provided as an accommodation for a disability that affects a student’s ability to access the Ontario Curriculum or other board\

In addition to software and hardware supports for computer equipment the board also provides training on the use of the equipment and how it can be integrated into the curriculum. This training is provided by school staff and/or by external trainers. Schools may request the services of District Special Education Resource Teachers to provide support for assistive technology.

Despite these supports, some students show reluctance to use the equipment and in some cases, refuse to use it for any school-related tasks. In such cases, the school may include seeking further support from school and board staff. When the student continues to state that he or she is unwilling to use the equipment, the school can discuss the option of removing and reassigning the equipment within the Board. If the school, the students and the parents are in agreement with this option, the equipment will be declared surplus and a copy of the Release of Equipment Form (Appendix H) will be placed in the student’s OSR.

12.0 Upgrading Equipment

Personalized equipment can be upgraded through the SEA process. This may be necessary when the student’s circumstances have changed (e.g. a student has a desktop computer and is placed in a portable; when the equipment is older and can no longer effectively run certain required software; or when innovative technologies become available).

In these cases, the schools should resubmit the original SEA Claim (Appendix C), including the diagnosis and the original recommendation to the District SERT. A current IEP is also required. Schools should also note the reasons why an upgrade is requested.

The District SERT will review the request and will pass it along to the Special Education Administrator, who will approve the request. If not approved, the request is returned to the District SERT with a rationale and suggestions.

13.0 Stolen or Lost Equipment

In a case where equipment cannot be located, the school should contact the police after making all reasonable efforts to locate it.

When equipment is stolen from a school or from the home of a student who has rights to take the equipment home, the school principal should contact the police to report the theft. The school principal should also contact the Special Education Administrator, who will contact the Information Technology Department in order to arrange a replacement for the equipment.

The school principal will review with school staff the circumstances under which the equipment was stolen. Procedures for the storage of equipment should be reviewed and revised where necessary.

Appendices

Appendix A: SEA Inventory Listing

Appendix B: Surplus SEA Equipment

Appendix C: SEA Claim & Tracking Form

Appendix D: Assistive Technology Training School Request

Appendix E: SEA Transfer Form

Appendix F: Information about Borrowing Personalized Special Education Equipment

Appendix G: Assumption of Responsibility of Borrowed Personalized Special Education Equipment

Appendix H: Parental Consent for Release of Equipment

References