TAAT is accepting applications for our 2023 Annual Scholarship!

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION: November 15, 2023

Recipient will be announced during opening session of the conference.

The Tennessee Association for Assistive Technology is pleased to provide an annual scholarship for $500 to support the professional development of a school-based provider. Funds must be applied toward an appropriate continuing education activity related to improving the applicant’s assistive technology skills.

REQUIREMENTS:

Applicants should be employed directly by a Tennessee public school system or affiliate and support the use of assistive technology for students with disabilities at the classroom, school, or district level.

Employees of private entities who contract to provide school-based services are not eligible.

Examples of approved expenditures include registration fees for attendance at an approved conference or symposium, participation in online webinars, paying tuition/fees for AT-related courses through an accredited college or university, or payment of fees for national certification (such as CSUN or RESNA exam).

2020 SCHOLARSHIP WINNER

 Congratulations to our 2020 Scholarship winner Jennifer Scott!

The TAAT annual scholarship provides $500 towards professional development in assistive technology to a school-based provider. Funds must be applied toward an appropriate continuing education activity related to improving the applicant’s assistive technology skills.

Jennifer’s application clearly explained her need for AT education and her plan to make that happen:

My name is Jennifer Scott and I am a Speech-Language Pathologist with the Dickson County Schools. Our county is working to improve the consideration and use of Assistive Technology for our students. Last school year, our Special Education Coordinator formed a team to support the use of AT with our students. Our team consists of a Speech-Language Pathologist, Occupational Therapist, Physical Therapist , and a Special Education teacher. The Board of Education sent this team to the TAAT Conference. While the conference was very beneficial, it did not prepare our team to conduct AT or AAC assessments or to make well informed recommendations. Our only other training has been what we have researched on our own. Many of our AT assessment requests are for communication/AAC but we also have referrals for vision, hearing, physical positioning, mobility, computer access, fine motor, sensory, and adaptive environments. If I were to be awarded this scholarship, I would like to attend the ATIA 2021:AT Connected Conference. The skills obtained at the ATIA Education Program would enhance my skills in the area of Augmentative & Alternative Communication, Vision & Hearing Technologies, Education & Learning, and AT for Physical Access & Participation. These educational opportunities would allow me the opportunity to not only complete better assessments of our student's needs but would also allow me to provide better informed accessibility options to the teams that are directly working with these students to better meet their needs. This training would allow our teams to identify and provide what the student needs in order to improve their functioning and independence to be able to participate and access educational opportunities. Thank you for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship.