Requestor
Darria Wise
Organization/Agency
SECAC
Requested Information
Request HCPSS AAC Devices, Services, Procedures, Staffing and Oversight
TO: HCPSS MPIA Representative:
Pursuant to the Maryland Public Information Act, General Provisions Article, §§ 4-101 through 4-601 of the Annotated Code of Maryland, SECAC request access to existing public records concerning the Howard County Public School System’s (HCPSS) provision, management, maintenance and oversight of augmentative and alternative communication services and devices.
For purposes of this request, “AAC” includes augmentative and alternative communication systems, speech-generating devices, communication applications, dedicated devices, tablets used for communication, low-tech communication systems and related software. This includes, but is not limited to, TouchChat, TouchChat with WordPower, LAMP, Proloquo2Go, and similar systems.
The requested period for HCPSS to provide information are for School Years (SY) 2023-2024, 2024-2025, 2025-2026
Please provide the following existing records:
1. AAC policies, procedures and guidance
All current or previously applicable policies, procedures, manuals, protocols, memoranda, flowcharts, presentations, training materials, checklists and written guidance addressing:
• Referral for an AAC consultation or evaluation
• AAC evaluations and trials
• Selection or recommendation of an AAC system
• Acquisition and assignment of AAC devices
• Programming and customization
• Vocabulary selection and expansion
• Use of AAC throughout the instructional day
• Access to AAC during transportation, extracurricular activities, field trips and emergency situations
• Device repair and replacement
• Loaner or temporary communication systems
• Loss, theft or damage
• Device upgrades, resets and factory restoration
• Backup, storage, transfer and restoration of student AAC programming
• Protection of a student’s communication system during routine maintenance, repair or case replacement
• Transition of AAC systems between schools, programs, staff members or grade levels
2. Device backup, repair and replacement
All procedures, protocols, contracts, service agreements, warranties, instructions and staff communications addressing:
• How frequently AAC devices and communication applications must be backed up
• Who is responsible for completing and verifying backups
• Where backups are stored
• Required steps before a device is erased, reset, repaired, replaced or sent to a vendor
• Quality-control measures used to confirm that a student’s customized vocabulary and programming have been preserved
• Restoration of programming following repair or replacement
• Expected repair and replacement timelines
• Provision of a comparable loaner AAC system or other effective communication access while a primary device is unavailable
• Reporting and corrective action when AAC programming or student communication data is lost
3. AAC device and student data
Please provide existing reports, spreadsheets or data showing, by school year and in aggregate:
• The number of HCPSS students whose IEPs identify AAC, a speech-generating device or an alternative communication system
• The number of students receiving AAC consultations, evaluations or trials
• The number of students issued an HCPSS-owned AAC device
• The number of students using personally owned AAC devices at school
• The number and type of AAC devices and communication applications currently in use
• The number of AAC devices in HCPSS inventory
• The number of devices available for evaluation, trial or temporary loan
• The number of devices sent for repair, replaced, lost, damaged, erased or factory-reset
• The average length of time students were without their primary AAC device
• The number of incidents in which customized AAC programming or vocabulary was reported lost, erased or unavailable
• The number of students that was provided with a loaner or temporary communication system
Please provide aggregate, de-identified records only. SECAC is not requesting student names, identification numbers, IEPs, medical information or other personally identifiable student information.
4. AAC staffing and organizational responsibility
Please provide:
• Current and historical organizational charts identifying the offices, departments, teams and positions responsible for AAC services
• Job descriptions for every position with responsibility for AAC consultation, evaluation, programming, training, maintenance, monitoring or oversight
• The number of staff assigned to provide AAC-related services during each requested school year
• Position vacancies affecting AAC services
• Records identifying who is responsible for supervising and evaluating HCPSS AAC personnel
• Records showing which office is accountable for ensuring that AAC services and devices included in students’ IEPs are implemented consistently
5. Staff qualifications and professional learning
Please provide:
• Minimum qualifications, licenses, certifications, competencies or experience required of employees conducting AAC evaluations or making AAC recommendations
• Training materials provided to speech-language pathologists, speech-language pathology assistants, special educators, paraeducators, administrators, related-service providers and technical staff
• Training schedules, attendance records and the titles or positions of employees who received AAC training
• Records showing whether staff must demonstrate competency before programming, modifying, resetting, repairing or otherwise handling a student’s AAC system
• Guidance provided to staff regarding aided language stimulation, communication-partner training and integration of AAC across educational settings
• Records identifying the trainers, consultants or vendors that provided AAC professional learning
6. Vendors, contracts, purchasing and expenditures
Please provide:
• Contracts, purchase orders, invoices, bids, proposals, warranties and service agreements involving AAC devices, applications, accessories, repairs, technical support, assessments, consultations or training
• The names of AAC vendors and contractors used by HCPSS
• Annual AAC-related expenditures for each requested fiscal year
• Records identifying the funding sources used to purchase AAC devices and services
• Records showing the number and type of devices or software licenses purchased
• Records concerning vendor responsibility for backing up, repairing, replacing or restoring AAC devices and programming
7. Monitoring, complaints and corrective action
Please provide de-identified records concerning:
• Complaints, incident reports or concerns involving delayed access to AAC
• Failure to provide an AAC system required by an IEP
• AAC devices being unavailable, nonfunctional, erased, improperly programmed or not used
• Loss of customized vocabulary or student programming
• Staff handling an AAC device without appropriate training
• Delays in repair, replacement or provision of a loaner device
• Internal reviews, audits, investigations, findings, corrective-action plans or recommendations concerning AAC services
• Systemwide or school-based monitoring used to determine whether AAC accommodations and services are being implemented
Student and family names and other protected information may be redacted. Please do not withhold an entire responsive record when redaction would permit disclosure of its nonexempt portions.
8. Communications and leadership oversight
Please provide records of communications, meeting materials, reports, presentations, memoranda and recommendations exchanged among the following offices concerning systemwide AAC procedures, capacity, staffing, device management, training, implementation or oversight:
• Department of Special Education
• Instructional Access Team
• Speech-language services leadership
• Office of Information Technology
• Risk Management
• Procurement
• Division of Academics
• Superintendent’s Cabinet
TO: HCPSS MPIA Representative:
Pursuant to the Maryland Public Information Act, General Provisions Article, §§ 4-101 through 4-601 of the Annotated Code of Maryland, SECAC request access to existing public records concerning the Howard County Public School System’s (HCPSS) provision, management, maintenance and oversight of augmentative and alternative communication services and devices.
For purposes of this request, “AAC” includes augmentative and alternative communication systems, speech-generating devices, communication applications, dedicated devices, tablets used for communication, low-tech communication systems and related software. This includes, but is not limited to, TouchChat, TouchChat with WordPower, LAMP, Proloquo2Go, and similar systems.
The requested period for HCPSS to provide information are for School Years (SY) 2023-2024, 2024-2025, 2025-2026
Please provide the following existing records:
1. AAC policies, procedures and guidance
All current or previously applicable policies, procedures, manuals, protocols, memoranda, flowcharts, presentations, training materials, checklists and written guidance addressing:
• Referral for an AAC consultation or evaluation
• AAC evaluations and trials
• Selection or recommendation of an AAC system
• Acquisition and assignment of AAC devices
• Programming and customization
• Vocabulary selection and expansion
• Use of AAC throughout the instructional day
• Access to AAC during transportation, extracurricular activities, field trips and emergency situations
• Device repair and replacement
• Loaner or temporary communication systems
• Loss, theft or damage
• Device upgrades, resets and factory restoration
• Backup, storage, transfer and restoration of student AAC programming
• Protection of a student’s communication system during routine maintenance, repair or case replacement
• Transition of AAC systems between schools, programs, staff members or grade levels
2. Device backup, repair and replacement
All procedures, protocols, contracts, service agreements, warranties, instructions and staff communications addressing:
• How frequently AAC devices and communication applications must be backed up
• Who is responsible for completing and verifying backups
• Where backups are stored
• Required steps before a device is erased, reset, repaired, replaced or sent to a vendor
• Quality-control measures used to confirm that a student’s customized vocabulary and programming have been preserved
• Restoration of programming following repair or replacement
• Expected repair and replacement timelines
• Provision of a comparable loaner AAC system or other effective communication access while a primary device is unavailable
• Reporting and corrective action when AAC programming or student communication data is lost
3. AAC device and student data
Please provide existing reports, spreadsheets or data showing, by school year and in aggregate:
• The number of HCPSS students whose IEPs identify AAC, a speech-generating device or an alternative communication system
• The number of students receiving AAC consultations, evaluations or trials
• The number of students issued an HCPSS-owned AAC device
• The number of students using personally owned AAC devices at school
• The number and type of AAC devices and communication applications currently in use
• The number of AAC devices in HCPSS inventory
• The number of devices available for evaluation, trial or temporary loan
• The number of devices sent for repair, replaced, lost, damaged, erased or factory-reset
• The average length of time students were without their primary AAC device
• The number of incidents in which customized AAC programming or vocabulary was reported lost, erased or unavailable
• The number of students that was provided with a loaner or temporary communication system
Please provide aggregate, de-identified records only. SECAC is not requesting student names, identification numbers, IEPs, medical information or other personally identifiable student information.
4. AAC staffing and organizational responsibility
Please provide:
• Current and historical organizational charts identifying the offices, departments, teams and positions responsible for AAC services
• Job descriptions for every position with responsibility for AAC consultation, evaluation, programming, training, maintenance, monitoring or oversight
• The number of staff assigned to provide AAC-related services during each requested school year
• Position vacancies affecting AAC services
• Records identifying who is responsible for supervising and evaluating HCPSS AAC personnel
• Records showing which office is accountable for ensuring that AAC services and devices included in students’ IEPs are implemented consistently
5. Staff qualifications and professional learning
Please provide:
• Minimum qualifications, licenses, certifications, competencies or experience required of employees conducting AAC evaluations or making AAC recommendations
• Training materials provided to speech-language pathologists, speech-language pathology assistants, special educators, paraeducators, administrators, related-service providers and technical staff
• Training schedules, attendance records and the titles or positions of employees who received AAC training
• Records showing whether staff must demonstrate competency before programming, modifying, resetting, repairing or otherwise handling a student’s AAC system
• Guidance provided to staff regarding aided language stimulation, communication-partner training and integration of AAC across educational settings
• Records identifying the trainers, consultants or vendors that provided AAC professional learning
6. Vendors, contracts, purchasing and expenditures
Please provide:
• Contracts, purchase orders, invoices, bids, proposals, warranties and service agreements involving AAC devices, applications, accessories, repairs, technical support, assessments, consultations or training
• The names of AAC vendors and contractors used by HCPSS
• Annual AAC-related expenditures for each requested fiscal year
• Records identifying the funding sources used to purchase AAC devices and services
• Records showing the number and type of devices or software licenses purchased
• Records concerning vendor responsibility for backing up, repairing, replacing or restoring AAC devices and programming
7. Monitoring, complaints and corrective action
Please provide de-identified records concerning:
• Complaints, incident reports or concerns involving delayed access to AAC
• Failure to provide an AAC system required by an IEP
• AAC devices being unavailable, nonfunctional, erased, improperly programmed or not used
• Loss of customized vocabulary or student programming
• Staff handling an AAC device without appropriate training
• Delays in repair, replacement or provision of a loaner device
• Internal reviews, audits, investigations, findings, corrective-action plans or recommendations concerning AAC services
• Systemwide or school-based monitoring used to determine whether AAC accommodations and services are being implemented
Student and family names and other protected information may be redacted. Please do not withhold an entire responsive record when redaction would permit disclosure of its nonexempt portions.
8. Communications and leadership oversight
Please provide records of communications, meeting materials, reports, presentations, memoranda and recommendations exchanged among the following offices concerning systemwide AAC procedures, capacity, staffing, device management, training, implementation or oversight:
• Department of Special Education
• Instructional Access Team
• Speech-language services leadership
• Office of Information Technology
• Risk Management
• Procurement
• Division of Academics
• Superintendent’s Cabinet
Date Received
Status
Submitted