SET-BC Services to Public Schools
SET-BC Mandate
SET-BC is a Ministry of Education Provincial Resource Program established to assist school districts in educating students whose access to the curriculum is restricted primarily due to the following disabilities:
- physical disabilities or chronic health impairments
- visual impairments
- dependent handicaps
- deafblindness
- autism spectrum disorders
- moderate to profound intellectual disabilities
School district established procedures for selecting students:
- A teacher or school team may refer a student to the school district's SET-BC committee.
- The school team (which may include a parent) should use the District Screening Checklist to help determine the student's eligibility, strengths and needs.
- If the student is selected by the district screening committee to receive SET-BC services, the school-based team will be asked to complete a Request for Service form.
- The school team will then take part in developing a Collaborative Action Plan with the SET-BC consultant.
- The consultant will assist the team in determining what strategies and technology best meet the needs of the student.
SET-BC contact in each school district
Each school district has designated a District Partner who acts as a liaison between the SET-BC staff and the school district. The District Partner is familiar with the services provided by SET-BC and with the procedures for requesting technology for students.
SET-BC technology loans
SET-BC loans technology solutions to school districts. All SET-BC equipment can be identified by a SET-BC bar code sticker with a 5 or 6-digit id number. At the time of the original request, the members of the student's school-based team completed a CAP (Collaborative Action Plan) to request the system and plan for its implementation. A copy of the original CAP is kept in the student's official records with his or her IEP. A copy can also be obtained from the SET-BC consultant; or from the SET-BC District Partner.
Technology Loans to Distance Learning Schools
All SET-BC services are provided and delivered to BC school districts and their staff members. As a result, only students whose educational programming is provided by BC school district distance learning schools are eligible to receive SET-BC services and technology loans.
- The DL school requests SET-BC service for the student following the established school district screening procedures.
- The SET-BC case contact is the consultant normally attached to schools in the municipality where the DL school office is located. If the DL student is selected by the district screening committee to receive SET-BC services, the SET-BC consultant will meet with the DL school team responsible for the student’s programming to complete a Collaborative Action Plan (CAP).
- Training is provided to the DL school staff by the SET-BC consultant in the municipality where the school office is located. The school is responsible if any training is required in the student’s home as required.
- SET-BC will ship technology to the DL school address. The DL school is responsible for shipping to and from the student’s home as required.
- The SET-BC Support Centre will ship technology to and from the DL school office only. The DL school is responsible for shipping repairs to and from the student’s home.
School district partnership on hardware
SET-BC supplies the basic computer or voice output communication aid (VOCA). It is the school district's responsibility to arrange for printer access, networking capabilities and/or Internet access. These needs should be discussed as part of the CAP to ensure that the basic technology provided by SET-BC meets the requirements of student need. Where school teams identify additional hardware needs, the school (school district) is responsible for the cost, support, and maintenance of these technologies. When students change classrooms or schools, a re-CAP may be required to reassign responsibilities and review the student's program needs.
School district partnership on software
SET-BC supplies the basic hardware with the system software. SET-BC also provides specialized access software such as screen enlargement, Braille translation, or word-prediction. Normally the access software is requested as part of the original CAP. The school district is responsible for supplying any regular software such as a virus protection, word-processor, math programs, educational games, etc. The SET-BC consultant may recommend additional software that would be suitable for the student. As SET-BC loaned technology becomes part of the school district’s overall technology plan, it is subject to the school district’s appropriate use policies.
Original disks and manuals must be available for any software loaded on SET-BC computers. If original disks do not exist, the program is illegal software and must be removed from the system. Illegal software may not be put on SET-BC computers - the school must ensure only licensed software is installed on any SET-BC equipment.
Technology support and maintenance
Please call your SET-BC consultant if you need assistance with training related issues on the SET-BC software or hardware.
If there is a maintenance or repair issue with SET-BC technology, please call the SET-BC Support Desk at 1-866-738-3375 (lower mainland 604-269-2222), or email support@setbc.org. Many problems can be dealt with over the phone or by email, and the SET-BC technical support team can provide teams with troubleshooting suggestions.
Support Tips
- Before calling, please check all relevant help files and, if possible, software updates and hardware drivers.
- When you call, have the name of the student, equipment SET-ID # and details of the problem available.
- Whenever possible, have the equipment at hand and software CD’s available.
- Technology returned to the SET-BC Provincial Centre in Vancouver for repair or replacement typically requires 15 days for repair/replacement and return shipping.
Training
SET-BC offers a wide range of training activities on the educational use of assistive technologies.
When SET-BC provides a student equipment loan, the student's school based team receives training on the implementation of the technology in the classroom. This type of training is usually arranged at CAP meetings, or during the follow-up implementation support.
School district staff or school team members can also attend SET-BC workshops on a wide range of topics, such as Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) issues, alternate access, or vision technologies. SET-BC personnel circulate information on these workshops through District Partners.
The Learning Centre on the SET-BC website contains on-line presentations and tutorials, downloadable lesson plans, product guides and software demonstrations.
SET-BC Policy on the use of technology in the home and community settings
The technology is on loan to the school district and is not insured by SET-BC. Upon delivery of the system, the school administrator signs an equipment loan form accepting responsibility for the equipment, and it is up to the school district to make the decision to allow the system to go home. If this is the case, the parent(s) must also sign the loan form. Parents may investigate the purchase of a rider for their home insurance to cover the system, but are not required to do so. If the technology is lost or stolen, the home insurance ensures that it is replaced with current technology. If no insurance is in place, the technology will be replaced with comparable technology (e.g. a two year old system will be replaced with another two year old system.) It is important to have a technology security plan in place at school and at home, especially for laptop systems. The District Partner or SET-BC consultant can provide the school based team with a security checklist to assist in the development of a security plan. It is understood that student use of SET-BC technology in the home setting is based on the school district acceptable use policy and is to support the student’s educational program.
Student transitions to new settings - The school team is responsible for informing SET-BC of anticipated transitions. New school teams are encouraged to notify the District Partner and the SET-BC consultant to review technology needs and related training issues. The new school team may wish to have a CAP meeting to assign specific responsibilities to team members. The school team taking responsibility for the original loan must do an inventory of equipment before transferring it to a new school. The new school team should in turn review the technologies being received to ensure that all components of the student's system have arrived in proper working order. If the student is leaving the school district, the technologies on loan must be returned to the SET-BC regional office and NOT sent from one school to another. The SET-BC consultant will ensure that the student's technology and pertinent student files are transferred to the new SET-BC region.
Graduating students
Each year in March, SET-BC sends a letter to school teams supporting students who may be graduating or completing their secondary school education. The letter asks each team to confirm that the student is graduating or leaving school and outlines the options available to the student. The school district is required to return the equipment to SET-BC at the conclusion of the school year. If the student is continuing to a post-secondary institution, a meeting with a post secondary counselor may be needed to review the student's technology needs.