Assistive Technology and Related Services in a Nevada IEP: What Parents Can Request

When most parents think about what goes into an IEP, they think about goals and a classroom placement. They do not always think about the broader category of supports that make it possible for those goals to be achieved — the speech therapist who works on communication skills, the occupational therapist who addresses writing and fine motor challenges, the text-to-speech software that lets a student access grade-level content despite a reading disability. These are related services and assistive technology, and they are among the most underprovided, most disputed elements of special education in Nevada.

Understanding what the law requires — and what Nevada districts most commonly get wrong — gives you the foundation to advocate effectively before services are denied rather than after.

What Are Related Services Under IDEA?

Related services are developmental, corrective, and supportive services that a child requires to benefit from special education. The key word is "requires" — not "would benefit from," but requires in order to access and make progress in their program.

Federal regulations list many types, including speech-language pathology, psychological services, physical therapy, occupational therapy, counseling, school health services, social work services, parent counseling and training, transportation, orientation and mobility, and interpreting services. Nevada's regulations under NAC Chapter 388 incorporate these definitions. The IEP team — including you — determines which services the child requires, based on evaluation data and IEP goals.

What Is Assistive Technology?

Assistive technology (AT) is separately defined under IDEA as any item, piece of equipment, or product system — whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized — that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a child with a disability.

AT spans an enormous range: from low-tech tools like pencil grips and highlighted paper to high-tech systems like text-to-speech software, speech-generating devices (SGDs), and eye gaze systems. Critically, it also includes AT services — the evaluation, training, and technical support needed to actually use the device or software effectively.

Under IDEA, IEP teams are required to consider whether a student needs assistive technology devices or services as part of the IEP development process. This consideration is not optional — it must happen for every student, at every IEP meeting. "Consider" means the team must affirmatively discuss and document whether AT is or is not needed. A team that never raises AT is not complying with this requirement.

What Nevada's Staffing Shortage Does to Related Services

Nevada is experiencing a documented, systemic shortage of speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, BCBAs, and other related service providers. This directly affects what IEPs offer.

In CCSD, parents report that districts sometimes propose lower-intensity services — 30 minutes of speech therapy per month instead of 60 — not because the evaluation data supports that level, but because the district lacks staff. Staffing limitations do not legally justify reducing services below what the child needs. If a district says it cannot provide a required service because it lacks personnel, respond in writing: the inability to staff a service does not relieve the district of its FAPE obligation. Districts can contract with outside providers, use teleservice, or arrange a different placement to meet the requirement.

In rural Nevada, specialists often cover enormous geographic territories, visiting individual schools on rotating schedules. If teleservice is proposed, ask the team to document how that delivery format meets the child's specific needs and how progress will be monitored.

Requesting an Assistive Technology Evaluation

If you believe your child needs AT and it has not been addressed in the IEP, you can request a formal AT evaluation. This request should be in writing and addressed to the special education facilitator or IEP team coordinator.

An AT evaluation should be conducted by a qualified AT specialist who observes the child in relevant settings, assesses the child's current functional capabilities and needs, reviews existing evaluation data, and trials specific devices or software with the child before making recommendations.

In CCSD, the district has a dedicated Assistive Technology Services department that can conduct formal AT evaluations and provide device loans for trial periods. If your school has not connected you with AT Services and your child has challenges that might be addressed through technology — such as significant difficulties with written expression, reading decoding, communication, or physical access to curriculum — ask for a referral explicitly.

Following an AT evaluation, the recommended devices and services must be written into the IEP if the team determines they are required. The district must then provide those devices at no cost to the family for use in school. Whether the device goes home with the child is an IEP team decision, but for many students, the benefit of AT extends beyond the school day — particularly for students who use speech-generating devices or augmentative communication systems.

Common Related Services Parents Underutilize

Parent counseling and training. IDEA explicitly includes parent counseling and training as a related service — training that helps you understand your child's disability and support IEP goals at home. Nevada districts rarely offer this proactively. If you need it, request it explicitly.

School counseling services. Students with emotional or behavioral challenges, anxiety, or social skills deficits may need school-based counseling as a related service. This is distinct from general school counseling available to all students — an IEP-based counseling service is individualized, tied to IEP goals, and legally required to be delivered at the documented frequency.

Transportation as a related service. If your child requires specialized transportation — a smaller bus with a paraprofessional, or transport to a specialized program at a different school — transportation must be provided at no cost when required for the child to access their educational program.

What to Do If the District Refuses a Related Service or AT

If the IEP team declines to include a related service or AT device you believe your child needs, the district must issue a Prior Written Notice (PWN) documenting what was proposed, what was refused, and the data supporting the refusal. Request this in writing if it is not automatically provided.

From there, you can request an IEE at public expense if you believe the needs assessment was inadequate, file a State Complaint with the NDE if the district failed to consider AT or deliver a service already written into the IEP, or request mediation as a lower-cost alternative to due process.

The Nevada IEP & 504 Blueprint at /us/nevada/iep-guide/ covers the PWN process, IEE rights under NAC 388.450, and step-by-step State Complaint filing with the NDE.

What the IEP Should Say About Related Services

When related services are included in an IEP, the document must specify:

• The type of service (e.g., speech-language therapy, occupational therapy)
• The frequency — how many sessions per week or month
• The duration — how long each session lasts
• The location — where services will be delivered (e.g., in the classroom, in a therapy room)
• The start date and anticipated duration of the service

If the IEP is vague about any of these elements — for example, it says "speech therapy as needed" or "OT when available" — that language is not legally sufficient. Services must be defined with specificity so they can be measured, delivered, and enforced. Vague service commitments are one of the most common ways districts create the appearance of providing services while leaving themselves room to reduce or eliminate delivery without technically violating the written document.

Read the related services section of the draft IEP before you sign. Confirm that the specific details are present for every service listed. If they are not, ask the team to add the specifics before you provide your signature.

Related services and assistive technology are not extras. They are the supports that make the educational program possible for your child. They belong in the IEP with the same precision and legal force as every goal on the page.

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