Peer reviewing the assistive technology application
Learn about peer review, the process of subjecting an assessor’s work to the scrutiny of another.
| Level of compliance | Main audience | Other |
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Inform
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When applying for assistive technology, it is always best practice to undertake a peer review. In some circumstances, a peer review is required.
- Who checks the assistive technology application is appropriate?
- What is the role of a peer reviewer?
- Who peer reviews?
- Further information
Who checks the assistive technology application is appropriate?
For the purposes of the assistive technology assessment, the assessor is understood to be the person who has taken the lead role in the Ministry’s assistive technology assessment and application process.
The purpose of the peer review of an AT application is to enhance the quality and consistency of the applications and to ensure that the proposed assistive technology solution is an appropriate match for the student’s needs and learning objectives in their school setting.
Conditions
| IF... | THEN... |
| 1. The application is for items over $5000 | The application MUST be peer-reviewed |
| 2. The application is one of the first two completed by an assessor | The application MUST be peer-reviewed |
| 3. The application is not 1 or 2 above | The peer review is OPTIONAL |
What is the role of a peer reviewer?
The role of a peer reviewer is to review the completed assistive technology application prior to submission for moderation. They:
- check that the application is technically sound
- check that the application conveys an agreed assessment process developed by the student's support team
- provide suggestions for change, where required, that are constructive and encourage further clarity in the assistive technology application before the final presentation.
Who peer reviews?
- A person who is appropriately qualified and has particular knowledge of the assistive technology device/s requested in the Ministry’s assistive technology application.
- A neutral person who is not currently working with the nominated student.
There will be times when the peer reviewer is located in a different office or region to the assessor. For complex and very expensive technology applications, a request may be made for the application to be reviewed by a specialist in a different education region.
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