CITES: Framing the Future of Learning with Technology

Project Name
Center on Inclusive Technology & Education Systems (CITES)

Project Description

The goal of CITES is to empower school districts to create and sustain inclusive technology systems that serve all students, including students with disabilities who require assistive technology or accessible educational materials to learn.

CITES, in partnership with multiple districts, developed a framework of evidence-based practices to enhance the use of technology to support each students’ success using technology. The Center provides technical assistance to districts, educators, and families to ensure students with disabilities can access and utilize the technology tools they need to foster learning and life success.

CITES central goals include:

Increase the knowledge of providers and decision-makers in Local Education Agencies (LEA) about evidence-based assistive and instructional technology tools and practices for students with disabilities and their families.
Increase the effective use of assistive and instructional technology in LEAs within comprehensive and sustainable State Education Agency-aligned systems.
Increase partnerships between LEAs and community stakeholders to support sustainable and comprehensive systems.
Increase the capacity of providers and decision-makers to sustain comprehensive LEA and state-aligned systems for the effective use of assistive and instructional technology by students with disabilities and their families.

The CITES team offers learning and networking opportunities as part of the framework development and refinement, including an engaged community of practice for any district or professional looking to create a more inclusive technology ecosystem in their school or district.

In October 2023, the Center's next five-year round of funding will launch and continue through 2028. CITES 2.0 will extend the existing Center’s work to provide state-aligned, intensive technical assistance support to four LEAs within two states (two LEAs in each state). As part of the work, CITES will leverage Active Implementation Frameworks (AIF) to support sustained and scalable systems change tools to ensure alignment with state-adopted frameworks, such as Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) or Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), as well as state accountability systems. Findings from this work, along with a national data collection, will support the continued refinement of the CITES framework.

The CITES Framework is changing the future of technology and education. The future is inclusive.

Timeline

2023 – 2028 CITES 2.0

2018 – 2023 CITES 1.0

Funder

Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education

Partners

Evergreen Evaluation & Consulting, Inc.
The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN)
Center for Parent Information & Resources
The Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA)
Project Tomorrow
Virtual Learning Leadership Alliance

Implementation Specialists

Sophia Farmer, Implementation Specialist
Caryn S. Ward, PhD, Implementation Specialist

Project Leadership

Cynthia Curry, Principal Investigator CITES 1.0
Tara Courchaine, Principal Investigator CITES 2.0
Christine Fox, Project Director
Maggie Picket, Project Director

Contact

For more information about this project, please email cites@cast.org.