MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
Assistive Technology - Eligibility
How do I know if a student is
eligible for assistive technology
funding?
School students with special educational needs may
be considered for assistive technology funding if they
are supported through any of the current Special
Education initiatives, including:

Ongoing Resourcing Scheme (ORS)

Speech-Language (Communication) Initiative

Severe Behaviour Initiative

Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour
(RTLB)

National provision for students with moderate
sensory impairments and physical disabilities

School High Health Needs Fund (SHHNF)

The Special Education Grant (SEG) option is
only used if the student is not eligible under any
other initiative. To be eligible under SEG,
student support must meet the following
minimum requirements:
o
Student has a current IEP
o
Student is receiving 2.5 (individual) or 4
(small group) teacher aide hours per week
o
Student is supported by the school SENCO
o
SEG support (above three bullets) has been
in place for a 3 month period
In addition a school student must be:

Enrolled in a registered school (compulsory
education) or formally exempted from school

Aged between five and 19 years (or up to the end
of the year in which they turn 21 if they have an
individual agreement with the Ministry of
Education (Section 9 special education
agreement)
Independent school and home school
(students who have a formal exemption from
school)
Students with special education needs attending an
independent school or being home-schooled may be
eligible to apply for assistive technology funding.
Their needs must be regarded as equivalent to those
of a student receiving support through a Ministry
initiative to support students with special education
needs in a regular school.
Assistive technology support is available only for
individual students (not groups of students). The
fund supports a student’s presence,
participation/engagement and learning.
School responsibilities
Regular school funding covers the provision of
assessments, programmes and support for all
students. Support for the student includes a range of
classroom resources, together with teaching staff
with the skills and confidence to support the use of
these resources.
Items such as tablets (including iPads) and laptops
that were once considered to be assistive technology
are now mainstream devices. Many students,
including those with mild or moderate learning needs,
benefit from using devices to support their learning.
Schools, students and their family/whānau are
responsible for providing standard classroom
equipment. For example, this means that students in
digital classes (where all students are expected to
have a device such as a laptop or tablet as
classroom equipment) cannot apply for a those
devices through assistive technology.
Assistive technology applications for under $100 will
not be considered. Schools are expected to provide
support to students by providing low cost items and
consumables, such as batteries. There are two
Ministry of Education grants (SEG and the ORRS
consumables grant) which could help with this.
Transport and technology required for transport are
not covered by assistive technology, but by:

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Special Education School Transport Assistance
scheme (SESTA) for transport to and from school
2

the school, for access to the curriculum such as
field trips and Education Outside the Classroom.
Specialist assistive technology
You must show that the requested assistive
technology meets the learning needs of the student.
Applications for specialist hearing, vision or physical
access assistive technology for students under nonspecialist eligibility initiatives, such as Special
Education Grant (SEG) or Resource Teachers:
Learning and Behaviour (RTLB) must include a
diagnosis from an appropriate professional and
appropriate specialist input.
For example, students who do not have hearing loss
but are applying for an FM system to address
auditory processing issues must include a formal
diagnosis of Auditory Processing Disorder from a
registered audiologist.
For advice on individual cases, please contact the
district technology coordinator at your local ministry
office.
Ministry of Health responsibilities
The operational protocol between Health and
Education sets out the funding responsibility for
assistive technology for students.
When the identified need is primarily for learning, as
covered by the NZ Curriculum, the Ministry of
Education is responsible for funding. When the
identified need is primarily for daily living, such as
communication or leisure the Ministry of Health is
responsible.
Accident Compensation Commission (ACC)
responsibilities
ACC provides assistive technology and specialist
equipment services to address injury-related needs,
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(including learning needs) except for classroom
furniture.
The Ministry of Education funds specialist seating
equipment including desks and chairs that are used
only in the classroom (equipment that is not taken
home).
Next step
Once you are sure the student is eligible please
contact your local District Technology Coordinator to
ensure that an application to the Ministry of
Education is appropriate.
If you have any queries please contact the district
assistive technology coordinator at your local
ministry office.
Link to Ministry of Education office contact list