Factor deep dive · D
Factor D: whether special equipment is required
Factor D is the fourth and last question per domain. Factor D asks: does the student require equipment or technology beyond what most same-age peers need, and is it essential for their participation toward their goals? Two qualifiers from the rubric: it has to be beyond what's typical for peers, and essential for participation — not a convenience. The gradient is really about how dependent the student is on the tool and how much staff effort it takes to run.
The four levels
Nearly identical across all five domains:
| Level | What it means | How dependent / how much staff effort |
|---|---|---|
| 0 — None required | Standard materials; no special equipment for FAPE. | — |
| 1 — Minimum | Tool is used intermittently or independently; minimal staff prep. | Student mostly manages without it; staff help is incidental. |
| 2 — Moderate | Tool is needed routinely, with individualized setup and predictable staff training. | Student relies on it consistently; staff maintain it. |
| 3 — Significant | Tool is foundational — without it the student can't access, communicate, or participate. Highly individualized, integrated all day. | Continuous staff facilitation, ongoing customization. |
The gradient: handy (1), routinely relied-on (2), can't-function-without-it (3).
What the equipment is, domain by domain
| Domain | Looks like (Level 1 → Level 3) |
|---|---|
| Curriculum | Text-to-speech, basic graphic organizers → adapted digital curriculum with custom settings → integrated access system required for nearly all reading/writing |
| Behavior | Visual schedules, choice boards, noise-canceling headphones → self-monitoring apps, routine calming tools → systems foundational to regulation/safety; sometimes AAC to prevent escalation |
| Communication | Picture supports, occasional communication board → AAC used regularly with emerging independence → high-tech AAC as the student's primary means of communication |
| Independent Functioning | Visual checklists, timers → daily visual/digital schedules, task-analysis systems → integrated systems that structure the entire day; technology that replaces executive function |
| Personal Care / Health | Occasional mobility aid, basic positioning → daily mobility/health-monitoring equipment needing staff help → complex mobility/respiratory/feeding systems essential for safe attendance |
(AAC = augmentative and alternative communication — devices or systems a student uses to communicate. glossary)
Note how the same device can land in different domains depending on why it's required — an AAC device is a Communication tool, but if it's required specifically to prevent behavioral escalation it shows up in Behavior. Rate it where the IEP requires it for FAPE, and avoid double-counting one device across domains unless it's truly required in each. what is a domain
How Factor D fits with A, B, and C
Highest factor wins for the domain, so a student whose access depends on a foundational device can be Significant in a domain on Factor D alone. how scores become a tier