Factor deep dive · D
Factor D: whether special equipment is required
Factor D is the fourth and last factor rated in each domain. It asks whether the student requires equipment or technology beyond what most same-age peers need, and whether it's 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 rather than a convenience. The levels increase with 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. |
Factor D in each domain
| Domain | From Level 1 to Level 3 |
|---|---|
| Curriculum | Text-to-speech, basic graphic organizers, then adapted digital curriculum with custom settings, then an integrated access system required for nearly all reading and writing |
| Behavior | Visual schedules, choice boards, noise-canceling headphones, then self-monitoring apps and routine calming tools, then systems foundational to regulation or safety; sometimes AAC to prevent escalation |
| Communication | Picture supports, occasional communication board, then AAC used regularly with emerging independence, then high-tech AAC as the student's primary means of communication |
| Independent Functioning | Visual checklists, timers, then daily visual or digital schedules and task-analysis systems, then integrated systems that structure the entire day and replace executive function |
| Personal Care / Health | Occasional mobility aid, basic positioning, then daily mobility or health-monitoring equipment needing staff help, then complex mobility, respiratory, or feeding systems essential for safe attendance |
(AAC = augmentative and alternative communication — devices or systems a student uses to communicate. glossary)
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's rated in Behavior. Rate it where the IEP requires it for FAPE, and don't count one device across domains unless it's truly required in each. what is a domain
How the other factors relate to D
The domain takes its highest factor, 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 covers how the domain scores combine.