Tomball ISD Assistive Technology Team Named Interdisciplinary Team of the Year by Texas Occupational Therapy Association

TOMBALL — Tomball ISD Special Services Assistive Technology (AT) Team has been named Interdisciplinary Team of the Year by the Texas Occupational Therapy Association (TOTA), a statewide honor recognizing collaborative teams whose work meaningfully improves the quality of life for individuals served through occupational therapy and related services.

The Interdisciplinary Team of the Year award recognizes teams that demonstrate excellence through collaboration, advocacy, innovation, research, and non-traditional programming. Tomball ISD’s Assistive Technology Team was honored for building a sustainable, inclusive model that removes barriers, promotes independence, and ensures students can fully participate in their education.

Under the leadership of Dr. Eileen Garza, OTR, ATP/SMS, PhD, FAOTA, the Tomball ISD Assistive Technology Team has become a model for how interdisciplinary collaboration can transform educational access for students with disabilities. Over more than 30 years of service in Tomball ISD, Dr. Garza has guided the evolution of assistive technology from an expert-practitioner model into a multi-level, districtwide system of support that serves students across the lifespan and strengthens learning for all.

“To me, the most significant part of this recognition is the interdisciplinary portion,” Dr. Garza said. “Tomball has always focused on best practice—using the team of individuals directly working with the student to identify needs and make decisions about assistive technology supports. That collaboration allows us to develop the best solutions to promote student success.”

What began as a collection of specialized tools for individual students has grown into a comprehensive, systemwide framework grounded in universal design. Today, assistive technology in Tomball ISD is embedded at the campus, district, and administrative levels—ensuring tools integrate seamlessly with instructional practices, digital systems, and classroom environments.

For the past nine years, Tomball ISD has provided reading, writing, and communication supports—such as text-to-speech, speech-to-text, word prediction, and text editing tools—as universally available resources for all students. This forward-thinking approach has resulted in one of the most successful districtwide implementation rates in the state, creating inclusive learning environments across classrooms.

“Students need more than just a seat in the classroom in order to learn—they need to engage,” Dr. Garza said. “Assistive technology opens that opportunity for students who face barriers due to a disability.”

The Tomball ISD AT Team brings together professionals from across disciplines to support both individual and systemic needs. Core team members include Kimberly Keller, OTA; Whitnee Drake, DPT; Erika Meza, Speech Therapy Assistant; Adry Salazar and Stephanie Tempest, Special Education Teachers; Kathryn Bonds, Content Specialist for Specialized Support; and Nancy Newton, Content Specialist for Low Incidence Programs, with additional support from vision, audiology, and orientation and mobility specialists.

At the individual level, the team works closely with students, families, and campus staff through a structured evaluation process that identifies barriers, builds on student strengths, and incorporates student voice. Students are encouraged to participate in solution-finding and self-advocacy, ensuring assistive technology supports align with their academic goals and post-secondary aspirations.

“Access to communication, literacy, and physical tools changes everything,” Garza said. “When students can communicate, they can make choices, express ideas, and direct their own support. That autonomy is essential to learning and growth.”

“I am so proud of our AT team’s collaborative work not only with students, but with all stakeholders—including educators, service providers, and families—to ensure appropriate, innovative, and functional assistive technology that supports students’ meaningful access and progress,” Keri Williams, Tomball ISD Director of Special Services said.

The award was recently presented in San Marcos at the TOTA State Conference. During the conference, Tomball ISD’s Assistive Technology lead, Dr. Eileen Garza, also presented a paper on the role of occupational therapists in the evaluation and implementation of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), reinforcing the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in student-centered support.

ABOUT TOMBALL ISD
Tomball ISD educates students to become responsible, productive citizens by providing innovative, individually rigorous, and personally valuable educational experiences. Founded in 1908, Tomball ISD now encompasses 83 square miles in northwest Harris County and southwest Montgomery County, and is located approximately 30 miles from downtown Houston. The district currently educates over 23,000 students across 25 campuses.