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Assistive Technology: What It Is and How It Works 

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Assistive Technology: What It Is and How It Works 

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assistive technology (AT) is any device, piece of equipment or system that helps a person with a disability work around his challenges so he can learn, communicate or simply function better.

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Assistive technology is any device, software, or equipment that helps people work around their challenges.

Some examples of assistive technology are text-to-speech and word prediction.

Assistive technology includes low-tech tools, too, like pencil grips.

Technology is everywhere these days. But did you know that there are specific tech tools that can help people who learn and think differently? These tools-called assistive technology, or AT-are often inexpensive and easy to use.

What is assistive technology? How can kids and adults benefit from these tools, and where do you start? Read on to learn more.

Assistive technology basics

AT is any device, software, or equipment that helps people work around challenges so they can learn, communicate, and function better. A wheelchair is an example of AT. So is software that reads aloud text from a computer. Or a keyboard for someone struggling with handwriting.

These tools can help people work around their challenges, while also playing to their strengths. This is especially important for kids who struggle with learning-whether in reading, writing, math, or another subject. AT can help these kids thrive in school and in life. And that can help grow their confidence and independence.

There are lots of myths about AT. Some wrongly believe that using AT is "cheating." Others worry that kids who use AT may become too reliant on it.

While AT has many benefits, keep in mind that it can't "cure" things like dyslexia or ADHD. It can't replace good teaching and instruction, either.

Examples of assistive technology tools

Despite the word "technology," not all AT tools are high-tech. AT includes many simple adaptive tools , like highlighters and organizers. A great example of low-tech AT is a pencil grip .

Many AT tools are high-tech, though. And because of advances in technology, tools are now available on a variety of platforms :

Desktop and laptop computers

Mobile devices (includes smartphones and tablets)

Chromebooks (and the Chrome browser used on any device)

How to find the right assistive technology tool

With so many AT tools available, finding the right one can be overwhelming. One good approach is to choose AT that targets a specific struggle . For example, if a child struggles with writing, try dictation technology. As the child speaks, words appear on the screen.

People with access to a mobile device, like a smartphone or a digital tablet, can add AT tools to it with apps. Explore these ideas:

If you don't know what to use first, text-to-speech is a good place to start . Text-to-speech converts electronic text to spoken words, so people can listen to digital text. It can make a big difference for people who have trouble with reading or focus.

There are many free AT tools, and some are built into mobile devices.

A good way to choose an AT tool is to start with a specific learning struggle or need.

Text-to-speech is often a good first AT to try.

About the Author

About the Author

Understood Team is made up of passionate writers and editors. Many of them have kids who learn and think differently.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Jamie Martin is an assistive technology specialist at the New England Assistive Technology Center (NEAT) in Hartford, Connecticut.

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Assistive technology for learning: What you need to know

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Assistive technology is any device, software, or equipment that helps people work around their challenges. Some examples of assistive technology are text-to-speech and word prediction. Assistive technology includes low-tech tools, too, like pencil grips. Technology is everywhere these days. But did you know that there are specific tech tools that can help people who learn and think differently?

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How to Implement the Strategy: Three Components of Successful Programs for Children With ADHD

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How to Implement the Strategy: Three Components of Successful Programs for Children With ADHD

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Academic Instruction;

Behavioral Interventions; and

Classroom Accommodations.

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Exceptionally able students are likely to have acute powers of observation and learn to read early

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Exceptionally Able | Special Education Support Service

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Students with severe physical disability may have minimal special educational needs, while those with minimal physical disability may have serious learning needs.

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Physical Disabilities | Special Education Support Service

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Students may have physical disabilities arising from conditions such as congenital deformities, spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, brittle bones, haemophilia, cystic fibrosis or severe accidental injury. It is important to state that there is no necessary direct correlation between the degree of physical disability and the inability to cope with the school curriculum, apart from the elements involving physical activity.

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It is important to be aware of the significance of the differences internationally in definitions of learning disabilities.

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General Learning Disabilities | Special Education Support Service

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The Report of the Special Education Review Committee (SERC) (1993) referred to 'general learning disabilities' as 'mental handicap' and adopted the classification system used by The World Health Organisation to indicate specific levels of disability.

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Teach an understanding of words and concepts through the use of actual objects and progress from the concrete to the abstract.

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An understanding of sentences is difficult for these students and often presents in the classroom with difficulties in following instructions and poor oral comprehension. Give simple directions in sentences to provide students with experiences in understanding sentences (e.g. 'Put the book on the table', etc). Have students repeat what they have heard to check understanding.

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Supporting the Student with               Down Syndrome  in Your Classroom 

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Supporting the Student with               Down Syndrome  in Your Classroom 

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Individuals with Down syndrome have more opportunities than ever before

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having FM systems in the classroom benefits all students, even those without hearing loss.

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Accommodations and modifications in the classroom can help your child with hearing loss learn at his or her best. These include teaching strategies specific to your child's needs, as well as simple physical accommodations-like seating placement and keeping the classroom door closed to minimize extraneous noise. Importantly, other audio technologies to supplement and/or work in conjunction with your child's hearing aids can be extremely beneficial in enabling greater communication ease for your child.

It's important to ask the school principal or appropriate administrator for a meeting with a multidisciplinary team-including the teacher, audiologist, speech pathologist, special education teacher, and/or others as appropriate-to determine the best accommodations and modifications for your child.

At this meeting, be sure to explore the most commonly used audio technologies to learn what can be done to help your child. Classroom technologies for children with hearing loss include FM systems, induction loop systems, and remote microphones, among others.

FM systems are wireless audio systems designed to help people hear speech better in noisy environments. Working as a standalone system-or in conjunction with your child's hearing aids, cochlear implant, or other auditory management technology-FM systems help children with any degree of hearing loss. In fact, research shows that having FM systems in the classroom benefits all students, even those without hearing loss.

Schools are beginning to use induction loop systems-or "hearing loops"-more frequently. There is a growing movement, in fact, to make them standard in large public venues, such as performing arts centers and airports, where people need to hear broadcast sound. Hearing loops typically circle the periphery of a classroom or public space, and work on electromagnetic signals that connect with the teacher, speaker, or performer's microphone and audio system. This enables state-of-the-art hearing aids and cochlear implants to pick up the sounds coming from the microphone-without the unwanted background noise.

Remote microphone hearing assistance technology (HAT) delivers the speech signal from the microphone to other audio devices so your child can have easier access to what the teacher is saying. HAT devices can bring the speech and sound signals from the microphone to your child in a number of ways:

1. Directly to your child's hearing aid, cochlear implant or other hearing device via a hearing loop;

2. Directly to your child's hearing aid, cochlear implant or other hearing device via a wireless receiver that your child wears;

3. To a strategically positioned loudspeaker that benefits your child and others in the room;

4. To a single, personal loudspeaker close to your child.

There are many options available today to help your child with hearing loss in the classroom. Figuring it all out may feel overwhelming at first. But realize there are many knowledgeable professionals in the education system and hearing health profession ready, able, and eager to guide you and help your child.

Remember: You are not alone. These professionals have gone through this many times before with parents just like you who want to do the very best for their children. The important step is setting up that initial meeting with the multidisciplinary team in order to put the best plan in place for your child.

For more information on classroom accommodations, go to Hearingpedia.

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Teaching Students with Hearing Impairment in the Classroom

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Accommodations and modifications in the classroom can help your child with hearing loss learn at his or her best. These include teaching strategies specific to your child's needs, as well as simple physical accommodations-like seating placement and keeping the classroom door closed to minimize extraneous noise.

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5 Important Classroom Accommodations For Autistic Children

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5 Important Classroom Accommodations For Autistic Children

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Kids on the autism spectrum often have difficulties with visual or auditory or learning styles.

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Since autism spectrum disorder cause a wide range of learning disabilities that are unique to each child, classrooms must remain equipped to help every student work around those difficulties. Each individual's executive function level and sensory processing difficulties play a role in the resulting learning disability types and severity. With 1 in 68 kids diagnosed on the autism spectrum, with many high functioning individuals, teachers at all grade levels must remain prepared to provide accommodations designed to mitigate those learning difficulties. With the right classroom accommodations, it is possible to overcome barriers to learning and help children with autism tackle schoolwork with confidence.

Daily Outlines

Difficulties with transitions between tasks and activities is common through the full range of the autism spectrum. Therefore, a daily class schedule detailing the broad activity categories for the day is a must. A detailed daily schedule will greatly assist with the transitions related to moving between the classroom, lunchroom, schoolyard and other destinations throughout the day.

It does not, however, have the power to assist with lesson micromanagement. Students with autism perform best when they know how to break up their time between each tasks required to complete the exercise or project in front of them. Teachers can provide an outline for each assignment to help students transition between the required tasks.

Alternate Media

Kids on the autism spectrum often have difficulties with visual or auditory learning styles. Teachers should provide multiple media options to suit each child's specific learning style. For visual learners, a combination of literature, videos, pictures and charts relays the lesson information best. Auditory learners, on the other hand, often require an audio tape or recording of the written information for the lesson.

For children exhibiting difficulties with both visual or auditory learning styles, it is possible to provide tactile tools to convey the information provided with each lesson. Tactile tools may include flashcards, board games, pads for notetaking, computer games and craft projects. Although it can be beneficial for the students to try the other types of media from time to time, the best progress will be made with the child's preferred learning style. It's important to remember that not all autistic children are the same. Whilst one may experience trouble hearing, another may not. That's why it's important to be able to facilitate both. Those children who do experience trouble hearing may need some earphones, similar to tv ears, to better understand and participate in learning. If the class is watching a video, these earphones can be connected to the computer or TV to allow autistic children to hear too. There are a number of different devices out there to help people with autism, be sure to find out what each child struggles with.

Sensory Tools

Up to 95% of autistic children have difficulties regulating their sensory system, which is often referred to as sensory processing disorder. Therefore, sensory tools, or fidgets, can help relieve the resulting stress and improve focus for autistic children as they attempt to learn in a busy classroom environment. The fidgets allow these kids to self-regulate their emotions and keep themselves on task when distractions compete for their attention. Many kids who are prone to repetitive behavior can keep their typical motions under control with a fidget in hand or under foot.

There are many different types of sensory tools suitable for classrooms, including stress balls, pencil toppers, tangle puzzles, clay, wiggle cushions, weighted lap pads, chair bands and foot rollers. Since fidgets are fun, yet low key, they are a nice tool to have available to all of the students to avoid having anyone feeling singled out or left out.

Quiet Corner

Classrooms are full of distractions that students with autism frequently find difficult to drown out. The screech of chairs moving across the floor, other students walking around, intercom announcements, flickering lights and school bells are all bothersome distractions that are near impossible for children with autism to ignore. Even strong smells can overpower the senses and dominate the mind of students sensitive to that type of stimuli. These distractions often become incredibly overwhelming to the sensory system, especially as the day goes on, which can lead to a meltdown.

To prevent sensory overload, teachers can provide their students with a place to escape the constant barrage of noise and visual stimulus by creating a quiet corner in a low traffic area of the classroom. The corner should have somewhere for the students to comfortably rest and allow their sensory system to calm down. Noise canceling headphones or ear plugs, sleep masks and weighted blankets can all help the student overcome sensory overload and prepare to begin the learning process anew. Plus, nowadays they are all easily purchasable online, from weighted blanket uk vendors on Amazon to more specialized stores.

Extra Breaks

Teachers can help the school day go much smoother by building breaks into the schedule. A single five minute break every hour provides much needed time to transition between tasks and recover from the demands of the classroom environment.

Breaks should also be available on an as-needed basis to allow students with autism to learn how to respond to internal cues and take the actions required to regulate their being. Without an adequate number of breaks each day, students may be prone to meltdowns from sensory overload and fatigue from constantly attempting to regulate themselves.

Kids with autism tend to return from the break reorganized and ready to focus on the task at hand. Teachers may want to suggest extra breaks at first to help kids become mindful of their feelings. Guided breaks also give kids a chance to see which break time activities provide the biggest benefits. Kids who seek stimulus may prefer to listen to music, while overwhelmed students may benefit from quietly working on a puzzle.

Playing It By Ear

There are always going to be opportunities for teachers to further customize the classroom in an effort to mitigate the challenges autistic children face in school. Each child with autism provides a chance to observe the classroom accommodations that provide the biggest benefits and identify discrepancies in the learning environment. As teachers navigate the process of providing support for all students, it is important to utilize all of the available resources to create a learning environment friendly to all.

Additional Resources
Accommodating Children With Autism Within An Inclusive Setting
https://www.superduperinc.com/handouts/pdf/134_AutismintheClassroom.pdf
Technology Tools For Students With Autism
http://archive.brookespublishing.com/documents/boser-technology-tools.pdf
Autism Preparation Kit For Teachers
https://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/Special-Education-Services/Documents/Eligibility%20Areas/Autism/autismpreparationkitforteacherspdf.pdf
Autism Speaks Family Services School Community Tool Kit
https://www.autismspeaks.org/sites/default/files/school_community_tool_kit.pdf
A Comprehensive Guide To Finding The Right Toy For Your Child With Special Needs
http://www.redwoodnky.org/assets/redwood/files/$cms$/100/1434.pdf

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5 Important Classroom Accommodations For Children With Autism

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Since autism spectrum disorder cause a wide range of learning disabilities that are unique to each child, classrooms must remain equipped to help every student work around those difficulties. Each individual's executive function level and sensory processing difficulties play a role in the resulting learning disability types and severity.

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The student may take the test along with the others but don't give a grade. Positive feedback is okay.

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All accommodations are to be done as discreetly as possible - try not to draw undue attention to the student's difficulties - they have enough trouble as it is. An accommodation is an alteration that gives a student the chance to successfully demonstrate what he/she knows. An accommodation does not guarantee success, but denying it guarantees failure. Fair does not mean treating everyone the same. Fair means providing what each student needs to have a chance to succeed in class.

Reading to your children can be very beneficial. It will help develop their language skills and expand their vocabularies. It also will stimulate their imagination and knowledge of the world. Even after they are starting to read on their own, it's beneficial to read to them above their reading level but on subjects that are of interest to them. This will increase their motivation to improve.

Spelling Accommodations

Traditional ways of teaching spelling don't work with dyslexic students. While we teach spelling a different way, we ask that you:

1. Do not grade spelling tests and do not let student spend hours practicing spelling. The student may take the test along with the others but don't give a grade. Positive feedback is okay.

2. Do not mark down for spelling errors in other written work. The student's spelling will improve as he/she progresses through the program. Allow the students who have been instructed in its use to use the Franklin Spelling Ace on daily assignments.

3. Never ask the student to use the dictionary to find out how to spell a word. The purpose of a dictionary is to give the meaning, pronunciation, and etymology of a word, not to teach spelling. Allow the student to use a Franklin Spelling Ace or word processor to look up spelling if parent has provided one.

4. Do not trade papers to grade the test.

Reading Accommodations

Our students can more easily access grade level subjects through listening but, because they are below grade level in reading, they can not learn through reading. While we teach reading a different way we ask that you:

1. Provide textbooks and literature in audio version.

2. For SSR or DEAR, allow all students the option of listening to books. It is far preferable to listen to a book that is at or above grade level than to force a student to read a less mature book that is below his or her interest level.

Accommodations To Reduce Anxiety And Public Humiliation:

Our students are publicly humiliated on a daily basis for poor spelling, handwriting and reading. It makes many of our students sick and anxious. As we teach them to read and spell, they gain confidence. While they are learning to read and spell with a different method we ask that you:

Accommodations For Dysgraphia

Some students have very slow, painful, non-automatic handwriting that takes so much thought that they can't write and listen at the same time. We will be working on handwriting with this student, if needed. We will work to eliminate b/d confusion and letter reversals. We'll attempt to develop clear, consistent handwriting. However, our primary job is to teach spelling and reading. Handwriting development and correction take more to perfect than our program can give with only 80 - 90 minutes a week.

Please provide this help in your classroom:

Accommodations For Written Expression

Provide alternatives to writing a report - consider the learning objective and look for appropriate alternative to demonstrate the learning. Don't have all learning be shown only through writing.

Homework Accommodations

Teachers are usually unaware of how many hours struggling students spend on homework. In my introductory letter, I asked you to watch about 3 hours worth of webcasts. Your students will spend that and more every night of their lives. So please, out of compassion for them, you owe it to every one of your struggling students to watch the webcasts.

These are reasonable homework expectations:

* Maximum daily homework time:

30 - 45 min. for Kindergarten through 5th grade

1.5 hours for Middle School students

2.5 hours for High School students

Memory Accommodations

Dyslexic students have extreme difficulty with random memory.

1. Allow use of calculator or math tables.

2. Ask two-choice questions rather than open-ended questions.

3. Provide formulas and codes used for math, science, and English tests. In the workplace codes/formulas can be looked up as needed.

Unreliable memory and fear of not having enough time create tremendous anxiety.

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All accommodations are to be done as discreetly as possible - try not to draw undue attention to the student's difficulties - they have enough trouble as it is. An accommodation is an alteration that gives a student the chance to successfully demonstrate what he/she knows.