Assistive technology refers to any device or service that helps students with disabilities meet their education goals and participate in general education. Assistive technology can minimize needing help, improve speed and accuracy of work, reinforce instruction, help students fit in, and motivate students to set high goals. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires schools to consider assistive technology needs in a student's Individualized Education Program. Examples of assistive technology include cochlear implants for hearing impairments, audiobooks for vision impairments, speech recognition software for learning disabilities, and alternative keyboards for physical disabilities.

1. Assistive Technology
By: Derek Wright

2. What is assistive technology?
 Assistive technology is any device or service that
helps a student with a disability to meet his or her
individualized education program (IEP) goals and to
participate in the general education setting to the
greatest possible extent.

3. What can assistive technology do?
 minimize the extent to which individuals with LD need
to ask for help
 improve the speed and accuracy of work
 reinforce effective classroom instruction and
strengthen skill development
 help students to 'fit in' with classroom learning and
routines
 motivate students with LD to set high goals for
themselves and to persevere

4. What is the law regarding assistive
technology?
 IDEA 2004 requires IEP teams to consider the assistive
technology needs of all children with disabilities. (20
U.S.C. 1414(d)(3)(B)(v))

5. What assistive technology device can be
used to help a student with a hearing
impairment?
 Cochlear implants are
used by students who
have severe hearing loss.

6. What assistive technology device can be
used to help a student with a seeing
impairment?
 Audiobooks are used so
students with a vision
impairment can hear the
text instead of reading
the text.

7. What assistive technology device can be
used to help a student with a learning
disability?
 When using a speech
recognition program a
student speaks through a
microphone their words
appear on the screen.

8. What assistive technology device can be
used to help a student with a physical
disability?
 IntelliKeys consists of
alphabet, numbers, and
enlarged arrows that lay
over the keyboard so
computers are easier to
operate.

9. Works Cited
 Assistive Technology: An Overview. (n.d.). Retrieved
August 30, 2014.
 Assistive Technology. (2013, November 25). Retrieved
August 31, 2014.