Technology’s role is vital in people’s work, education, and personal lives. It makes daily life tasks more accessible – especially for people with greater needs.

Assistive Technology (AT) refers to any technology designed to aid people with disabilities in tasks too hard or even impossible. Some examples I’ve worked closely with are eye-gaze systems, screen readers, and hearing aids. These items were used for a student with visual and auditory needs. Some other examples of AT I’ve worked with are speech-to-text and text-to-speech tools, graphic organizers, audiobooks, braille, dictation, and alternative keyboards.

When exploring the Ontario Teachers Federation website, I found a link about Assistive Technology Basics. On the assistive technology basics link, I found a website by Understood that gives information on Assistive Technology for math, reading, writing, and auditory processing. Including information on AT services, AT devices, AT myths, and how to select the best AT. Although I’d love to explore all avenues, I chose to explore the mathematics options further as I haven’t yet worked with students in a math setting using software for assistive math learning. Some examples listed for AT in math are calculators, math notation tools, manipulatives, graphing tools, equation solving tools (ex., 20 + 4 = x – this tool could solve for x), and graphic organizers. Greg from Upper Elementary Snapshots states “the five best graphic organizers for math are T-charts, Venn diagrams, web charts, classification diagrams, and concept maps.” I was impressed with how this blogger broke down how each graphic organizer would be best for certain math concepts. Upper Elementary Snapshots blog offers other great resources for several subjects, as well as free templates.

There are so many possibilities for assistive technology to help students in need. From my own personal experiences, I have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. Some advantages are increased independence, greater access to the materials (ability to get an education), enhanced communication, and overall better quality of life.

Bringing this to the real world, I once had a student who clearly needed some help with reading. His marks did not reflect his knowledge, and he wasn’t participating in group discussions. After a long conversation between the classroom teacher, student services, and myself, a plan was formed. I was able to implement the plan and get him access to an iPad that had the audiobook version of the text on it. Immediately after making this change, the student’s confidence grew, and the teacher was able to really see how knowledgeable and receptive he was. He started to participate in class discussions and created an impressive final project. Knowing that something as simple as comprehension of reading was holding him back was upsetting to me. It’s small victories like this that make me want to continue my educational goals of becoming a teacher. I’m so honoured to be able to watch this student continue to grow and learn with a new set of confidence.

With victories come challenges. Some assistive technologies can be quite expensive. Although there is some government and school district funding, depending on the student’s needs that might not always be an option. Also, as we all know, technology isn’t perfect. For example, for someone who relies so heavily on a piece of technology to gain access to education, when the technology is having difficulties, that could cause frustration and may leave the person stranded without the tools they need to survive. Something to consider!

Another form of assistive technology that is often used in classrooms is fidget toys. Fidget toys are a low-tech and cost effective tool often used as a way for students to be able to focus on the task at hand. These tools come in many different shapes and sizes and are a wonderful resource used for sensory regulation for both yourself and your students.

To conclude, assistive technology isn’t just a tool. It’s also a pathway to student’s independence, inclusion, equality, and empowerment. As technology continues to evolve, so will the learning opportunities for people of all abilities to continue learning and growing without barriers.