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Assistive Technology Advantages
Students with disabilities face many barriers in the educational field, whether that is the
curriculum or the environment that can substantially limit their academic achievement. Students
with disabilities legally have the right to have equal access and opportunities to the classroom
environment and curriculum as their non-disabled peers (Fernández-Batanero, 2022). Including
students with disabilities in the general education classroom is not enough. Physically being in
the classroom is not inclusion for students with disabilities; inclusion means students with
disabilities participating in and accessing discussions, peer interactions, and the curriculum.
When students with disabilities are included in the general education classroom, teachers must
ask how they will participate equally and fully in the curriculum.
According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997, assistive
technology (AT) is any item, equipment, or product system that is either used off the shelf or
modified to increase, maintain, and improve one’s ability to participate and function within the
general education setting (Atanga et al., 2020). “AT has two main purposes: on the one hand, to
increase a person’s capabilities so that his or her abilities balance out the effects of any disability.
And second, to provide an alternative way of approaching a task so that disabilities are
compensated” (Fernández-Batanero, 2022m, p. 1912). With the numerous inventions of assistive
technology, students with disabilities can do more than sit there and be “included” in the general
education classroom; they can participate, engage, answer, and collaborate with the teacher,
peers, and lessons (Borova et al., 2023).
Assistive technology can help students compensate for their disability and allow them to
participate fully in school and the classroom. Assistive technology can help support
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communication, mobility, academic, cognitive, and daily living functioning skills (Hoel, 2021).
Giving a student with disabilities assistive technology to use in the classroom, is not considered
cheating or giving them an advantage that other peers in the class. Assistive technology allows
students with communication, mobility, motor, visual, hearing, and writing disabilities to
function more fully and independently in the classroom (Sullivan, 2019).
Students with disabilities have very individual needs, and using one instructional material
or one instructional method to meet all their needs is not appropriate. Special and general
education teachers must focus on students' needs and strengths and identify the best way to
support them (Borova et al., 2023). When given the right assistive technology support, students
with disabilities can better flourish and access curriculum and learning opportunities that peers
without disabilities can access (Sullivan, 2019). School curriculum continues to increase in the
number of competencies to be learned, and the rigor of the curriculum has increased. For
students with disabilities to keep up with and have access to the continual changes in the
curriculum, they need to have access to assistive technology to help them engage and participate
in the curriculum (Atanga et al., 2020).
While some assistive technology devices are expensive, many are free or cost very little
(Sullivan, 2019); assistive technology can range from no tech to high tech. When Individualized
Education Program (IEP) teams select assistive technology devices for students, they do not
always have to start with the most expensive device out there; there may already be different
types of “no tech or low tech” devices in the classroom that students can use (i.e., slant boards,
pencil grips, alternative seating). When selecting the appropriate assistive technology device for
the student, teams are charged with identifying the assistive technology that will eliminate the
educational barriers and obstacles and open up their access to academic tasks.
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Assistive Technology Disadvantages
Assistive technology is cheating; students with disabilities are being given an advantage
that other peers in the classroom do not have. Assistive technology makes school easier for
students with disabilities because the technology will do all the students' work. Assistive
technology is a crutch, lowering motivation, and students will become more reliant on assistive
technology (Day, 2020). Assistive technology prevents students from learning to read and write
independently because assistive technology does all the reading for the students. Assistive
technology makes students lazy; in reality, students need to put forth more effort, work harder,
and stop looking for an easy way out. Assistive technology gives students advantages; it
decreases students' effort, inhibiting them from “trying” their best. Using assistive technology
during state, district, or classroom assessments is cheating because students can find ways to
manipulate the technological application or tool to assist them in getting a better grade.
Assistive technology should not be given to all students with disabilities, particularly
those with invisible disabilities (i.e., learning disabilities); only students with certain disabilities,
visual disabilities (i.e., physical disabilities) should be given the right to use assistive technology
(Ahmed, 2018). Assistive technology can assign labels to students with disabilities, marking
them as different, which could cause an increase in bullying or emotional harm (Ahmed, 2018).
Assistive technology is expensive; why are schools spending money on these technologies when
there are significant deficits in school funding; isn’t there a better use for the money (Sullivan,
2019)? Implementing assistive technology in classrooms takes training, for both the teachers and
for the students. Teachers need to be taught how to use assistive technology in the classrooms to
support students; when will this training occur? Teachers spend their daily planning time
meeting with instructional specialists, reviewing data, and discussing students’ progress; their
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time is limited (Lamond & Cunningham, n.d.). Assistive technology needs to be implemented
with fidelity to identify if the assistive technology benefits the students; how can schools expect
teachers to track the implementation and use of assistive technology on top of all their other
responsibilities (Sullivan, 2019)?
Conclusion
If we strive for schools that provide equitable opportunities for all students, we need to
move beyond seeing assistive technology as cheating or unfair. Instead, we need to see assistive
technology to create opportunities, build academic success, independence, self-confidence, and
inclusivity for students with disabilities. Assistive technology promotes personalized learning,
communication, and interaction with peers and teachers. Assistive technology is a key that
unlocks the door to endless possibilities. As an educator, students with disabilities must engage
in meaningful learning, supporting their access to the curriculum to demonstrate and show what
they know. Assistive technology helps students become enthusiastic about learning by
encouraging them to take chances, engage, and explore academic content. Providing assistive
technology to students with disabilities levels the educational playing field (Day, 2020).
Assistive technology makes life possible not impossible for students with disabilities (Sullivan,
2019).
Assistive technology helps build self-confidence, motivation, and success in students
with disabilities because they are more independent and can complete assignments and tasks that
they previously saw as impossible or challenging. Assistive technology also allows students with
disabilities to learn at their own pace, which can reduce frustration, behaviors, and lack of
engagement. Assistive technologies are useful tools for students with disabilities to function
independently in the classroom. With the increase in curriculum expectations and standards,
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students with disabilities need to take advantage of the different assistive technology supports
and devices available to help level the accessibility of the curriculum. Assistive technology
allows educators to take the curriculum and make it meaningful for students with disabilities.
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References
Ahmed, A. (2018). Perceptions of using assistive technology for students with disabilities in the
classroom. International Journal of Special Education, 33(1), 129-139.
Atanga, C., Jones, B. A., Krueger, L. E., & Lu, S. (2020). Teachers of students with learning
disabilities: Assistive technology knowledge, perceptions, interests, and barriers.JJournal
of Special Education Technology.,J35(4), 236–248.
https://doi.org/10.1177/016264341986485
Borova, M., Nuri, C., & Bağlama, B. (2023). The relationship between special education
teachers’ attitudes towards assistive technologies and classroom management
Skills.JTurkish International Journal of Special Education & Guidance & Counselling
(TISJEG),J12(1), 1–14.
Day, C. (2020, February 24). “That’s not fair!” The myth about assistive technology. Ditch That
Textbook. https://ditchthattextbook.com/thats-not-fair-the-myth-about-assistive-
technology/
Fernández-Batanero, J. M., Montenegro-Rueda, M., Fernández-Cerero, J., & García-Martínez, I.
(2022). Assistive technology for the inclusion of students with disabilities: A systematic
review.JEducational Technology Research and Development,J70(5), 1911–1930.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-022-10127-7
Hoel, R. (2021, November 17). Examining the past, present, and future of assistive technology.
Accessibility.com https://www.accessibility.com/blog/examining-the-past-present-and-
future-of-assistive-technology
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Lamond, B., & Cunningham, T., (n.d.). The three biggest misconceptions about assistive
technology. Reading Rockets. https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/assistive-
technology/articles/three-biggest-misconceptions-about-assistive-technology
Sullivan, J. (2019, February 21). Rethinking Assistive Technology: Ford students with
disabilities, assistive technology isn’t a nice-to-have – it’s crucial to their learning and
success in school. edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/rethinking-assistive-
technology
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