Assistive Technology

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) indicates that if a child meets eligibility criteria for early intervention services, he or she may receive assistive technology devices and services (“ALL-7, Assistive Tech for Infants and Toddlers.indd - ALL7.pdf,” n.d.). It is further mandated in (IDEA) that all special education students in secondary education receive transition planning services which should include consideration of assistive technology (Asselin, 2014). In 2013-14, the number of children and youth ages 3-21 receiving special education services was 6.5 million, or about 13 percent of all public school students. Among students receiving special education services, 35 percent had specific learning disabilities (“The
Some forms of rehabilitation technology available for students with learning disabilities include: written language, reading, listening, and organization/memory and math technologies. When selecting assistive technology for a student it is critical that the correct and appropriate technology is selected. Many factors contribute to the selection process and it is key to the students’ academic success that these factors are taken into consideration.
When researching the topic of the impact of assistive technology has on the academic success of students with learning disabilities, there is research information on the importance of selecting the right assistive technology, as well as, the importance of assessment. However, there is limited research information available on the impact assistive technology has on the overall academic success of students with learning disabilities. Literature can be found on this topic that suggests the use of assistive technology has many benefits for students with learning disabilities.
Rehabilitation Technology
The use of assistive technology may help infants and toddlers to improve in areas such as, social skills, communication skills, attention span, fine and gross motor skills and self-confidence and independence (“ALL-7, Assistive Tech for Infants and Toddlers.indd - ALL7.pdf,” n.d.). As students with learning disabilities move into more formal educational environments the use of assistive technology can enhance their learning experiences. Assistive technology devices allow students to utilize their strengths and work around the challenges of the disability (Stanberry & Raskind, n.d.). Due to the struggles these young students face they are often overly dependent on parents or teachers. The use of assistive technology devices can help students gain a sense of self-reliance and independence (Stanberry & Raskind, n.d.). Students with learning disabilities who incorporate the use of assistive technology into their overall learning programs gain insight into their specific learning needs. This insight enables these students to reach their full learning potential, which contributes to fuller and richer lives. Introducing the use of assistive technology to young students with learning disabilities not only enhances academic achievement it fosters social acceptance and connects cultures. Teachers who work with special needs students are finding that technology