Assistive & Accessibility Tech

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Why it works

Assistive technology, from text-to-speech and speech-to-text to captions, word prediction, and screen readers, can remove specific barriers for students with disabilities and is often required by their plans. Many of these tools, offered universally within a UDL mindset, also benefit students without identified disabilities, which is why building accessibility in, rather than retrofitting it, reaches more learners.

The research: Research on assistive technology; UDL and accessibility.

The run-of-show

Choose your slot. The agenda, timings, and length update to match.

The core activity: make one lesson more accessible with technology

Teachers leave having matched an assistive tool to a barrier and decided whether to offer it to all.

Pick a lesson with a barrier for some students: reading, writing, access.
Identify an assistive tool that removes it: text-to-speech, speech-to-text, captions, word prediction.
Decide whether to offer it universally.
Follow any plan and collaborate with special educators.

Build accessibility in, do not retrofit itThe right tool removes a barrier. Many assistive supports help everyone, so offer them by design rather than only as an afterthought for a few.

Facilitator notes

Match the tool to the barrier, and use built-in features.
Offer universally where sensible, and follow plans.
Collaborate with specialists.

Do not treat accessibility as an afterthoughtRetrofitting access one student at a time misses many. Build in accessible tools from the start, and know the built-in features your devices already have.

Adapt it

Elementary: read-aloud, picture support, simple tools.
Secondary: dictation, captions, word prediction, screen readers.
All settings: match tool to barrier, offer universally.

Participant handout

One page for every teacher. Print it, or save it as a PDF.

K12 Academics · Professional Learning

Assistive Tech: access by design

Remove barriers: match assistive tools to barriers, use built-in features, offer universally where sensible.

The lesson and its barrier:
The assistive tool that removes it:
Whether I offer it universally:
The plan I follow:
My special-ed collaborator:

Make it stick

Build it in:

Build accessibility in.
Use built-in tools.
Bring an access tool that helped to the PLC or team.

Common questions

Isn't assistive tech only for students with IEPs?

It is required for some, but many supports, captions, text-to-speech, help all students. Offering them universally is both inclusive and efficient.

Do I need special software?

Often not. Many devices and platforms have built-in accessibility features (read-aloud, dictation, captions). Knowing and enabling those is a strong start.

How do I know what a student needs?

Check their plan, collaborate with special educators, and match the tool to the barrier (reading, writing, access, attention), rather than defaulting to one tool for everyone.