Assistive technology is for everyone, not just students with disabilities

Assistive technology no longer carries the sole function of leveling the playing field between students with disabilities and the rest of their peers in mainstream education. Devices such as a text-to-speech tool that reads out questions in the exam, and a word-prediction software that aids in spelling have been incorporated into online universal assessments. With these tools, test scores will more accurately reflect a student’s capacity in the subject that is being tested. For instance, a child who is proficient in mathematics will not be penalized because of his inability to read and comprehend the question.

Probably the biggest advantage of all is the way assistive technology will be viewed from now on. “[Students with disabilities] used to say they didn’t want to use it because they’d be different. Now we know everyone learns in a different manner,” said Ms Kathy White, an assistive technology specialist.

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