How Assistive Technology Benefits Students With Disabilities

Takeaways

• Assistive Technology (AT) includes tools that are critical for students with disabilities to access the school curriculum, communicate, and succeed.
• The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates that schools must consider and provide necessary assistive technology at no cost to the family if it is included in a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP).
• Despite the legal requirement, a new federal report found that many schools struggle to provide AT due to several systemic barriers, including lack of knowledge, insufficient training, limited funding, high turnover, and staff shortages.
• School districts that are successfully implementing AT pursue strategies like establishing dedicated AT teams and using resources like state lending libraries to overcome these barriers.

For students with disabilities, assistive technology can make the difference between merely attending school and truly participating in it. A new report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) looks at how schools are providing these tools and where students with disabilities may still be falling through the cracks.

The report, titled Students With Disabilities: Assistive Technology Challenges and Resources in Selected School Districts and Schools and released in January, examines how selected school districts identify, fund, and support assistive technology (AT) for students with disabilities and what barriers continue to limit access.

What Assistive Technology Is and Why It Matters

Assistive technology includes a wide range of tools designed to help students with disabilities learn, communicate, and engage in school. These tools can be as simple as pencil grips or visual schedules, or as sophisticated as screen readers, speech-to-text software, or eye-gaze communication devices. For many students, these tools are not optional enhancements; they are essential supports that allow them to access the curriculum, express themselves, and demonstrate what they know.

What Federal Law Requires

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), schools must consider whether a student receiving special education services needs assistive technology as part of their Individualized Education Program (IEP). If AT is necessary, it must be provided at no cost to the student’s family. Despite this clear requirement, the report finds that the schools and school districts the GAO visited faced challenges in providing appropriate assistive technology to students.

During the 2022-23 school year, 7.5 million students (15 percent of all public school students in the United States) received special education services under IDEA, all of whom must be considered for AT.

What the GAO Studied

To understand how AT decisions are made in practice, the GAO visited eight school districts across Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wyoming. Researchers interviewed or surveyed district leaders, teachers, special education staff, and state education officials. In addition, GAO conducted a web-based survey 93 parent centers funded by the Department of Education.

The GAO findings point to consistent challenges — many of which are systemic rather than individual failures.

Key Challenges Identified in the Report

Limited Knowledge and Awareness

One of the most common issues was a lack of familiarity with assistive technology options. According to staff from all eight school districts the GAO visited, limited knowledge about AT was a major challenge. Educators reported difficulty keeping up with the rapidly changing landscape of technology and some were unaware that low-tech solutions can be just as effective as high-tech ones for certain students.

In addition, 67 percent of parent center staff reported that families say they often or always face challenges getting information about what AT may be best for their child.

Training and Staffing Constraints

The report also highlights gaps in professional development. Many teachers, particularly general education teachers, receive little to no training on how to identify AT needs or support students in using their devices effectively. Staff shortages and high turnover in special education compound the problem. Without sufficient training, even well-intentioned schools may struggle to implement assistive technology consistently.

Misconceptions and Stigma

In some cases, confusion about assistive technology create additional barriers. Some educators mistakenly view tools like text-to-speech software as giving students an unfair advantage, rather than as accommodations that level the playing field. Students themselves may feel uncomfortable using devices that make them appear different from their peers.

Funding and Cost Pressures

IDEA does require schools to provide needed AT. However, districts reported that limited special education budgets can make it difficult to purchase certain devices, especially newer or more specialized technologies. Financial pressures can also limit access to training, maintenance, and technical support.

Assistive Technology Can Be Transformative

The GAO report also includes telling examples of what is possible when students receive the right tools and support.

One district described the experience of a student who used eye-gaze technology to communicate. After the student got the eye gaze technology and learned to use it, he blossomed. He was one of the district’s valedictorians and the class speaker at graduation. He went on to enroll at a four-year college.

Another example highlights how simple but well-matched technology can change a student’s future. For an older student who reads at the first-grade level but is good with his hands, a software application that takes pictures and reads aloud to the student has been “life-changing.” It may enable the student to fulfill his wish of going to trade school.

These stories illustrate that AT is not just about compliance with federal law. It can open doors to academic achievement, independence, and postsecondary opportunities.

Strategies That Help Schools Overcome Barriers

The GAO also identified approaches that have helped some districts improve access to assistive technology, including:

• Assistive technology teams to coordinate decisions and share expertise
• Standardized processes for documenting AT considerations in IEPs
• External supports, such as state AT programs, lending libraries, and technical assistance centers
• Ongoing collaboration between special education staff, general educators, and families

These strategies show that progress is possible, even in resource-constrained environments.

Why This Report Matters

The GAO’s findings highlight a familiar but important lesson: strong laws alone are not enough. While IDEA clearly protects students’ rights to assistive technology, implementation depends on training, funding, awareness, and systems that support educators and families.

For parents and advocates, the report provides valuable language and evidence to use when asking schools about assistive technology. For school leaders and lawmakers, it underscores the need for investment in training, staffing, and infrastructure, not just devices.

Most importantly, the report reinforces a simple truth: when students with disabilities receive the tools they need, they are better able to participate, learn, and thrive.

Additional Reading

For additional reading on topics related to students with disabilities, check out the following articles:

• A Vocational Training Program for Students With Disabilities
• Microschools as an Option for Students With Disabilities
• Supporting Twice Exceptional (2e) Students
• Transition Plans Support Adolescents With Disabilities
• Special Needs Registries for People With Disabilities