Assistive Technology and Learning Disabilities

What is Assistive Technology ^{Footnote 1}?

Assistive technology (AT) can be any item, piece of equipment or product that can be used to assist, maintain or improve the capabilities of people with learning disabilities. Assistive technology helps individuals with learning disabilities work around specific deficits by offering alternative approaches to successfully completing tasks.

Examples of assistive technology include low tech items such as graph paper, index cards and digital watches or high tech items such as voice recognition programs and software writing programs. The key to the successful use of assistive technology is finding the right match between the AT tool, the learning disability and the task.

Benefits of Assistive Technology

• AT can help people with learning disabilities be more independent.
• Using AT can provide people with learning disabilities with more choices and greater freedom.
• AT helps people with learning disabilities to experience success at home, at school, at work and in the community.
• AT, when successfully applied, can increase people’s confidence and self-esteem.
• AT can help people of all ages.
• AT can remove barriers by providing the tools for possible employment and opportunities for education.

For more comprehensive information on assistive technology, refer to the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada’s website, http://www.ldac-taac.ca. Topics include:

• What happens when assistive technology does not work?
• Selection of assistive technology for specific difficulties
• Myths and realities of assistive technology
• Examples of assistive technology
• Resources

Assistive Technology to Support Literacy Learners with Disabilities

The NWT Literacy Council has produced A Guide to Assistive Technology that provides possible assistive technology tools and solutions for persons with disabilities. While it does not cover all possible products or endorse any specific product it does give the reader a good idea of the software, hardware, and equipment that are commonly available. Order information and in some cases, free download website information are also included.

Guide to Assistive Technology is available online at www.nwt.literacy.ca.

NWT Literacy Council
P.O. Box 761
Yellowknife, NT X1A 2N6
Tel: 867-873-9262
Fax: 867-873-2176

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