Title: Assistive technology
Course: Globalization (Test Module) > Section: Universal Design for Learning

Assistive technology is usually a piece of technology (software or hardware) designed to perform a specific task. For example, a braille keyboard to support an individual who reads braille, screen reader software that reads content out loud from digital text such as the text found here on the SNOW website, or  speech-to-text software that enable people to use their voices to enter text into a word processing document.

According to the Family Guide to Assistive Technology (The Federation for Children with Special Needs and Parents, Let’s Unite for Kids), assistive technologies are useful for educators, staff and students when it does any or all of the following:

- Enables you to perform functions that can be achieved by no other means
- Enables you to approximate normal fluency, rate, or standards–a level of accomplishment which could not be achieved by any other means
- Provides access for participation in programs or activities which otherwise would be closed to you
- Increases endurance or ability to persevere and complete tasks that otherwise are  difficult to be attempted on a routine basis
- Enables you to concentrate on learning tasks, rather than mechanical tasks
- Provides greater access to information
- Supports social interactions with co-workers, peers and students