Technology, for good or for bad, is everywhere these days. And one bright spot in these dark times is technology can ease the transition to at-home learning for students who learn differently, through the use of Assistive Technology (AT). AT can be a device, a software, or equipment, anything that helps an individual work through or around their struggles with learning or communicating—whether in reading, writing, or another subject. So, for example, eyeglasses are AT, audiobooks are AT, and wheelchairs are AT.
And while assistive technology can help students grow, learn independently, and thrive—especially in an eLearning environment—there are still outdated myths and misconceptions about the use of AT that need to be dispelled. According to Understood.org, one of the biggest myths is that, “using AT will prevent kids from learning academic skills.” Thinking back to the example of the eyeglasses, you can see reading accommodations in the same light. Just as the eyeglasses don’t prevent a person with nearsightedness from accessing a book, reading accommodations for a student with dyslexia can bridge the gap between making what was impossible, possible.