Assistive technology (AT) in schools can run the gamut of low-tech tools like pencil grips and swivel chairs to high-tech ones like large mobile touch screens and voice recognition software.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires a student’s individualized education program (IEP) team to consider AT use, at no cost to the student, for every student receiving special education services. However, according to a January 30, 2026 U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, not much is known about how this requirement is implemented as school staff are challenged by limited knowledge of how AT can help students with disabilities participate more fully in learning, as well as the rapid pace of changes in tech.
Other factors like insufficient time and opportunities for training, staff shortages and high turnover, technology compatibility issues, and funding constraints also create hurdles for the use of AT in schools, the GAO study found. Strategies some school districts are using to overcome these barriers include forming AT teams that create standardized processes to identify the best tech for students’ individualized needs and to coordinate procurement processes, the report said.
For more from K-12 Dive, click here.