Assistive Technology
What is Assistive Technology (AT)?
Assistive Technology (AT) are solutions that help people perform tasks despite an accessibility barrier they face. This could range from a software that reads your books out loud to you; to a setting your computer that makes text more visible. Some of these solutions take the form of software, other times it is hardware. Any AT we provide to a student must be approved as part of a student’s accommodations by their coordinator.
AT Examples
- Text to speech readers
- Dyslexic friendly fonts
- Dictation
- Speech to text
- Immersive Reader Features
- File conversion Recommendations
Assistive Technology Intake Meeting
A student can meet with an AT specialist over a video call. If there is a need identified by the student and the coordinator that requires the meeting be in person, then that is an option too. During this meeting, we will discuss the student’s, prior experiences and accessibility barriers. Then, the AT specialist can make AT recommendations.
Recommendation Process
We try to prioritize solutions that are readily available. On special cases, we will provide tools based on the unique nature of a student’s barriers. If a student has used AT before, then we can explore alternatives if their preferred AT is not available through our office.
During this meeting, please keep in mind:
- This is always a collaborative process.
- Recommendations are only Recommendations.
- Explore and try different types of AT to determine what works best for you.