A 2026 report from the Government Accountability Office found that 67 percent of parent training and information centers report families "often or always" face challenges accessing information about assistive technology. The schools themselves identified limited knowledge of AT options as a key barrier to providing it.

Assistive technology is one of the supports that can genuinely change what a student is able to do in a classroom, and the barrier is usually informational rather than financial. Families don't know what to ask for. Schools don't always know what's available. When both gaps exist at once, students who could benefit go without, and no one on the team recognizes what's been missed.

This guide covers the full range of tools, how they're funded, and how to make sure your child's IEP addresses this correctly.

What Assistive Technology Is

Under federal law, assistive technology is defined as any item, piece of equipment, or product system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a child with a disability. That definition is intentionally broad. It includes a wide spectrum.

Low-tech AT includes tools that don't require power or software: pencil grips, slant boards, raised-line paper, graph paper for math alignment, fidget tools, visual schedules printed on paper, colored overlays for reading, and physical timers. These are inexpensive and often immediately useful. Schools frequently overlook them because they don't feel like "technology."

Mid-tech AT includes tools that are battery-powered or programmable but not complex: talking calculators, digital voice recorders, portable word processors, basic speech-output communication devices, and simple amplification systems for students with hearing difficulties.

High-tech AT includes sophisticated devices and software: screen readers, text-to-speech and speech-to-text programs, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices, eye-gaze communication systems, hearing loop systems, Braille displays, and adaptive keyboards and switches for students with limited motor control.

AT by Student Need

Most families find it more useful to start with what their child needs and work toward what tools address it.

Reading difficulties, including dyslexia and visual processing issues: text-to-speech software reads text aloud; audiobooks; optical character recognition for printed materials; colored overlays and reading guides; word prediction tools that support word recognition.

Writing difficulties, including dysgraphia, motor impairments, and processing difficulties: speech-to-text software; word prediction; graphic organizers in digital form; alternative keyboards; scribes; adapted pencil grips and writing supports.

Communication (AAC): for students who are nonverbal or have limited speech, AAC ranges from picture exchange systems and low-tech communication boards to high-tech devices that generate speech from symbols, text, or eye gaze. AAC does not impede speech development; research consistently shows it supports it.

Organization and executive function difficulties, common in ADHD, autism, and traumatic brain injury: visual schedules, digital timers, task management apps, audio reminders, and structured checklists in digital form.

Hearing: FM systems amplify a teacher's voice directly to a student's hearing aid or cochlear implant; captioning services; vibrating alert systems.

Vision: screen magnification software; screen readers; Braille displays; tactile materials; audio descriptions.

How to Request an AT Evaluation

If you believe your child could benefit from assistive technology and it hasn't been addressed in the IEP, you can request an AT evaluation in writing. The request goes to the school's special education coordinator or IEP team.

Under IDEA, the school has 60 days to complete an evaluation after receiving a written request. The evaluation should be conducted by someone with expertise in AT, typically an AT specialist or occupational therapist with AT training. The evaluation looks at the student's functional needs, existing supports, the environments where the student works, and what tools might address the gaps.

After the evaluation, the IEP team meets to review the results and determine what AT, if any, will be included in the IEP. If the team concludes a student needs AT to access their education, the school is responsible for providing it at no cost to the family. That includes both the device and any training needed to use it.

When the School Resists

Schools sometimes resist AT requests because of cost, unfamiliarity with a specific tool, or disagreement about whether a student needs it. Parents have a process to navigate this.

If the school refuses to conduct an evaluation, they must provide a prior written notice explaining why. That decision can be challenged through mediation, a state complaint, or due process. If the evaluation happens but the IEP team decides against providing AT, the same procedural rights apply.

If cost is the obstacle, it's worth knowing that AT costs exist on a spectrum. A $10 pencil grip and a $12 app are AT. So is a $15,000 eye-gaze device. Starting with lower-cost tools is reasonable, provided they're matched to the student's needs.

Some families access AT outside the school system through vocational rehabilitation, Medicaid waiver programs, or nonprofit lending libraries. These aren't alternatives to what the school should provide, but they can fill gaps while the school process moves forward.

Making It Work in Practice

The most effective AT is the AT that gets used, and this is where many otherwise good IEP plans fall short. A device sitting in a drawer because no one was trained to use it, or because the student was never shown how to integrate it into their actual workflow, helps no one. Getting the tool listed in the IEP is the first step in a longer sequence.

When AT is included in an IEP, the plan should specify who is responsible for training the student, which teachers need to know how to support its use, and how the team will assess whether it's working. An AT evaluation that identifies a tool is only the beginning.

Parents can ask at IEP meetings: how will we know if this is working? What does success with this tool look like in three months? Who is training the student? Getting specific answers at the start is how you make sure the AT serves its purpose and doesn't get set aside before it has a real chance. The evaluation opens the door. Implementation is what happens on the other side of it.