Assistive Technology (AT) is any item, or piece of equipment that is used to help improve functional capabilities of a child with a disability.

According to the article Assistive Technology and UDL: Two Sides of the Same Coin by Rose, Hasselbring, Stahl, and Zabala. Assistive Technology and UDL are referred to two sides of the same coin because they both can be used together to help improve learning for students. AT and UDL are described as a coin because they are very different but they can be used together just like a coin has two sides but they make up the same object.

AT and UDL are alike in that they both aim to help students succeed and learn in a way that will address their abilities and needs.

AT and UDL are different in that AT came first and then UDL. AT focuses more on the individual students with learning abilities that you have to address in your classroom and UDL focuses on addressing your classroom as a whole.

I would probably use Apple to help meet the needs of my students since most of them already have Apple device(s) at home as well. I could use Siri to help meet the needs of my students who have trouble typing. Apple has great autocorrect features for my students who struggle with reading and writing. There is also a magnifier for my students who have trouble reading what’s on their screens with the standard sized font. My students can also use face time to communicate with one another which this is helpful for my students who may use sign language. My students can also use speak screen which will allow them to listen and see what a passage says at the same time.

What resources are available to your students here in SC? At my school both the teachers and students each receive a Chromebook. This allows students to work on their assignments at their own pace. They can use a software that reads the text to them out loud I believe they use Chrome Speak.