Assistive technology, often shortened to AT, is any item, piece of equipment, or software that helps a child with a disability do something they otherwise could not do as well on their own. It spans a huge range: low-tech tools like pencil grips, slant boards, and visual schedules, and high-tech ones like text-to-speech software, communication devices, or apps that read and organize. If it increases what a child can do, it can count as AT.
The law also requires schools to consider assistive technology for every child with an IEP, and to provide the AT services that go with a device — evaluating what is needed, training the child and staff, and keeping it working. A tablet that sits in a closet because no one was trained to use it is not really AT. The support around the tool matters as much as the tool itself.
If you think a device could help your child access learning or communicate, ask the team for an AT evaluation in writing. When AT is decided on, it belongs in the IEP with detail: what device, in what settings, and whether it goes home. For a child who cannot speak or write easily, the right tool can be the difference between being stuck and being heard.
Related terms
General information and document preparation — not legal advice.