Educational Implications

Upon research into the AT market, there was a wealth of information on ATs for students with learning disabilities (LD). The information provided will address the broader implications for education but can also be transferable to English Language Learners as much of the AT for LD, particularly literacy-related, are used.

“According to the National Center of Education Statistics, in 2019-2020, the number of students aged 3-21 who received special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was 7.3 million of all public school students. Among students receiving special education services, the most common category of disability (33%) was specific learning disability.” (Research and Markets, 2021). Early intervention becomes critical because of the large number of children who require learning disabilities treatment and is gaining prominence among younger users (Transparency Research, 2020). A study by Cullen, Richards and Frank (2008) (as cited in Atanga, et al, 2020) demonstrates the effectiveness of assistive technology for students with learning disabilities with five out of seven students showing improvements in the quality and quantity of their writing when using speech-to-text software in conjunction with word prediction software. Technology apps on mobile devices such as iPads and tablets are another digital tool that can support access to curricular content for students with LDs.

The market for assistive technology for students with specific needs has been greatly affected due to Covid-19. Government agencies around the world have begun to offer financial resources for new schools to be developed in order to help students (children and adults) that struggle with dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyspraxia, and other mental disabilities. These government initiatives are expected to increase overall awareness regarding learning disabilities which should then further help grow the market for assistive technology in education.

The most common LDs are reading disabilities with students struggling with reading accuracy, fluency, poor spelling and decoding (Atanga, et al. 2020). “High prevalence of dyslexia among adolescents and children is creating business opportunities for companies in the assistive technology for students with learning disabilities market.” (Research and Markets, 2021). Companies are investing their money in building healthcare facilities for students. These facilities will consist of school-based health clinics and training classrooms for parents to provide the needed psychological support to individuals.

“The assistive technology for students with learning disabilities market is segmented into product type, condition, end user, and region. By product type, the market is categorized into hardware (which is further segmented into talking electronic devices, switches, portable word processors, and others) and software (which is sub-segmented into spelling/grammar checkers, electronic organizers, educational games, freeform database software, and others)” (Research and Markets, 2021). Depending on the state of the market, each case is different which means that the market is split apart into processing deficits, processing deficits autism, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and others.

Limitations in Education

Under the IDEA, learning disabilities (LD) is one of the largest disabilities category with students between the ages of 6-21 being served in the general education classroom (Atanga, et al. 2020). Thus, the utilization of assistive technology in the classroom is imperative for students to have access to and participate fully in the curriculum. Equity of access to assistive technology poses a barrier in education because students with learning disabilities require enhanced access. Typically this requires an evaluation for an Individual Education Plan (IEP) that specify accommodations to acquire equipment of devices. In the public educator sector, although it is of no cost to the family, this process can be lengthy with waitlists and multiple assessments before a diagnosis is reached for an exceptionality and assistive technology can be assigned. With limited resources in school boards, assistive technology for students with learning disabilities may not be a high priority budget item (Lewis, 1998). There are alternate avenues that can pay out of pocket or are covered by private health insurance, but these options can be quite expensive.

Even when AT becomes available to students, there are barriers to implementing AT which requires a level of knowledge and proficiency by the teacher. Inadequate training or reluctance of uptake by teachers contribute to the utilization of AT in the classroom (Atanga, et al. 2020). As technology improves and changes at a rapid pace, there need to be training to keep up with the developments.

Future of Assistive Technology

Currently, the diagnosis and treatment of dyslexia relies on an inefficient process going through parents, teachers, psychologists and reading/ writing tests. Augmented reality (AR) has the potential to accelerate the diagnosis and treatment of dyslexia in children (Transparency Market Research, 2020). Researchers are testing AR interfaces, like Microsoft Hololens, to improve the identification and early detection of reading and writing disorders. There have also been app developments using machine learning to recognize written word, highlight mistakes and make predictions about the writing on an AR interface (Hagman, 2019).

Virtual reality (VR) also presents another emerging technology that has the potential to support learning of students with LD and ELLs with its capacity to contextualize and anchor instructions. In particular, VR can promote skill generalizations by constructing conceptualized learning environments as a way to enhance interpersonal interaction skills by mirroring real-life situations (Lewis, 1998).

Another reality is the application of advanced wearable for assistive technology. Wearables have the capacity to connect individuals to physical objects in their environment with sensors and specialized displays. There are a range of physical, sensory or cognitive disabilities that would benefit from wearables that follow the universal design principle (Moon, et al. 2019). In the past month, Apple released new features on its latest Apple Watch Series 8 that include temperature sensors and crash detection that are universal safety innovations. There lies great potential for wearables to adapt to individual needs and assist those with disabilities.