Definition & Examples: Assistive Technology

Quite simply, assistive technology is the application of technology to accommodate people with disabilities.

As defined by the Assistive Technology Act of 1998, the term refers to "any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities."

In this module, we will use the abbreviation AT to mean assistive technology.

Although AT may include "high-tech" devices such as computers and software, much of assistive technology consists of "low-tech" things such as wheelchairs, prosthetic limbs, automatic doors, and visible doorbells. In this module, we will confine our exploration of AT to those devices that fit in the category of electronic and information technology (E&IT) which includes things from both categories.

• Wheelchair
• Prosthetic limb
• Crutch
• Automatic door
• Flashing doorbell
• Closed Captioning
• Optical Magnifier
• Braille
• Books-on-Tape

• Computer-Assisted Captioning
• One-Handed keyboard
• Refreshable Braille
• Voice-recognition
• Screen Magnification Software
• Text-to-Speech