Assistive Technology
Assistive technology is a broad term for any tool or service that allows individuals with and without disabilities to overcome barriers and complete a specific task.
Canes, walkers, and crutches, for example, can all be considered assistive technology because they help users to move with stability and support. Other assistive technology can be virtual or designed to meet different needs, such as improving text visibility or converting files to more accessible formats.
| Type of Technology | What Technology Does |
| Diagramming Tools | Allow users to create shapes, mind maps, charts, or illustrations that reflect information visually, often with emphasis on the relationships between different concepts or processes. |
| Note Taking Technology | Provides an outline to guide note taking or and/or provides the ability to flexibly structure course notes in a way that makes sense to the learner. |
| Speech to Text | Transcribes audio into text, often through an audio file or directly speaking into a device/application. |
| Text to Speech | Reads text aloud, often guiding the eye with highlighting or underlining as it does so. Many tools offer different narrator voices so that the user can select for themselves. |
To review up-to-date guides for tools available to the JWU community, please refer to the JWULink page on assistive technologies!