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Fun facts about and public awareness of Assistive Technology

By Ellie Lakatos



2.5 billion individuals with disabilities need one or more assistive technology (AT) globally and most of those using AT use more than one product [1], but there are many facts about AT that are often misinterpreted or simply not well-known to the public. According to the World Health Organization, AT is “products, equipment, and systems that enhance learning, working, and daily living for persons with disabilities” [1]. Unfortunately, only 10% of people who need AT and similar assistive products are able to use and access them [2]. As such, it is crucial to become aware of what AT is and how it can be used in all aspects of life including “education, employment, fitness, leisure and other everyday activities such as self-care, cooking and reading” [1]. 


  • Fun fact: What constitutes AT can vary greatly.  AT can be high or low tech, hardware or software, inclusive or specialized, from intricate electronic devices to pencil holders [3].

  • Myth: AT is limited to expensive devices.

    • Correction: Thousands of Assistive Technology products can be bought or created from one’s home [4]. Augsburg University’s CLASS Disability Resources even has collected a list of free or low cost AT links and products geared toward students with disabilities [5]. However, specialized or high technology AT products can be pricey and unaffordable.

  • Take a guess: How many barriers are there limiting individuals with disabilities to receive, learn, and use AT?

    • There is no exact number to the barriers. These can include but are not limited to the World Health Organization’s list of “low awareness, high costs, limited physical access, inadequate product range, procurement challenges, workforce capacity gaps, inadequate policy, insufficient funding, assistive technology sector fragmentation and sociodemographic obstacles” [1].


Assistive technology is crucial for those with disabilities at all ages from infancy to adulthood [6]. State AT programs are required to serve any age with any disability [6]. In fact, AT can be imperative for students with disabilities and their individualized learning needs in school. 

 

  • Myth:  Assistive technology and accessible technology are interchangeable.

    • Correction: The U.S. The Department of Education explains “Accessible technology is a term used to describe technology that is designed in a way to support many different users, while AT is a term that describes a piece of technology that is selected to perform a specific task for an individual child with a disability” [6].

  • True or False: “AT has been proven to be effective for children with a variety of disabilities” [6].

    • True! In fact, research cited by the U.S. The Department of Education shows that AT can improve a child’s “outcomes in all settings” [6].

  • Did you know?: The AT programs within every state or territory offer local education agencies to try out an AT device and how well it works with device demonstration and loans [6].

  • Fun fact:  College Board, a testing site for Advanced Placement and college placement exams, has configured its Bluebook digital testing to work with AT programs [7].


AT usage remains vital as students move into their undergraduate years with 21% of undergraduates reporting a disability in the 2019-2020 school year [8]. To ensure success and completion of degrees in higher education, AT usage can become key.


Moreover, AT is important to individuals with intellectual disabilities, or about 1% of the total population [2].


  • Did you know?: AT use by those with an intellectual disability is considered a “neglected area of research and practice” based on the study “Intellectual Disability and Assistive Technology: Opening the GATE Wider” [2].

  • True or False: It is unknown how many individuals with Intellectual Disabilities globally have access to the AT devices they need [2].

    • True! Individuals face barriers of stigmatization, health inequities, under or mis-diagnosis, and more, along with the high cost of various necessary AT [2].

  • Myth: Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities have a disproportionately lesser need for AT.

    • Correction: They actually have a disproportionately GREATER need due to “higher rates of frailty” and “the presence of two or more chronic conditions,” leading to increased frequency of “disabilities in daily functioning and mobility” [2]. AT devices consequently help with the care and support required [2].

  • Take a guess: How can AT be applied to be most beneficial for individuals with intellectual disabilities?

    • 1. “The use of assistive products requires information, instruction, and support that are both accessible and understandable to the person with [Intellectual Disabilities]" requiring collaboration amongst those who support and care for individuals with Intellectual disabilities [2].

    • 2. It calls for increased awareness of comorbidities associated with Intellectual Disabilities, or the simultaneous presence of two or more diseases or medical conditions in a patient, along with physical impairments not specifically associated with Intellectual disabilities for health personnel, care and support givers, and those creating the AT [2].


The AT that is closest to the support needs and abilities of individuals with Intellectual disabilities can lead to benefits including and exceeding empowerment, new life skills, and more opportunities [2].


There are many possibilities for those inside the community and members of the public to learn more about AT and the newest versions of such products designed to better care for the needs of its users.


  • Did you know?: There is a membership organization that is not-for-profit and includes a collection  of manufacturers, sellers, and providers of technology-based assistive devices and services.

    • It is called the ATIA! They host a conference to showcase products and services for those who need AT or are connected to the AT community [3].

  • Take a guess: How long has the ATIA Conference been happening?

    • Answer: Since 1999! The next one is on January 29-31, 2026 in Orlando, Florida [9].

  • Myth: You can only learn about AT and its innovation at the ATIA conference.

    • Users, teachers, and members of the public who are interested can attend online live and recorded webinars thanks to the Assistive Technology Online Professional Development Program by ATIA members and partners to educate themselves further about AT [3].


AT products are essential for individuals with disabilities in all parts of their life. Therefore, learning correct and accurate information about AT is essential for the public’s understanding along with further improvement of AT products and their accessibility.


References:


[1] World Health Organization. (2024, January 2). Assistive Technology. Who.int; World Health Organization: WHO. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/assistive-technology

[2] Boot, F. H., Dinsmore, J., Khasnabis, C., & MacLachlan, M. (2017). Intellectual Disability and Assistive Technology: Opening the GATE Wider. Frontiers in public health, 5, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2017.0001

[3] Assistive Technology Industry Association. (2025). What is AT? Assistive Technology Industry Association. https://www.atia.org/home/at-resources/what-is-at/

[4] Martinez, E., Schneweis, E., & Honig, N. (2024, January). Assistive Technology Basics. K State. https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/assistive-technology-basics-fact-sheet_MF3651.pdf

[5] Augsburg University. (2024). Free or Low Cost Assistive Technology for Everyone. CLASS Disability Resources. https://www.augsburg.edu/class/groves/assistive-technology/everyone/

[7] Accommodations and Assistive Technology | College Board. (n.d.). Bluebook.collegeboard.org.https://bluebook.collegeboard.org/students/accommodations-assistive-technology

[8] Postsecondary National Policy Institute Students with Disabilities in Higher Education CENSUS OVERVIEW This rate was 10% at non-profit institutions, 7% at for-profit institutions, and 7% of students at public institutions. (2025). https://pnpi.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/StudentswithDisabilities_FactSheet_Apr25.pdf

[9] Conference. (2024, February 5). Assistive Technology Industry Association. https://www.atia.org/conference/

 
 
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