Technology is not a magic bullet for overcoming the challenges faced by children with disabilities.

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated exclusion for many marginalized learners, for instance, in the shift to online-learning. Learners with disabilities found that remote learning modalities were not adequately prepared for sign language interpretation, closed captioning, or Braille, among other issues. Technology provision without appropriate teacher training can also result in ineffective use or inappropriate selection of technologies for specific children.

In addition, while assistive devices have offered a lifeline to many learners with a disability, many challenges remain, mainly around their availability, their adaptability, the lack of specialized teacher training and the stigma that remains attached to using assistive technologies.

Not all technologies are applicable for students with the same type of disability

One of the reasons that children with disabilities may not stay in school is that their learning needs are not met. This is where technology can help. With the support of digital devices, information can be represented in multiple different ways, facilitating personalized learning, developing leaners’ independence, agency, and promoting social inclusion. Assistive and accessible technologies can be individualized to students’ specific learning needs and can cater for students with different types of disabilities.

Accessible technologies have advantages over assistive technology, including easier availability, reduced costs, device familiarity and reduced stigma. They allow learners with disabilities to use the same technologies as other students, allowing assistive technology to play a complementary role.