The term Assistive Technology is a widely used in the literature but has a level of “definitional ambiguity”, as it can mean different things to different people (Golden, 1998). So what do we mean when we say assistive technology?

As a teacher/vice principal  in a two building complex, assistive can be a helpful tool. at my school Kurzweil and Moodle are used extensively to aid in the remedial and compensatory needs of our struggling learners. With the ability to use apps within the classroom this resource opens up new avenues to organize and strengthen student services.

Kurzweil 3000 - http://www.kurzweiledu.com/
Their products help to empower students to take control over their reading and writing disabilities and establish their independence. Kurzweil 1000 is an advanced scanning and reading solution for the blind or visually impaired. Kurzweil 3000 is their scanning, reading and writing solution for people with learning disabilities or reading difficulties. This is available in Mac and Windows versions now. Kurzweil offers demo CD’s of two assistive technology products.

The Moodle Community, an open network of over one million registered users who interact through the Moodle community website to share ideas, code, information and free support. This community also includes a large number of non-core developers, with Moodle's free source license and modular design allowing any developer to create additional modules and features that has allowed Moodle to become a truly global, collaborative project in scope.
Assistive technology can mean many things to teachers who work hard to make struggling learners feel more comfortable in the classroom and also help to minimize the learning gap. Here is a look at some apps that are available for students: