Students with Special Educational Needs and Assistive Technologies: A Literature Review

ABSTRACT

The term assistive technologies refers to the equipment, devices and apparatus, and the services, systems, processes and adaptations made to the environment that support and facilitate their functions, used by persons with special education needs. This study is a literature review of the use of assistive technologies in the education of students with special educational needs. To compile the works related to this subject, electronic databases, journals and other relevant sources were curated. The applicable information found within these sources was then analyzed under two general themes: a) the use of assistive technologies, and b) assistive technology implementation models. The results of this study shows various types of assistive technology are used in special education and the use of assistive technologies generally have a positive effect on the students with special education. The results are discussed within the framework of the use of assistive technologies in special education and model implementations with the aim of contributing to the current assistive technology implementations presented in the literature.