Using assistive technology in the classroom

Abstract

The use of technology is now ubiquitous in Higher Education but its use or application to promote student inclusivity is not always well recognised. The use of existing software or hardware with a little more thought can often bring serendipitous benefits for a range of students. The JISC funded service, TechDis (www.techdis.ac.uk) offer periodic funding under its HEAT (Higher Education Assistive Technologies) scheme to promote the use of technology for inclusive teaching. TechDis says that ‘The aim of this scheme is to provide staff working in HE... with technology ... with which to develop or uncover an aspect of good inclusive practice. This may be specific to the teaching of a particular discipline, supporting a specific role area, or may have more generic applicability across the sector’. This article will discuss how TechDis funding was used with students to assess its potential benefits for inclusive teaching.