ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES IN SPECIAL AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

Abstract

Assistive technologies have moved from being niche tools used in special education rooms to becoming a core infrastructure for inclusive schooling. When well selected and properly supported, they expand access to communication, literacy, participation, and independent learning for students with diverse needs, while also improving flexibility for many learners without diagnosed disabilities. This article reviews how assistive technologies fit within special and inclusive education, clarifies key concepts and definitions, and explains why technology alone never “solves” inclusion without pedagogy, accessibility, and systems-level support. Practical implementation logic is discussed through decision-making frameworks, teacher competence requirements, classroom design approaches such as Universal Design for Learning, and evaluation principles that focus on participation rather than gadgets.