When it comes to accessing university resources and services, the office I work with the most often by far is the Assistive Technology Initiative and its assistive technology specialists. While Disability Services documents my disability and accommodations that I might need as a student with low vision and a secondary medical condition, assistive technology specialists show me how my professors and I can implement these accommodations and identify ways that I can improve access to information and content. Since most students won’t learn about assistive technology specialists and how they support students when going on a tour of campus (unless I’m the one giving the tour!), I’ve created this list of what to know about college assistive technology specialists and how they can support students with disabilities in the classroom.
What is an assistive technology specialist?
In this context, an assistive technology specialist provides services that enable people with disabilities to access information, media, and academic content. While a lot of people associate assistive technology with high-tech items such as computers or robots, assistive technology comes in many forms ranging from no-tech magnifying glasses to software applications and web accessibility tools that can make it possible for users to access information for their classes. The exact duties of an assistive technology specialist vary, and some colleges or universities may have multiple assistive technology specialists for different tasks.
Some colleges may refer to their assistive technology specialist(s) using one of the following titles:
- Access technology specialist (or coordinator)
- Access coordinator
- Accessibility technology specialist (or coordinator)
- Accessible technology coordinator
- Accessible technology services
- Accessible technology program manager
- Alternative format coordinator
- Assistive Technology Initiative/Accessible Technology Initiative
- Assistive technology services
- AT Coordinator
- Disability technology specialist
Depending on their role, some assistive technology specialists may also have ATP after their names, which is a professional certification that stands for Assistive Technology Professional.
Related links
- Five Myths About Assistive Technology
- Ten Questions to Ask When Choosing a College
- Ten More Questions to Ask When Choosing A College
How to get referred for assistive technology services
To get referred for assistive technology services, students must be approved for disability accommodations through their college’s Disability Services office and request a referral for assistive technology or accessible materials. Students can also contact the assistive technology office themselves and provide documentation of their approved disability accommodations, though a referral from Disability Services may be needed for software access.
I received my first referral to my college’s assistive technology specialists before my first day of freshman year at the same time that I was approved for disability accommodations. At my college, Disability Services is separate from the Assistive Technology Initiative, but students are required to set up disability accommodations before they can be referred to an assistive technology specialist.
Related links
- How To Create A Disability Services File
- How To Get Disability Accommodations In Community College
- Why You Should Get A Disability Services File
Requesting an informal assistive technology assessment
College assistive technology specialists often can perform an informal assistive technology assessment for approved students or staff, which are designed to provide recommendations for performing specific tasks or accessing information. For example, I received an informal assistive technology assessment for magnifying information for class assignments, which included trialing video magnifiers and screen magnification software alongside an assistive technology specialist. They provided me with a list of recommended technology or devices that would help me magnify content, as well as information about where to access video magnifiers in different parts of campus.
In the vast majority of cases, assistive technology specialists cannot buy devices or software for individual students, and students are expected to purchase recommended devices on their own. However, they can provide information about how to request technology at a free or discounted rate through vocational rehabilitation services or the state unit for visual impairment/disability services. Alternatively, they can also provide information about student discounts for software or other items.
Related links
- A to Z of Assistive Technology For Low Vision
- Vocational Rehabilitation for College Students
- Services Provided By State Department/State Unit for Visual Impairment
- US Government Programs For Blind/Low Vision Residents
Converting textbooks and assignments to accessible formats
I exclusively use digital textbooks and eBooks for my college classes, and can often find them on my own through services like Bookshare, Chegg eTextbooks, and Amazon Kindle. If there’s a book I need for class that isn’t in an accessible format, I can put in a request with the college assistive technology specialists to have them convert a book or textbook I need for class into a format I can read.
This service is technically free in that students don’t have to pay extra to have a book converted to an accessible format, but they are legally required to share a proof of purchase for the physical or digital copy of the book/textbook they wish to have in an accessible format. If there is no existing accessible version of a book or textbook, the assistive technology specialist will use the original book to create one, a process that may include removing the physical book’s spine and scanning in pages. It can take anywhere from a few hours to a month to provide accessible copies of text, so I recommend submitting content as soon as possible.
Related links
- How To Request Accessible Textbooks In College
- How I Find Research Sources In Accessible Formats
- Mainstream eReader Apps and Low Vision Accessibility
- Fast Facts About Bookshare
- How Bookshare Books Come To Life
- Reading Chegg eTextbooks With Low Vision
- Receiving Accessible Educational Materials With NIMAC and AIM-VA
Accessing assistive technology labs
For students with print disabilities or that have trouble reading standard print, assistive technology labs (sometimes called access technology labs) provide several options for information access. Some assistive technology labs are in a private space and require students to swipe an ID card, while other areas are more open so anyone can use the technology.
Examples of items in an assistive technology lab include:
- Screen reader software, i.e. JAWS
- Computers with alternative keyboard options
- Screen magnification software, i.e. ZoomText
- Scanners
- Video magnifier/desktop CCTV
- Large monitors for screen mirroring
For students that use screen readers or screen magnification tools like JAWS, NVDA, or ZoomText to access computers, assistive technology specialists can assist with creating a portable USB copy so that students can use these applications and their preferred settings on any computer.
Related links
- Awesome On-Campus College Library Resources
- Online College Library Resources For Digital Access
- Computer Lab Accommodations For Low Vision Students
- Mainstream Technology and Low Vision: Keyboards
Getting free or discounted AT software
At my college, students can request free access to assistive technology software and applications through a network license or by requesting access to a license through assistive technology specialists. Students may be required to meet in-person or virtually with a specialist before they can get access to a software license, or to renew licenses as needed. Alternatively, students may be able to request discounted access to software they can use for classes.
Some examples of free or discounted assistive technology software that may be available include:
- Screen readers (e.g. JAWS)
- Screen magnification (e.g. ZoomText)
- Text-to-speech or read aloud tools
- PDF reading tools
- Note taking applications (e.g. Glean)
- Smart pens
- Dictation software (e.g. Dragon)
- Captioning services
Students can also request a meeting with assistive technology specialists to learn more about how to use software more effectively. For example, I met with an assistive technology specialist to learn how to access PDFs using a software they provided for students.
Related links
- A to Z of Assistive Technology For Low Vision
- A to Z of Assistive Technology for Reading Digital Text
- How To Use Dictation As Assistive Technology With Mainstream Devices
Accessing online classes
Assistive technology services aren’t just for on-campus classes and students! Hybrid and online classes and programs are also covered under the umbrella of services for assistive technology specialists, which can include converting files into different formats, providing captions for videos, and ensuring web pages are accessible for screen readers or keyboard access. As an online graduate student, I also received informal assistive technology assessments for accessing specific types of content that I needed for my classes, like websites and textbooks.
Related links
- How I Use Moodle With Low Vision
- How I Use Canvas With Low Vision
- How I Use Blackboard With Low Vision
- Low Vision Assistive Technology For Discussion Board Posts
Remediating academic materials and content
I primarily access content through visual modalities like large print, simplified reading displays, and the use of high resolution and high contrast graphics. If I run into trouble with accessing content or an assignment for class, either my professor or I can contact an assistive technology specialist or accessible media coordinator to convert the inaccessible content into something I can read or access independently. Here are some examples of how this might look:
- Converting classroom presentations, assignments, and documents into an accessible format that can be enlarged or read with a screen reader
- Creating tactile graphics or adapting graphics to be displayed in high resolution
- Formatting forms so they can be navigated with a keyboard
- Requesting captioning or audio description for video content
- Submitting tests or exams so they can be converted into an accessible format
Some of these examples can only be requested by a professor or member of disability services, such as remediation for tests or audio description for videos. However, students can ask their professors to submit requests on their behalf.
Related links
- File Formats For Low Vision and Print Disabilities
- Free Braille Art and Tactile Image Libraries: World Braille Day 2024
- Remote Testing Accommodations For Low Vision
Troubleshooting assistive technology
When I tried to enlarge the font size of a page while taking a remote proctored test, I realized that the software was enlarging only the pictures and surrounding display elements of the page while the text stayed the same size. I told my professor about this, and we both went to meet with an assistive technology specialist on campus to document the issue and figure out a solution. Together, we figured out a way for me to enlarge the screen effectively, as well as how to prevent this issue from happening again when taking exams on my personal computer.
Related links
- Reporting Accessibility Issues: College O&M
- What If I Have To Report Disability Accommodation Violations?
- Adapting Page Layouts: Math Problems and Low Vision
- Learning to Self-Advocate
Answering accessibility-related questions for students and faculty
What do these questions all have in common?
- What calculator would you recommend for a student with low vision?
- How can I access research journals with large print?
- What GPS apps work well on campus?
- Do you know of an alternative route to this building?
- Can I use captioning on this type of video?
- Is there a way to adjust these display settings so I don’t feel sick at the computer?
The answer is that they are all questions that my college assistive technology specialists answered for me over the span of one week, and that my professors could ask as well when ensuring that all students could access content for their classes. Students can work with assistive technology specialists to report barriers and find strategies for accessing information, whether it is figuring out how to access math assignments, working with professors to provide accessible materials, or even figuring out how to get to math class with accessible routes.
Related links
- Five Accessible Calculator Apps For Low Vision
- Adapting Digital Equations: Math Problems and Low Vision
- How I Read Research Sources With Assistive Technology
- Using GPS Apps On College Campuses: College O&M
- Navigating Campus Construction: College O&M
- How To Use Invert Colors With Low Vision
More things to know about college assistive technology specialists
- Preparing to go to college? Read My Talk At A Future Date: What I Wish I Learned About AT Before Starting College and What I Wish I Learned About Assistive Technology Before Starting Grad School
- For prospective students or current students at George Mason University, I cannot say enough good things about my experiences with the Assistive Technology Initiative (ATI), and their services were a major reason why I chose to attend GMU. If you have specific questions about GMU, I’m happy to answer questions via email, which can be found at Contact Veronica Lewis | Veronica With Four Eyes (veroniiiica.com)
- Want to learn even more about assistive technology in different contexts? Browse Veronica With Four Eyes Categories (veroniiiica.com)
Published October 3, 2019. Updated August 2024