Technology in Special Education: Strategies for Incorporation

By Dr. Kathleen Tate  |  09/08/2025

Technology is increasingly present in our everyday lives. Modern technology helps us to:

• Manage schedules
• Track data
• Communicate
• Be entertained
• Learn for ourselves and teach others

However, technology can also be a valuable tool in the special education classroom. For instance, items such as apps, assistive technology, and artificial intelligence (AI) help students with various special needs. Similarly, edtech software, virtual reality, and mobile devices can also engage and motivate students with special needs.

The Different Categories of Disabilities

Educational leaders and teachers should be familiar with the 14 categories of disabilities recognized by the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA):

• Autism
• Deaf-blindness
• Deafness
• Developmental delay
• Emotional disturbance
• Hearing impairment
• Intellectual disability
• Multiple disabilities
• Orthopedic impairment
• Other health impairment
• Specific learning disability
• Speech or language impairment
• Traumatic brain injury
• Visual impairment

Based on students’ individual educational programs (IEPs), appropriate special education services must be provided. Understanding some basic information about the learning process typically associated with a category of disability can help an IEP team determine the best learning materials and technology devices to provide students in today’s classrooms.

Modern Technology and Specific Disabilities

Depending on the specific disability, certain technology devices may help students participate more successfully in the general education classroom setting. Educators should consider the hardware and software products that best support students with mobility impairments or other disabilities. These products include:

• Headphones
• Assistive technology products
• Apps
• Google® tools

Image created by Albljaa ali and slightly modified in size. No endorsement of American Public University is indicated or implied by the use of this image.

Helping Students with Emotional Disabilities

Some students with emotional disabilities will likely benefit from simply wearing headphones. Whether the headphones are noise-cancelling or provide calming music or sounds, they can help students in a special education classroom with self-regulation of mood and relaxation.

Students learn to identify when they need a coping mechanism and find the appropriate product accordingly. Teachers should allow and encourage special needs students to easily obtain necessary products in the classroom without asking. Families can reinforce the encouragement at home.

Learners who struggle with emotional disabilities or social anxiety often experience time management challenges and feel overwhelmed by tasks. Educators should assist students by:

• Helping them to learn to take short breaks when needed
• Using non-technology or technology options that help calm their minds

This strategy should help these students learn and stay focused in chunks of time. For example, kids may use stress balls, fidget toys, deep breathing, or drawing for their breaks. They might enjoy creating a drawing or painting with software such as Microsoft® Paint, included on many computers, or a free, open-source paint program such as Krita®.

Students with emotional disabilities may experience a constant need for time management support. Teaching them to use calendar reminders using Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, or other apps on tablets, computers, or phones can assist students in distance learning and face-to-face contexts. Setting up reminders for due dates and even taking scheduled breaks can also help with managing demands of school and life in general.

Assisting Students with Visual Impairments

Students with visual impairments may need assistive technology that provide camera and voice recognition. Low-tech options such as magnifiers and large-print texts tend to be low-cost. Many school districts already have a large print text collection. Text-to-speech tools tend to be free or affordable.

Alt text for images in online classrooms, on the web, and across social media platforms helps students with image descriptions. However, those descriptions should be written thoughtfully.

Generative AI assistants such as Microsoft Copilot provide students with many benefits in terms of their learning experience in the classroom. This type of tool has various advantages such as:

• It makes tasks such as searching for information more manageable and less overwhelming.
• Working on writing tasks may be less tedious. Brainstorming and revising, for example, may be performed by generative AI assistants.

Assistive technology tools such as screen readers and AI make learning more feasible for those students who are blind or have low vision, but they may require a larger school budget. Screen readers range in price from free to expensive, while AI smart glasses and smart canes are more costly.

Specific Learning Disabilities

Common areas of specific learning disabilities (SLD) include reading, writing, and math, to name a few. Technology provides options for students with SLD to better process information and communicate.

Text-to-speech tools give learners access to written documents, including grade-level books, that may be above their independent reading level. Such technology helps with comprehending and thus participating more with peers in inclusion classrooms.

Students who have writing challenges benefit from word prediction apps that shorten the time it takes to type words, sentences, and paragraphs. These apps could help some students with SLD get thoughts onto paper more efficiently and with less frustration.

Speech-to-text tools allow students to dictate words into a document as another option for more streamlined writing assignments and projects. Learning to use spell-checker apps or software can diminish the need for constantly having to look up proper spelling of words in a classroom dictionary.

Using large-printed dictionaries can be a massive overload for students with certain learning disabilities. However, validating spell checker suggestions using web searches and online dictionaries can alleviate such problems.

Considerations for Using Technology in Special Education

To provide a free and appropriate education (FAPE) per IDEA, school districts and leaders should allocate the necessary funds for purchasing special education technology devices. Such tools may also be useful for other students, such as:

• English as a Second Language (ESL) learners
• Students with different learning styles

Along with budgeting, there should be informed decision-making about digital tools with direct teacher involvement. In addition, input should be solicited from specialists, special educators, and community members.

Edtech tools can aid progress among all students, including students with special needs. Decisions need to support students so that they are provided with user-friendly or custom-made solutions for their particular needs.

Professional development or training. needs to be an option for instructors. Teachers should feel confident and equipped to use technology effectively as they plan activities and lessons, teach, and assess student progress.

Understanding that technology makes school life better for students in special education programs is important. Additionally, teachers need to learn about the ethical and safety aspects associated with technology.

As educational professionals continue to learn more about disabilities, disability categories, pedagogies, and interactive technology tools, the more likely that the playing field will be leveled for students in special education. Helping learners use coping and digital literacy skills in the classroom should help empower them to be more successful.

The Master of Education in Teaching at APU

For aspiring educators, American Public University (APU) offers students an online Master of Education in Teaching. For this degree program, students will take courses such as different perspectives on teaching and communicating, classroom management for the 21st century, and powerful technology applications for the active learning environments.

This master’s program also offers eight concentrations, including a Special Education concentration, an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) concentration, and an Online Learning concentration. These concentrations may be of particular interest to adult learners interested in assistive technology and instructing K-12 students with special needs.

For more details, visit APU’s education program page.

Note: This program has specific admission requirements. Completion of the program does not lead to state certification or licensure. 

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Microsoft is a registered trademark of the Microsoft Corporation.
Krita is a registered trademark of the Stichting Krita Foundation.