Assistive Technology for College and Postsecondary Education

OVERVIEW

Assistive technology may support access to reading, writing, note-taking, lectures, digital course materials, communication, organization, testing, physical access, and independent technology use in college, university, technical, vocational, and other postsecondary or adult learning environments. The technology that is useful depends on the specific task, the person's access needs, the learning environment, device compatibility, available accommodations, and individual preference. This page introduces general considerations for using assistive technology during the transition from K-12 into postsecondary education. It does not provide diagnosis-based recommendations or represent an individualized evaluation.

THE TRANSITION FROM K-12 TO POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION

Special education services in K-12 schools and disability access systems in postsecondary education operate under different frameworks. In postsecondary settings, students generally take a more active role in identifying their own access needs, requesting accommodations, communicating with their institution's disability or accessibility services office, managing their own technology, maintaining software and accounts, and troubleshooting basic access issues. An Individualized Education Program (IEP) does not automatically continue into college; postsecondary accommodations are typically established through a separate process with the institution's disability or accessibility services office. Students and families may want to review current guidance from their state's department of education or the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights for more detail on how these systems differ.

STARTING BEFORE COLLEGE

Before a student transitions to postsecondary education, it can help to consider questions such as: What assistive technology does the student currently use? Who owns the equipment, and is it school-owned? Will district-owned equipment need to be returned before or after graduation? Are software licenses or app subscriptions tied to a school account that may not transfer? Can the student operate the technology independently, and troubleshoot basic problems without support? Will the current technology work with the platforms the college or program is likely to use? Are backup options available if a tool becomes unavailable? Reviewing these questions early can help identify gaps before they become urgent.

READING ACCESS

Reading access tools that may be useful in postsecondary settings include text-to-speech, accessible digital text formats, optical character recognition (OCR) for scanning printed materials, screen readers, screen magnification, display and contrast adjustments, and other reading-support software. See Reading Assistive Technology for a fuller discussion of reading supports across cost levels and device types.

WRITING AND NOTE-TAKING

Writing and note-taking supports may include speech recognition and dictation, accessible word processing tools, alternative keyboards, digital note-taking apps, handwriting alternatives, and keyboard or pointer accessibility features already built into many devices. Some students use audio recording to supplement notes, though recording a lecture is not automatically permitted in every classroom; students may want to confirm recording policies with their instructor or institution before doing so. See Writing Assistive Technology and Alternative Keyboards for related options.

LECTURE AND CLASSROOM ACCESS

Classroom and lecture access may involve captioning, accessible versions of presentation materials, communication access supports, mobile-device accessibility features, seating or physical access considerations, and accessible copies of instructional materials distributed through digital course platforms. The specific supports available can vary by institution and course, so it can help to discuss access needs with instructors and the disability or accessibility services office early in the term.

ORGANIZATION AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTION

Tools that support organization and task management, such as digital calendars, reminder apps, task-management systems, timers, schedules, and checklists, may help students manage coursework, deadlines, and daily responsibilities. These supports are described here by function rather than by diagnosis, since many students benefit from organizational tools regardless of the reason. AssistiveTechnology.org's Assistive Technology for Executive Function page goes into more depth on these organizational and task-management supports.

VISION, HEARING, COMMUNICATION, AND PHYSICAL ACCESS

Students with vision, hearing, communication, or physical access needs may benefit from a range of assistive technology beyond what is summarized on this page. See Screen Readers and Screen Magnification and Visual Access for vision-related tools, Communication & AAC for communication supports, and Alternative Keyboards and Alternative Mice and Pointing Devices for physical access options. See also Mobile Device Accessibility for accessibility features built into phones and tablets.

TESTING AND ASSESSMENT ENVIRONMENTS

Assistive technology used in coursework may or may not be automatically permitted during exams or other assessments. Testing accommodations are generally reviewed and approved separately from general classroom accommodations. Students should confirm which technology and accommodations are approved for a specific test or assessment with their institution's disability or accessibility services office or the relevant testing authority before the exam.

DEVICE AND SOFTWARE OWNERSHIP

Device and software ownership is an important consideration during the transition to postsecondary education. This includes whether technology is personally owned or school-issued, whether subscriptions or software licenses will continue after graduation, how app purchases and licenses transfer between accounts, who is responsible for device replacement or repair, how account access and cloud storage are managed, and whether backup plans exist if a device or account becomes unavailable. Ownership and licensing arrangements can affect whether a familiar tool remains available after a student leaves K-12 school systems, so reviewing these details ahead of time can help avoid a gap in access.

TECH SUPPORT AND SELF-ADVOCACY

Being able to describe personal access needs, explain how a specific tool supports a task, perform basic troubleshooting, manage passwords and accounts, keep software updated, communicate with a disability or accessibility services office, and recognize when additional technical support is needed can all help a student use assistive technology more independently in postsecondary settings. These are skills that can be practiced and strengthened over time, not a requirement that must be met before a student is entitled to access or support.

AT ASSESSMENT BEFORE TRANSITION

Reassessing assistive technology needs before a student transitions to postsecondary education may help identify gaps related to independence, training, device ownership, compatibility with new platforms, changes in coursework demands, access to digital course materials, and the availability of backup tools in a new environment. See AT Assessment & Selection for more on this process. See also Assistive Technology and Transition Planning for how assistive technology is addressed in an IEP transition plan.

FUNDING CONSIDERATIONS

Funding for assistive technology in postsecondary settings may come from several possible sources, including personal purchase, vocational rehabilitation services where a student qualifies, state assistive technology programs, resources specific to the student's institution, the institution's disability or accessibility services office, and grants or scholarships where available. Eligibility and available funding vary by program and are not guaranteed. See Funding Assistive Technology and Assistive Technology Funding Systems for a broader look at funding sources.

AUTHORITATIVE RESOURCES

The U.S. Department of Education provides an overview of the transition to postsecondary education for students with disabilities at Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education. AHEAD, the Association on Higher Education and Disability, offers additional information for students and families navigating postsecondary access. These sources address general legal frameworks and processes; they are not a substitute for guidance from a student's own institution.

RELATED ASSISTIVETECHNOLOGY.ORG RESOURCES

This page references several related resources throughout, including tools for reading, writing, communication, mobile accessibility, funding, and technology assessment. See the sections above for links to more detailed pages on each topic.

ABOUT THIS PAGE

This page is provided for general educational purposes and is maintained by Accessibility Clinic, Inc. Assistive technology and accommodation needs vary widely from person to person, and the information here does not constitute an individualized assistive technology evaluation or legal advice. Institutional policies, procedures, and available accommodations differ between colleges, universities, and other postsecondary programs. Readers should verify specific requirements and available supports with the relevant postsecondary institution's disability or accessibility services office. For an individualized evaluation, see AssistiveTechnologyEvaluations.org.