Assistive Technology in Education


Five Keys to Ensuring Student Equity in Online Learning

Online learning can be an important tool for advancing student equity by bringing instructional opportunities to students that didn’t exist for them before. However, as we’ve seen during the pandemic, online instruction can sometimes widen equity gaps if the circumstances aren’t favorable. For online learning to support student equity, here are five critical elements that must be in place.

Apple Launches New Learning Coach Program and Features for Educators

Apple today announced the launch of its new Apple Learning Coach professional learning program for educators who coach teachers, to help them get the most out of Apple technology and boost student engagement in the process.

Google Invites Classroom Users to Join Beta for 'Practice Sets,' with Auto-Grading, Instant Student Feedback, and More

Google for Education today launched the beta sign-up for its new Practice Sets feature in Google Classroom, which gives students hints for solving problems and immediate feedback on their answers — and can turn teaching content into interactive assignments and automatically grade responses, Google said in a blog post.

New Grants Seek Tech Solutions for Reading Instruction for English Learners with Disabilities

The U.S. Department of Education is now accepting applications for Stepping-Up Technology Implementation grant funds for cooperative projects that use existing technology to improve reading instruction for PreK–12 English Learners with disabilities, through its Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals With Disabilities Program.

New Research: Grade Readiness at Start of School Year Was More Impactful Than Being In School or Remote During Pandemic

Whether students were prepared for grade-level learning mattered more to their progress over the course of the pandemic than whether they were remote or in school, according to new research released today by Curriculum Associates.

Microsoft Education Unveils Expanded Literacy, Accessibility Tools for Students and Teachers

Microsoft Education today announced expanded literacy learning capabilities for teachers and students using its free Reading Progress app within Teams, and introduced a new integrated app called Reading Coach, a practice tool for students that automatically generates individualized exercises based on each student’s specific needs.

Why Student Data is Vital for Schools to Address Inequities in 2022 and Beyond

The COVID-19 pandemic has shined a spotlight on equity disparities in K–12 education, with new attention on how factors such as internet access, home environments, and family dynamics can impact student success. As schools continue responding to pandemic disruptions, timely and comprehensive data in one spot remains critical to educators’ abilities to make informed decisions and create targeted interventions.

Carolina Biological Launching Certified OpenSciEd Middle School Units and CTE

Carolina Biological, a supplier of instructional materials for science classes, on Tuesday unveiled new “certified” print and digital versions of OpenSciEd science instructional units for grades 6–8, including complete lab kits and flexible purchase options for schools, the company said in a news release.

Two Senators Unveil Bipartisan Bill to Open SAMHSA Mental Health Funds to K–12 School Districts

Two U.S. senators have announced proposed legislation that would allow K–12 school districts to seek direct federal funding for comprehensive student mental health and suicide prevent programs from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

SXSW EDU 2022 Gears Up To Reimagine Education: From Practical to Profound

Since COVID-19 turned the U.S. education system upside down, the movement to "reimagine education" seems to be having a moment, and SXSW EDU attendees can expect to hear a lot of discussion on remaking America’s public school norms when the event returns in-person March 7–10 in Austin with more than 350 in-person sessions, dozens of which will be streamed online as well for virtual attendees.