Computer technology is advancing at a rapid pace, causing the diversity and availability of assistive technology computing resources to have a significant impact on special education students across the United States. United. Assistive technology provides students with physical, emotional, and mental disabilities the opportunity to gain universal access to learning tools and opportunities. Despite studies demonstrating the benefits of assistive technology, many school districts fail to realize the full potential that assistive technology can offer. This article will define assistive technology, identify several barriers to effective implementation, and present various approaches to overcoming these barriers. Assistive technology is defined as “any item, piece of equipment or product system, whether commercially acquired, modified or customized, issued to increase, maintain or improve the functional abilities of persons with disabilities” (Assistive Technology Act). Education of Persons with Disabilities, 1997). Although assistive technology can include low-tech items such as canes, wheelchairs, and writing utensils, this article will focus on high-tech assistive technology electronic devices and software . Depending on the student's disability, various assistive technology devices may be used. Some physical adaptations include modified computer keyboards that involve color coding, alphabetically ordered keys, and adapted wands and pointers to increase accessibility and accuracy of typing (Starkman, 2007). Verbal and visual adaptations include programs using OCR recognition, speech-to-text recognition, text-to-speech applications, enhanced multimedia applications, and organization software. The emergence......in the middle of the document......s, all parties involved will have a clear understanding of the expectations, integration and evaluation of the procedure in place. It is clear that assistive technology has a huge positive impact on student learning. These tools allow students with disabilities to function in ways that would not otherwise be possible, which can promote learning, accessibility, and positive motivation. Lack of district and school leadership, teacher training and awareness, and lack of streamlined decision-making processes are barriers that can prevent the effective implementation of assistive technologies. By creating a unified vision, effective professional development, effective academic teacher preparation programs, and well-designed implementation plans, districts can overcome these barriers and meet the needs of the students who need it most..