The list of federal legislation regarding Assistive Technology shows an increasingly expansive attitude towards what school districts must provide to help students learn.
The 1970s saw the inclusion of students with physical disabilities who don’t qualify for special education but might need various devices to help them participate in school activities.
The 1980s saw the inclusion of young students aged 3-5 and the Technology Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act.
The 1990s saw a flood of legislation that expanded people’s rights to assistive technology, including the Americans with Disabilities Act. This is all heading in the right direction but I wonder what percentage of students who need assistive technology are taking advantage of the laws. Some districts have been known to fight AT expenditures because of limited funding. I suspect that they might not offer the purchase of some needed devices to students whose parents aren’t advocating for them. In some cases parents may not even know of the devices that exist to help their children. I also wonder how much money has been spent fighting over these laws in court.
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